07:56 looks like Bletchley station. The building next to the platform sign was the train crew offices. The top of the stairs now leads to a new overbridge to the new platforms for the trains to Oxford
I think you right, they just closed part of the East West Rail line which closed between Bedford and Cambridge, i believe the Oxford to Bedford line was still activities despite it partly closing down between Oxford and Bletchley in the 90's and now in 2025 it being reopen.
I worked nights there on parcels and newspapers. It was cold and soulless. I still mourn the loss of the Great Hall, the Propyleum and the confusion of different length platforms and the local electric' and the main and slow 'steam' lines.
The first 25Kv electric trains were going so fast, the poor old paraffin tail lamps had their flames fighting for life by the time they passed Watford.
Where they don't tell you which platform your train is leaving from until five minutes beforehand, causing a mad rush and panic. Woe betide if you have a hearing loss and can't hear the tannoy..
1:41 Anyone else notice that to start with F comes up on the 'theatre indicator' at 1:36 (where F = fast line) but then at 1:41 when the signal is 'off' it shows routing via the relief (i.e. slow) line "R Off". Doubtful if their super-whizzo express train actually ran via the slow lines but the filmmakers presumably didn't want to show the real signal which would have said "F Off" on a video aimed at families!!!
Actually, the 'R' referred to equates to 'Right Away' NOT 'Relief'. At some stations the indicator shows 'RA' which is the same thing - 'Right Away'. 'Theatre' indicators show the dirver which 'road' the train is routed over.
Ah this is the life of British Railways, no over crowding at London Euston Station and no penalties fines if your trains is running late, Now a days life is too serious and everyone rushing around like a maniacs.
Proper rail travel when you could pick up a timetable and travel ona train in comfort not like today when you have a use the awful online train apps hate them and sit on a rock hard seat or probably stand progress no we have gone backwards in rail travels in the uk
@@UKTransportVideos82 The film appears to be as much for internal staff use and possibly for Govt minister viewing to promote what and how British Railways Board was trying to do (via the use of BTFilms )
Aksually, the locos involved were built in 1965 (Class 86 electrics) and 1967 (Class 50 diesels). The carriages at their oldest would be early 50's, and the ones with tumblehome sides only came in in 1964. So, not quite so out of date for the time.
Compare and contrast the forecourt at Euston in 1969 with today's view where you can hardly see the floor for the crowd, which helps to explain the original rationale for HS2 - stupid name to call it HS(for High Speed)2 in the first place when it should have been labelled HC(for High Capacity)2 because that's why a NEW rail line was needed - to massively boost capacity on a (WCML) rail artery that was already reaching its limits, in terms of train pathways (a concept that not many people even know about or understand) back in the early years of the 21st. century. Sadly the manner in which HS2 was conceived and implemented is a glaring example of HOW NOT to do these things, ie. strategic transport infrastructure investment - again compare and contrast the debacle of HS2 with outcomes just across La Manche where two brand new High Speed Lines opened for service in July 2017 - those two major projects (LGV BPL & LGV SEA) combined, constituted more that 500km of new High Speed infrastructure or a distance not far short of the entire length of new track originally planned for all sections of HS2; phases 1, 2a, 2b & 2c (first section from London to Birmingham plus the Western and Eastern Arms to Manchester and Leeds respectively) - total originally planned line length for HS2 was 561km. The total construction costs of NEW High Speed infrastructure in France referenced here was slightly more than 11billion€ or about £10billion - about ONE FIFTH (20%) of the projected construction costs for the radically truncated HS2 line from London Euston, which rejoins the existing WCML at Handsacre junction north of Birmingham - a distance of just 225km. In summary £10billion for 500km in France vs £50billion for 225km in dear old blighty - yes, I know there are major differences between the projects which significantly increase overall UK costs, not least the matter of tunnelling into city centres to enable GC gauge trains to travel the final few km to their destinations - a feature not required in France where new High Speed Lines can switch seamlessly on to the existing network for that small distance into city centre stations - there's also the cost differential between land/property in the UK and France (much cheaper in the latter) but these, entirely logical and anticipated, factors do NOT go even close to explaining the chasm like contrast in overall costs?
i think you have to look at the geography of france , It has a population about the same as the UK but considerably larger area. Lots of length of the lines is over essentially not a lot, and much of that is if not flat is basic farmlands . Planning is also draw a line, pay the landowners 1.25x land value an thats it. The UK has lots of houses, cottages, roads to re-align demanded tunnels, embankments and then turn into the urban areas like Birmingham just to terminate and that only a few relative miles from London
We had capacity - the line from Marylebone to Birmingham ( still extant ,but slower as not electrified - which could now be cheaper with hybrid trains not needing full under the wires. Likewise St Pancras to Manchester via Buxton was a good alternative routing for either freight or passenger. HS2 could be sold on being as fast / environmentally more sustainably than air travel.
@@highpath4776 I agree, these are all factors that would increase overall comparable project costs here in the UK but TEN TIMES THE COST PRO-RATA - not ******* likely!!!
@@highpath4776 "the line from Marylebone to Birmingham" Might have been a possibility but pretty sure many different options were explored before the route finally chosen became the "best" one? In fact I do remember seeing copious documents detailing many different alignments and their various pro&cons but can't recall if Marylebone to Birmingham was among them? I don't have all the answers but one thing I am pretty certain about - something stinks to high heaven in terms of the manner in which the HS2 project overall was implemented.
@@peterdavidson3268 I always took it as an excuse to extensively profitably redevelop Birmingham and the Euston area of London (but Euston does not have enough space - Euston Road takes up too much space) and possibly Manchester - though again centrally Piccadilly does not have space and you cannot really have a new station that does not allow for interchange easily to other bits of rail connected manchester. Crewe might get a big change to high rise residential blocks but wont the fares for HS2 be too much for average person to afford ?
Strangely the one bright element in the whole drab place, the huge advert wall is now dark making this leftover from the failed 1960s experiment in functional no design ethic crying out for demolition Transport secretary take note
@@Michael43713 Oddly not that many today either- many for the Wedding Parties etc with relatives Southall-Birmingham tend to drive or go by coach. Probably something to do with the cost of fares.
th-cam.com/video/ZrEVs3Hcz5E/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TAcaV2xbtQFpFwXe
Watch episode 3 (brand new here)
07:56 looks like Bletchley station. The building next to the platform sign was the train crew offices. The top of the stairs now leads to a new overbridge to the new platforms for the trains to Oxford
I think you right, they just closed part of the East West Rail line which closed between Bedford and Cambridge, i believe the Oxford to Bedford line was still activities despite it partly closing down between Oxford and Bletchley in the 90's and now in 2025 it being reopen.
Just as serene and quiet as Euston is nowadays at about 5pm.
what a gem
"Euston: spacious, clean, efficient'.
Sounds like a dream
It was
Safe...
I worked nights there on parcels and newspapers. It was cold and soulless. I still mourn the loss of the Great Hall, the Propyleum and the confusion of different length platforms and the local electric' and the main and slow 'steam' lines.
It had a superb staff restaurant, until Virgin Trains shut it down.
11:08 when the wedding party get into the car there is a car that passes by. Anyone notice anything strange about this situation?
Well spotted😊
The first 25Kv electric trains were going so fast, the poor old paraffin tail lamps had their flames fighting for life by the time they passed Watford.
I’ve just realised that this isn’t a spoof!
Terrific.
Where they don't tell you which platform your train is leaving from until five minutes beforehand, causing a mad rush and panic. Woe betide if you have a hearing loss and can't hear the tannoy..
Still happens at Crewe regularly
Lucky if you get 30 seconds
Its actually getting dangerous now. Euston isn't really fit for purpose these days, particularly during disruptions/delays.
@@EdgyNumber1 Another problem caused by a growing population and lack of infrastructure growth.
Started out from Euston with E3155 arrived at Crewe with E3171 did anyone notice the loco change or was it just not mentioned as a delay?
The film was probably edited together from shots of various different trains.
The loco change was mentioned. The whole thing is scripted for production.
1:41 Anyone else notice that to start with F comes up on the 'theatre indicator' at 1:36 (where F = fast line) but then at 1:41 when the signal is 'off' it shows routing via the relief (i.e. slow) line "R Off". Doubtful if their super-whizzo express train actually ran via the slow lines but the filmmakers presumably didn't want to show the real signal which would have said "F Off" on a video aimed at families!!!
Actually, the 'R' referred to equates to 'Right Away' NOT 'Relief'. At some stations the indicator shows 'RA' which is the same thing - 'Right Away'. 'Theatre' indicators show the dirver which 'road' the train is routed over.
Ah this is the life of British Railways, no over crowding at London Euston Station and no penalties fines if your trains is running late, Now a days life is too serious and everyone rushing around like a maniacs.
" The Pain Train "
Time, time, and no time....
Proper rail travel when you could pick up a timetable and travel ona train in comfort not like today when you have a use the awful online train apps hate them and sit on a rock hard seat or probably stand progress no we have gone backwards in rail travels in the uk
They didn’t half talk a load of old bollocks back then! Lol
😂
Expecting the job to be done properly is old bollox to you is it?
@ lmao. Whatever
@@MePeterNicholls Another stupid remark.
@@UKTransportVideos82 The film appears to be as much for internal staff use and possibly for Govt minister viewing to promote what and how British Railways Board was trying to do (via the use of BTFilms )
th-cam.com/video/7n_NzXTi-dA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tFU8nKJO0pt97AUk
Watch episode 2 here back in time to the last 50s
A 'state ol the art' station.....but with already antiquated and out-of-date rolling stock - yep, that sounds like the UK, alright!! lol
Aksually, the locos involved were built in 1965 (Class 86 electrics) and 1967 (Class 50 diesels). The carriages at their oldest would be early 50's, and the ones with tumblehome sides only came in in 1964. So, not quite so out of date for the time.
Compare and contrast the forecourt at Euston in 1969 with today's view where you can hardly see the floor for the crowd, which helps to explain the original rationale for HS2 - stupid name to call it HS(for High Speed)2 in the first place when it should have been labelled HC(for High Capacity)2 because that's why a NEW rail line was needed - to massively boost capacity on a (WCML) rail artery that was already reaching its limits, in terms of train pathways (a concept that not many people even know about or understand) back in the early years of the 21st. century.
Sadly the manner in which HS2 was conceived and implemented is a glaring example of HOW NOT to do these things, ie. strategic transport infrastructure investment - again compare and contrast the debacle of HS2 with outcomes just across La Manche where two brand new High Speed Lines opened for service in July 2017 - those two major projects (LGV BPL & LGV SEA) combined, constituted more that 500km of new High Speed infrastructure or a distance not far short of the entire length of new track originally planned for all sections of HS2; phases 1, 2a, 2b & 2c (first section from London to Birmingham plus the Western and Eastern Arms to Manchester and Leeds respectively) - total originally planned line length for HS2 was 561km.
The total construction costs of NEW High Speed infrastructure in France referenced here was slightly more than 11billion€ or about £10billion - about ONE FIFTH (20%) of the projected construction costs for the radically truncated HS2 line from London Euston, which rejoins the existing WCML at Handsacre junction north of Birmingham - a distance of just 225km.
In summary £10billion for 500km in France vs £50billion for 225km in dear old blighty - yes, I know there are major differences between the projects which significantly increase overall UK costs, not least the matter of tunnelling into city centres to enable GC gauge trains to travel the final few km to their destinations - a feature not required in France where new High Speed Lines can switch seamlessly on to the existing network for that small distance into city centre stations - there's also the cost differential between land/property in the UK and France (much cheaper in the latter) but these, entirely logical and anticipated, factors do NOT go even close to explaining the chasm like contrast in overall costs?
i think you have to look at the geography of france , It has a population about the same as the UK but considerably larger area. Lots of length of the lines is over essentially not a lot, and much of that is if not flat is basic farmlands . Planning is also draw a line, pay the landowners 1.25x land value an thats it. The UK has lots of houses, cottages, roads to re-align demanded tunnels, embankments and then turn into the urban areas like Birmingham just to terminate and that only a few relative miles from London
We had capacity - the line from Marylebone to Birmingham ( still extant ,but slower as not electrified - which could now be cheaper with hybrid trains not needing full under the wires. Likewise St Pancras to Manchester via Buxton was a good alternative routing for either freight or passenger. HS2 could be sold on being as fast / environmentally more sustainably than air travel.
@@highpath4776 I agree, these are all factors that would increase overall comparable project costs here in the UK but TEN TIMES THE COST PRO-RATA - not ******* likely!!!
@@highpath4776 "the line from Marylebone to Birmingham"
Might have been a possibility but pretty sure many different options were explored before the route finally chosen became the "best" one? In fact I do remember seeing copious documents detailing many different alignments and their various pro&cons but can't recall if Marylebone to Birmingham was among them?
I don't have all the answers but one thing I am pretty certain about - something stinks to high heaven in terms of the manner in which the HS2 project overall was implemented.
@@peterdavidson3268 I always took it as an excuse to extensively profitably redevelop Birmingham and the Euston area of London (but Euston does not have enough space - Euston Road takes up too much space) and possibly Manchester - though again centrally Piccadilly does not have space and you cannot really have a new station that does not allow for interchange easily to other bits of rail connected manchester. Crewe might get a big change to high rise residential blocks but wont the fares for HS2 be too much for average person to afford ?
Or just say " we had a puncture ! "
Strangely the one bright element in the whole drab place, the huge advert wall is now dark making this leftover from the failed 1960s experiment in functional no design ethic crying out for demolition
Transport secretary take note
Not many people from the "third world" on this train, or platforms.
So what?
@@Michael43713 Oddly not that many today either- many for the Wedding Parties etc with relatives Southall-Birmingham tend to drive or go by coach. Probably something to do with the cost of fares.
There seems to be dull, bitter and pointless comments like this on every TH-cam video of the past. Bore off.
Well, _this_ took a turn.
Strange commentary. Self-deprecating.