Rush Hour Trains at: Stevenage, ECML, 01/07/22

An amazing evening rush hour period spent at Stevenage station on the East Coast Mainline where we see countless services from London Northeastern Railway, Grand Central, Hull Trains, Great Northern and Thameslink with freight courtesy of GBRF.
I actually thought there would be more to tell about Stevenage but it actually hasn't got as much of a varied history as I first thought. This isn't the first station to be built here though. The current station was built and opened by British Rail in 1973.
The first station was built by the Great Northern Railway in 1850, the station was first met with a lot of hostility by some of the local coach companies in the city at the time as it would take away the business from them which it eventually did as getting around by train was significantly quicker that going via horse around the country.
The station was a simple design and in all honesty hasn't really change now, the station then had 4 platforms if my memory serves me right and when the station was closed in the mid 1900's it was moved 1.4km south from it's old location to where it is located now, this is because in the 1940's the government at the time declared that Stevenage would be one of the first towns in the UK to be given 'New Town' status. This was actually done because they were looking at ways of building new towns around a 50 mile radius of London once WW2 had finished. There were 500,000 people within inner London that the government were trying to target to get into these new towns because of the amount of damage to houses and other buildings during the blitz of the war.
What this 'New 'Town' meant that was Stevenage was to be given a new town centre which is why when you are passing through the city you can see signs leading you to the 'old town'. Because if the fact that a new city centre was to be built they also thought it would be better if they built a new railway station that was also closer to the town centre to make it more financially viable which it ultimately was.
So eventually the new station was opened in 1973 and albeit from a few small modernisation changes it really hasn't changed all that much.
My next rush hour film will be from Luton Airport Parkway on the Midland Mainline.
You can now find me on Facebook through the group Tornado922, there you will find regular updates, videos and photos from all of my goings on throughout 2022.
You can also find me on Instagram through the name tornado922 where it isn't just rail related content that I produce.

[@meerkatmusings8450]

Grew up with Stevenage Station being my main station. Initially Class 317s and Class 43s, then the sadly defunct Class 365s, and the beautiful Class 91s.

[@paulwilliams5713]

I was born in stevenage, miss the Intercity 125s thundering past, l lived near the Hartford line

[@Martin_Trainspotter]

Amazing catches. Greetings from Croatia!

[@DJCox95]

Another great video, the ECML has a good variety of service providers and classes!

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much bud!

[@nikkigibbs4967]

Loving the videos!! Keep it up

[@seanycactushead6697]

Tornado hits the spot again. Fantastic video sir. There is nothing quite like an azuma giving it the beans! Many thanks for posting 😊

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly!!

[@gavinsmith2598]

Brilliant train/plane spotting and humerus., entertaining commentary 👍

[@sidney001]

I have just discovered your channel through the mystery of the youtube algorythmn and am throughly enjoying watching trains go by, It's just a shame their all bloody Shithatchi 800's, bastard things. I do however like the term 'Storm Tooper' for the 700's, very apt once you see it. May I suggest Tonbridge as a location You have 4 lines converge into the station, plus the goods yard And there are two island platforms which afford excellent views in both directions Rgds, From Cornwall

[@alexanderallpress]

really nice to see 91111 in service with the special livery, taking away to look at my model form on my layout behind me as i see it go past in the vid!

[@Tornado922]

It really is a stunning livery!!

[@robertstrainsnsw1596]

Great rush hour film at Stevenage I like the horn from the 66

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much bud!

[@samsplanestrains5386]

You’d be correct, EasyJet UK use Airbus A319/A320/A321, Ryanair has nothing but Boeing 737s

[@camronholt-massia6810]

I believe eady jet also have a few boeing 737 aswell

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly for the info bud

[@barrybriars5378]

Hi. Brings back memories the new station was built by the Langley Water troughs. The old station was about 1 mile north. My dad was a lineman for this stretch and Sundays we used to go with him and collected the bad shot golf balls at the Knebworth golf course. When you point the the camera west I used to work in the big factory which has now gone. Good video

[@Tornado922]

I'm glad this film brought back some good memories for you!!

[@davidpilgrim5664]

Good video. You know your stuff.

[@Tornado922]

Thank you kindly

[@trainsintheuk5788]

I miss 91s

[@Tornado922]

Good thing they are still running around the network

[@trainsintheuk5788]

@@Tornado922 yes in very little quantity though. I heard that grand central where going to put a couple 91s on the Cardiff to Paddington but obviously covid destroyed any chances of that happening.

[@Meehan2023]

Nice video

[@keiranclarke2955]

omg welcome back to Stevenage tornado 922!!! Hope you enjoyed it there.

[@Tornado922]

It was great to be back

[@keiranclarke2955]

Btw I work at McDonald's. Not at leisure Park one but at the other one. And I do plenty of hours there. Luckily all those hours help me go to places like London, Welwyn, Hatfield, Potters Bar, Hitchin, Letchworth, Cambridge, Peterborough, York, Nottingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow. I have however worked at leisure Park mcdonalds as our store was geeting refurbished but I got picked on there. I dont know if I want to work at leisure Park one again. Obviously I'll stick at my store as I know everyone there and I made friends there and it's closer to home.

[@Tornado922]

I'm glad you've got a job which gives you the chance to get around and enjoy yourself bud

[@Andrewjg_89]

I quite like the new platform 5 that is built for Great Northern Class 717 Desiro City working the Moorgate-Stevenage via Hertford North.

[@Tornado922]

It's a handy platform to have

[@markthompson5711]

Great vlog voff planes nd train s tornado

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@alanshelly7068]

Awesome video buddy from Alan Shelley in Lowestoft

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much bud

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

The first 225 set looked like having eight coaches instead of nine. Even before their restriction to the Leeds and York services, any 225 sets reduced to eight cars would have had to see predominant use on the Leeds and York services and Newcastle, Skipton and Bradford Forster Square services on occasion. The brand new liveried 225 set, with 91127 in it, recently entered service two weeks back I think, so keep an eye out for it if you can! Speaking of keep an eye, we better keep an eye on Lumo because they failed to make an appearance in this film! We'll probably cast a spell in Lumos to bring Lumo back next time!

[@Tornado922]

I never noticed at the time that the 225 sets only had 8 carriages on them

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

@@Tornado922 They do usually have nine coaches but are on the odd occasion reduced to eight in the event of maintenance work to one of the coaches.

[@class56trainsrock62]

11:34

[@171trains]

14:10 that was a depot whistle from the 700

[@Tornado922]

Ah right ok

[@theimperialist2686]

Great railway video as always mate.

[@Tornado922]

Thank you once again!

[@coyi51]

Only been through Stevenage but looks a good station to spend some time at.

[@Tornado922]

I can recommend you coming here

[@paulhill8224]

Great video Tornado922

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@mrorangeaventra4683]

Great video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@78marietapop39]

at 14:01 that is the depot horn from the desiro city family

[@harrygrieves6812]

I went to Edinburgh on one of the LNER Azuma trains that passed by.

[@Tornado922]

Hope you had a good journey

[@harrygrieves6812]

@@Tornado922 Thanks for watching

[@sctrains3687]

Nice video as always

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much

[@chrisatrailway7573]

Great video I like 91111 best livery in my opinion 🍺👍

[@Tornado922]

It really is a great livery

[@chriswhitaker4577]

Hi Tornado922. Great rush hour film at Stevenage. Nice 2-tone from 66741 at 11:35 which totally made you jump (ha ha!). 😆 Also, very unusual 1-tone from something somewhere at 14:01. Loved the 1-tone that 180104 gave at 37:54 too. Correct information for you: at 6:05, it was indeed 801215 working the LNER Azuma service from Edinburgh, at 11:46, it was 180106 working the Grand Central Adelante service from Bradford Interchange and at 14:43, it was 801205 working the LNER Azuma service to Edinburgh. I'm sure you'll find time to do Luton Airport Parkway during the rush hour. As and when you get the opportunity to, can you also do a Rush Hour film at Birmingham New Street and another standard film at Reading please? Looking forward to next rush hour film at Harrow & Wealdstone. Kind regards, Chris.

[@chriswhitaker4577]

It might have been 717016 with that 1-tone, now I've watched that bit again in the film.

[@britishtrainspotter2039]

Can you go back to market harborough because you haven’t been their for like 7 years and it has changed

[@Tornado922]

I will see what I can do

[@britishtrainspotter2039]

@@Tornado922 👍🏻

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

That GBRF 66 is named after a Forest it had a tree on the nameplate

[@Tornado922]

Probably Nottingham Forest

[@camotech1314]

Agreed on 1st class being pointless in certain commuter trains. There should just be more space for normal passengers.

[@yui4779]

Back at Stevenage Also 0:55 717006. Where's 717-007?

[@chriswhitaker4577]

717007 didn't feature in this film, but we saw 717008 at 36:51.

[@yui4779]

@@chriswhitaker4577 So it was 008 and Alex traveleon

[@michaellittlejohns7968]

Did u notice that 91111 had 8 coaches instead of 9 coaches

[@Tornado922]

I never realised that at the time

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

91111 went into Wabtech after you filmed this I think

[@Tornado922]

Right ok

[@traceywiseman8989]

It’s hard to get the numbers of the 180’s because they’re on the coupling hook

[@chriswhitaker4577]

The way to find the numbers on the 180 Adelantes is by looking on the side of the carriages because there is a 5-digit code, and the last 2 digits should help you work it out, e.g. 50906 means 180106.

[@lewismcdonald4152]

great video mate can you try and go to letchworth garden city please

[@Tornado922]

thanks very much, I will see what I can do

[@alanmolyneux5957]

How long has the 5th platform been open? Last time I was at Stevenage 6 years ago i'm sure there were 4.

[@Tornado922]

I honestly have no idea

[@miahaskurti4539]

And Then Can You Do Berkhamsted, Nuneaton, Castlethorpe & Wolverton On The West Coast Main line And Mill Hill Broadway & Luton Airport Parkway & Flitwick On The Midland Mainline

[@Tornado922]

I can only do some of those

[@miahaskurti4539]

Can You Do Biggleswade & St Neots Stations On The East Coast Main Line

[@Tornado922]

I'll have a think about that

[@joshmalay6297]

Does lumo stop at stevenage? Because I rode an Lumo 803 and I saw their map and it says they stop at stevenage which they don't.

[@JackJackProductions]

2 x Northbound services stop to pickup and 2 x Southbound stop to drop off

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

91127 came off of its new train set! It is now in a Virgin liveried set I believe! Oh come on! Why not the full set with 91127? Mind you, I guess it will probably happen with the 91's anyway during the repaint period.

[@Tornado922]

They will all be done soon enough

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

@@Tornado922 91101 has had its Virgin style Flying Scotsman livery removed in favour of the new LNER livery, so the Scotswoman DVT of 82205 will probably have had its Virgin style livery removed in favour of the new colour scheme.

[@miahaskurti4539]

Can You Do Your Next Rush Hour Film At Milton Keynes Central

[@Tornado922]

I will be doing that later next month

[@keiranclarke2955]

why do all freights go through the Hertford loop before going through Stevenage?

[@TrainsWithDynamo]

so that they dont hold up passenger trains that go via WGC as they are more frequent.

[@progenlol]

Didn't do what, Tornado?

[@Matthew_Webb_2023]

When will you be revisiting the southeastern mainline

[@Tornado922]

Later this year

[@miahaskurti4539]

Some LNER Services Stop At Stevenage.

[@Tornado922]

I know

[@miahaskurti4539]

Did You Forget Lumo Operates On The East Coast Main Line

[@Tornado922]

They weren't seen throughout this film which is why I didn't include them

[@miahaskurti4539]

@@Tornado922 Ok

[@jakeee114]

Great video and spots. I want to go to Stevenage soon, when is the best time of the day to go to Stevenage to see the most 225’s ?

[@JackJackProductions]

During the week from 13.05 to 15.05, there are diagrammed to be 4 IC225s making 5 appearances. 2 stopping from Leeds to London, 1 stopping from York to London, 1 passing from Leeds to London, 1 passing from London to Leeds

[@ballsinspector]

@@JackJackProductions how can i check which trains are running what services? like is there a website?

[@JackJackProductions]

@@ballsinspector The 225 Group's website will tell you which Leeds/ York London services are booked as 225

[@ballsinspector]

@@JackJackProductions so for instance the monday-friday 10:33 kgx to leeds is a 225?

[@JackJackProductions]

@@ballsinspector correct

[@miahaskurti4539]

It Looks The Fast Lines Have Double Overhead Wires

[@Tornado922]

Quite possibly

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

Another private Cesna 560XL jet bound for Cranfield

[@Tornado922]

Righteo

[@Debbiestrainsandtoys]

An air Prague jet bound for Luton maybe

[@Tornado922]

Wouldn't have a clue

[@nottinghamtransportenthusi2784]

The unidentified 180 might have been 180106.

[@Tornado922]

I wouldn't know

[@I-NEED-DONUTS]

There not former Gatwick express 387/2 they are only on loan while Gatwick airport station is being refurbished

[@Tornado922]

Right ok

[@class56trainsrock62]

37:54

[@arnoldspottingvideos5269]

24:15 Govia Thameslink Railway everywhere 😂

[@Tornado922]

They are spreading haha

[@thetrainandbusspottertflgw3669]

Hi

[@Tornado922]

Hello

[@phillipdunn7486]

English lol

[@thetrainandbusspottertflgw3669]

Great video

[@Tornado922]

Thanks very much