wow, I once dreamt that I was in Stourbridge train station (one of them, I don't know or remember which) because my dreams are boring/exciting depending on your outlook..
Your comments on New Street Station and how it is so "passenger" unfriendly is so true. It is a commercial development with a hidden station somewhere inside. As an example I was recently in the Bull Ring with my twin Grandaughters, 14 years old and very savy, and asked them to find New Street Station. They had to resort to their phones and concluded that it was in their words "....a silly place to hide a station......don't they want anybody to find it...".
The last time I was there I went up the escalators to change platform and found I could only change to some of the platforms without going through ticket gates. I've never come across a station before where you have to go through ticket gates just to change platforms. In fact I think it might be that if you used the escaltor at the other end of the platform you don't have to. But what a mess it is. A shopping centre with a station hidden away is so true.
It doesn't help that they have a big sign saying "Grand Central". Like what are we in New York now? Is this Grand Central Station?? Did you change the name?? Where the hell am I??? I want to go home.
If your from the north you would understand how it works. We dont run into closing doors. As we know theres a train shortly after. Also were not in a rush to get places so we take more time to look for things and directions, and not have big neon signs telling us. We enjoy a slower pace of life in other words
Well yeah at New Street you have to use the escalators on the B end of the platform to change without going through ticket barriers (or the concourse at the C end). Going that way is really quick. Using the A end it splits on ground level so you only get to change to adjacent platforms.
Cardiff Central now has a Platform 0, remote from the rest of the station, you have to exit through the barriers to reach it, step-free access has been provided using the lift to the car park though. There was, of course a shopping centre above Birmingham New Street station before "Grand Central," called "The Pallasades," but the signage was never as prominent, and certainly didn't distract from the station name, as now.
Do canals exist in the same way outside of Europe? (They're ditches originally used for carrying heavy freight long distances) They were superseded by the railways, so there is a friendly joke rivalry
The USA has a number of canals, but there wasn't a major spurt of investment until 1825, after the Erie Canal opened to wild success. That's very near when locomotive powered railways became an option, and so a number of projects initially proposed as canals were completed as railroads instead.
5:10 Vicki: "That would put it fairly, sort of solidly, on the quaint scale." Geoff: "If you say so." Hrumph! I hope I am not detecting a bit of uncertainty on Geoff's part. Vicki knows "quaint" and her authority is not to be questioned.
The door chevrons or 'teeth' started on London Underground Victoria Line new stock to reduce the amount of trapped items in the doors...and was suitably adapted on the mainline...if i'm right started with TransPennine Express largely and to a lessor extent Northern
Smethwick Galton Bridge which you went past in the beginning of this video from Snow Hill to Kidderminster line is also a high and low level line. Not a big station but does have the levels.
Kashif Akhtar And also Tamworth, Glasgow Central and Queen Street both have low level platforms (through lines as opposed to the terminal platforms above), and East Grinstead used to have a high level until the Three Bridges - Tunbridge Wells line closed.
Enjoyed seeing you guys travel on some very familiar lines here in the West Midlands. Went out for a jaunt on the Parry People Mover today for the first time in ages. It's quite fun.
Although Viki claims that the Pacer (Class 142) is her favorite, her reaction to the Parry People Mover 60 (Class 139) definitely puts it in contention for her love. Not only that, but it has (one of?) her favorite moquettes.
Laura Unsworth who played in the GB women's Olympic Hockey team is the reason the station sign at Sutton Coldfield is gold. She was born in Sutton and went to the girls grammar school there
I found Geoff's channel by mistake recently and then found you did this and so far I have watched every single video from the start and so far up to this one. Boy oh boy is it taking a long time but I am enjoying it :)
errrm i know the story is originally true but i doubt it holds true today edit quick google search theres a handfull including a working mans club and a couple other small ones all pretty much on cadburys door step
+Sarge That pub is in Stirchley not Bournville. It's close by but still in a different district. But there is an offlience now. But still no pubs which that I'm seen around Bournville.
There are a few places to buy alcohol in Bournville if you are in the know, and there's a pub on every exit. I never had a problem with it, it was a nice piece of local history.
@@IAmTheBeckett Most of those shops are on the outskirts. Interestingly, even the Tesco Express isn't allowed to serve alcohol and not because it's a garage.
@@EdgyNumber1 I used to live there, I remember the debate about Tesco. The Pavilion sells alcohol, Bournville Working Men's Club does, as does Mary Vale News, The Cadbury Club.
I love the PPM 139s. I think there is definitely a use for them. Aparantly the company who made them designed them to be scalable to an 80 pax varient, so they really could do well if they had a chance - great idea :)
You were at Bromsgrove and did not mention The Lickey Incline which is the steepest sustained mainline railway incline in Great Britain. Also, the shopping centre above New Street station is called Grand Central
I really feel like All The Canals should be a thing. However that would miss out all the navigable rivers and drains in the UK so how about All the Navigations? Would be a fun way to spend a couple of years ;)
There is lots of quaint in Droitwich of you venture into the town (2min walk). The high street is definitely off the quaint scale and there's also lots of parks and a Lido.
..Vicki..you really should try and stop off in Saltaire - Aire Valley Line, West Yorkshire - when you're up..Titus Salt was not quite up to Cadbury but the village is a stunner..
Nice I've lived in Sutton Coldfield grew up in four oaks and currently live in Lichfield right next to the Trent Valley line I hear them dam trains all night long although I'm used to it now.
My mum was born just round the corner from Rugley Station in the Pear Tree Estate her father (my beloved Grandad) was a miner and was often in Lea Hall. Used to love going to the town in 80s/90s as a kid. Grandad took me up Cannock Chase as a kid. Beloved memories of Rugley.(Had to get train to Lichfield then meet my uncle for lift to Pear Tree, Rugley)
We had those bus train things here for many years, called "pacers". They have recently gone off service after a very long life. Kept many smaller lines operable, but were a "love it or hate it" type of train. And with changing regulations to make trains more disability-friendly, those and some other older trains had to go.
a 139, well many years a go, they ran a single car unit, to Stourbridge Town, again it was a unit powercar body with two bus engines to power it. A cut down class 101, yep a gearbox too! Good luck you too
So after a bit of research I found these interesting links regarding the units that used to run on the branch line. www.simplonpc.co.uk/Stourbridge.html This page shows images of the Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town Branch, with images of the current Class 139 Parry People Movers plus some earlier 'heritage' DMUs. Modern images of other West Midland connecting services are also shown, including London Midland Class 172s in their first month of service in the area. The Stourbridge Town Branch Line is a 0.8 miles (1.3 km) railway branch line, in Stourbridge, West Midlands. It is claimed to be the shortest branch line in Europe, and many miniature railways are certainly longer. Now used solely for passenger traffic, it was originally constructed to allow trans-shipment with the Stourbridge Town Arm of the Stourbridge Canal. The passenger service along the branch is presently being operated by Class 139 Parry People Movers. Replacement buses ran from December 2008 until March 2009 due to the previous Class 153 being reallocated from December 2008, this being the date the Parry People Mover was originally intended to start working the service. However due to customer feedback, the Class 153 was re-introduced from 15 March until Mid June, when the Parry People Mover finally entered full service. For the first time in many years, a Sunday service is operated. www.miac.org.uk/stourbridgetown.html Class 122 single car unit No.55012 was photographed at Stourbridge Town Station in June 1982 at a time when the minimalist single platform was on the west side of the line. When the station was later rebuilt the platform was moved to the other side of the train and proper passenger facilities were provided. Photograph by Andrew Smith. The station was again rebuilt with finance provided by Centro (West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive). Centro built the current station as a key part of an integrated bus/rail interchange to serve Stourbridge town centre and fortunately on this occasion specified the design to a high standard. The new station was opened on 25th April 1994.
It would definitely be a stop-off if they decided to do a series about interesting things to find within 10 minutes of a railway station, given the canals, salt works, museum (detailing nearby Wychbold), spa, modern roads on Roman alignments (the old A38, B4090 to Alcester) and the subsided bit of the town centre... And probably not Geoff and Vicki, but anyone doing a series about roads could mention the bypass, which starts inconspicuously at a set of traffic lights, misses a flyover, finally gets going with a grade separated junction on a corner, then loses the will to live and peters down to a single carriageway for the Southern section.
Yes the "Stourbridge Express" is rather cute, it's certainly unique. Did you get a chance to ride Chiltern Railway's bubble cars between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough? I think they stopped using them just before "All the Stations" started.
All The Stations Ah, you did !! I had watched the Little Kimble video before, but couldn't remember it featuring the bubble car!! I'm getting old and forgetful ! So glad you got a chance to ride it, ancient history now....
One of those 139s would be great for T&W Metro to do a service avoiding Newcastle City Centre (Monument Interchange) that could do West Jesmond, Old Jesmond Station, Byker via the under-Shieldfield Tunnel nr Manors Metro Station. Ps. I do realised I watched this video a year ago.
Am I missing the joke 6:50 ..what Partridge was Vicky on about previously then when she referred to Peartree?? I thought Peartree as in Peartree Productions
A reference to the Twelve Days of Christmas song, which mentions "a partridge in a pear tree". Geoff was pointing at Alan Partridge, a fictional comedy character.
@@cephalopod7300 Yeah, I know Alan Partridge and that his fictional production company was Peartree Productions. For some reason mind skipped straight over the Christmas song and was like…well if not Alan Partridge what the hell did she mean?? 🤣🤣🤣
Hi Geoff, when you go to Port Sunlight on the Wirral Line on Merseyrail please note it is similar to Bourneville because it is a village built for the factory workers too and has much history behind it
I went on the prototype around 1998 outside the parry manufacturers in Cradley heath, we'd go into reception and they'd send a guy out to take us on a ride.
I always find myself replaying the intro! Loving the series! Shame you're not coming to Ireland but I can't blame you as although there are some beautiful routes trains are VERY infrequent in some areas. Anyways, thanks again for such a great series!!!
Hi, Just to say that Network Rail are upgrading the line to renew the track, which is currently ongoing. Their upgrade has however resulted in the cutting down and removal of the vegetation (including trees to their stumps) along most of the route and to show the very poorly maintained portacabins used for maintenance (apparently belonging to Chiltern Railways) . Your travel between the stations is not as you would have previously seen and it will be many years before it gets anywhere close to what it was, and the effect on the local wildlife is also significant. What was a nice little journey, is now one of visual destruction. It may be the shortest journey between stations, but it is now, not the most visually pleasant.
I watched this for the quoted Birmingham to Rugeley. I thought you would show Walsall and Rugeley Town. You only showed the actual line for the last 60 seconds of the video.
Between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street, you pass through the remains of a disused station between Cannock and Landywood - the platforms are still there - Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay (formerly Wyrley and Church Bridge). This is the Cheslyn Hay mentioned by Flanders & Swann in "Slow Train". I remember the "Chase Line" opening - some 24 years after the previous services ended - it happened a few weeks before my 16th birthday. I had been involved in the campaign for its reopening for around six years by then. I remember the days of "pay trains" on the line, and the occasional difficulty ordering long distance tickets. Oddly, Chesterfield was a popular destination - I can remember not being the only person on the train buying a Chesterfield ticket once - and there was disruption that day that led to us having to make an additional change at Derby.
Geoff, if you like Semaphore Signals and old signal boxes, you'll love the Furness Line, Cumbrian Coast Line and the Leeds to Morecambe Line! (Carnforth to Settle is the longest unsignalled section in the country!)
#Samuel I'm gay I live in Cradley Heath too, I may have to visit Stourbridge junction now, just on your recommendation. I’m not a train geek, I just enjoy exploring with Geoff.
Just had another thought about the Stourbridge Flyer, as the platforms at both Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town are both on the same side, unless the unit is turned around out of service at some point, the door on the offside is never used!!
The PPM depot at Stourbridge Junc. is built entirely from Parry's own lightweight bricks and tiles. They export the moulding/vibrating machinery across the world. There is a narrow-gauge test track for PPM vehicles circling their premises in Cradley Heath (which I've visited).
There is 3 parry people movers in the country. Because the prototype was on the mid Hants for a trail service from Medatead to alton. Which unfortunately didn’t happen. But there are pictures on the net of it at Medatead and four marks station.
Worst part of New Street station is the fact that Birmingham is supposed to be a huge bustling city and yet the last train to Northampton on a Friday night is just after 11pm, and if you are running late after a gig or a show and then have to navigate through the mess of random ticket gates etc, its a race against time or risk waiting until 6am for your next train.
Its funny she said cutest, and i can understand. To me it looks like an old express dairies electric milk float. Probably very practical though. It should have a smiley face on the front
So they can be congratulated for visiting many stations. I have only 50 or so left, all visited via train with a stop off (not jump back on). Covid caused a delay - but the project will be completed before I'm dead!
WOW, I RODE the Stourbridge shuttle in 2010 with my friends. It is the shortest branch line in Britain at less than ONE MILE! Totally amazing that it survived the BEECHING axe!
You've created one of the nicest jobs, for yourself? Especially when you have a sunny day and all the nice GREEN out the window. It's 105 F and terribly boring here in Phoenix, AZ.
I've been on the cutest train in Britain so many times. I live in Stourbridge
Tom Fisher I used to live in Kidderminster for a long time, Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge town is a unique little line 👍
Tom Fisher
I live not to far from Stourbridge I live in Dudley
wow, I once dreamt that I was in Stourbridge train station (one of them, I don't know or remember which) because my dreams are boring/exciting depending on your outlook..
Lucky! I live in portsmouth but one day maybe i can go on that train..
I live in stourbridge
Your comments on New Street Station and how it is so "passenger" unfriendly is so true. It is a commercial development with a hidden station somewhere inside. As an example I was recently in the Bull Ring with my twin Grandaughters, 14 years old and very savy, and asked them to find New Street Station. They had to resort to their phones and concluded that it was in their words "....a silly place to hide a station......don't they want anybody to find it...".
The last time I was there I went up the escalators to change platform and found I could only change to some of the platforms without going through ticket gates. I've never come across a station before where you have to go through ticket gates just to change platforms. In fact I think it might be that if you used the escaltor at the other end of the platform you don't have to. But what a mess it is. A shopping centre with a station hidden away is so true.
It doesn't help that they have a big sign saying "Grand Central". Like what are we in New York now? Is this Grand Central Station?? Did you change the name?? Where the hell am I??? I want to go home.
If your from the north you would understand how it works. We dont run into closing doors. As we know theres a train shortly after. Also were not in a rush to get places so we take more time to look for things and directions, and not have big neon signs telling us. We enjoy a slower pace of life in other words
Well yeah at New Street you have to use the escalators on the B end of the platform to change without going through ticket barriers (or the concourse at the C end). Going that way is really quick. Using the A end it splits on ground level so you only get to change to adjacent platforms.
Cardiff Central now has a Platform 0, remote from the rest of the station, you have to exit through the barriers to reach it, step-free access has been provided using the lift to the car park though. There was, of course a shopping centre above Birmingham New Street station before "Grand Central," called "The Pallasades," but the signage was never as prominent, and certainly didn't distract from the station name, as now.
The cutest couple since my wife and I. Bless! I love it! And the train is gorgeous.
Unfortunately they are no longer together.
@mirzaahmed6589 I've been wondering why, they seemed like a great pair 😮
The gold signs were for Rio 2016 gold medallists. Sutton Coldfield is for Laura Unsworth, part of the women's hockey team.
lcmortensen I noticed Kidderminster and Bromsgrove had gold signs as well. I've seen them also at Hemel Hempstead and Leighton Buzzard.
She also won bronze at London 2012
Womens hockey team player Laura Unsworth
Max Whitlock and Jessica Stretton.
Denise Lewis (Gold Heptathlete Sydney Olympics) was also from West Bromwich (just around that neighbourhood)
Vicki's 'hatch woman' voice was the best
Spot on for the woman that used to run snacks on tracks.
Used to? Have they sacked her now, after the publicity?
Geoff, if you want to do All The Canals, I live on a narrowboat and have a spare double bed. It can be arranged... #Allthecanals
Harry Smith I searched up all the canals and I find stuff about teeth instead
Do canals exist in the same way outside of Europe? (They're ditches originally used for carrying heavy freight long distances) They were superseded by the railways, so there is a friendly joke rivalry
Harry Smith Yes, there were/are such canals in the USA as well; for example, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (www.nps.gov/choh/).
Harry Smith Canals exist outside the UK but not on nearly the same scale. The canals in the US were mostly built to connect two other waterways.
The USA has a number of canals, but there wasn't a major spurt of investment until 1825, after the Erie Canal opened to wild success. That's very near when locomotive powered railways became an option, and so a number of projects initially proposed as canals were completed as railroads instead.
I love Vicky's excitement seeing the shuttle at Stourbridge for the first time
Yeah she's the cutest haha
5:10
Vicki: "That would put it fairly, sort of solidly, on the quaint scale."
Geoff: "If you say so."
Hrumph! I hope I am not detecting a bit of uncertainty on Geoff's part. Vicki knows "quaint" and her authority is not to be questioned.
@JosephR1307 Still better than muslim area dude!
I used to travel on the Parry every day on my commute to work. Loved it :)
2:18 no there isn’t 2 there is 3 London Midland own two and theres one at Highley station on the SVR however it’s movable
What a nice person who got your glasses back. 🤓👍🏻
The door chevrons or 'teeth' started on London Underground Victoria Line new stock to reduce the amount of trapped items in the doors...and was suitably adapted on the mainline...if i'm right started with TransPennine Express largely and to a lessor extent Northern
Smethwick Galton Bridge which you went past in the beginning of this video from Snow Hill to Kidderminster line is also a high and low level line. Not a big station but does have the levels.
Kashif Akhtar And also Tamworth, Glasgow Central and Queen Street both have low level platforms (through lines as opposed to the terminal platforms above), and East Grinstead used to have a high level until the Three Bridges - Tunbridge Wells line closed.
Also Willesden Junction, Shotton and Retford.
Enjoyed seeing you guys travel on some very familiar lines here in the West Midlands. Went out for a jaunt on the Parry People Mover today for the first time in ages. It's quite fun.
Although Viki claims that the Pacer (Class 142) is her favorite, her reaction to the Parry People Mover 60 (Class 139) definitely puts it in contention for her love. Not only that, but it has (one of?) her favorite moquettes.
A pacer is definitely better than this. More capacity 100 vs about 30 and much faster 75 mph vs 20 mph.
@@fightforfreedom5292 Yes but nobody said better. And a Pacer just isn't anyway
@@GryphLane Subjective. The pacer is my favourite train (no joke).
Laura Unsworth who played in the GB women's Olympic Hockey team is the reason the station sign at Sutton Coldfield is gold. She was born in Sutton and went to the girls grammar school there
I found Geoff's channel by mistake recently and then found you did this and so far I have watched every single video from the start and so far up to this one. Boy oh boy is it taking a long time but I am enjoying it :)
At 5:06 - semaphore signals. I thought the lower quadrant ones were phased out as not being fail-safe (cable breaks, signal says clear)
If memory serves there are no pubs in the Bourneville area. The Cadburys where Quakers and hence no were sells alcohol to this day!
errrm i know the story is originally true but i doubt it holds true today
edit quick google search theres a handfull including a working mans club and a couple other small ones all pretty much on cadburys door step
+Sarge That pub is in Stirchley not Bournville. It's close by but still in a different district. But there is an offlience now. But still no pubs which that I'm seen around Bournville.
There are a few places to buy alcohol in Bournville if you are in the know, and there's a pub on every exit. I never had a problem with it, it was a nice piece of local history.
@@IAmTheBeckett Most of those shops are on the outskirts. Interestingly, even the Tesco Express isn't allowed to serve alcohol and not because it's a garage.
@@EdgyNumber1 I used to live there, I remember the debate about Tesco. The Pavilion sells alcohol, Bournville Working Men's Club does, as does Mary Vale News, The Cadbury Club.
The best bit of this video is vickies impression of the old woman in the café
Yay! Sutton Coldfield and Four Oaks make an appearance!
Philip Cobbold I
what do you think of the pedestrianisation of norwich city centre?
N Class 468 keeping the wolf from the door
N Class 468 oh that is first claaarrrs!
Happened to Blackpool too
Phil Tonks is an absolute legend and I'm proud to class him as a friend!
"Next year were doing all the canals" - Can't wait!
I love the PPM 139s. I think there is definitely a use for them. Aparantly the company who made them designed them to be scalable to an 80 pax varient, so they really could do well if they had a chance - great idea :)
Look more like a modern version of the 1950s railbuses than a Pacer replacement.
You were at Bromsgrove and did not mention The Lickey Incline which is the steepest sustained mainline railway incline in Great Britain. Also, the shopping centre above New Street station is called Grand Central
I could smell chocolate throughout the end of this video
Cadbury!
I'm so happy that you visited my home town of Rugeley! There isn't much to do, but hey, we try make the most of it...
ScottAbles bugger all in Hednesford as well
At least they didn't try to pronounce Hednesford
ScottAbles As another Rugeley person, I do have to question why he actually wanted to find out about Rugeley
ScottAbles good for you
I’m a rugeley boy too stottables
I really feel like All The Canals should be a thing. However that would miss out all the navigable rivers and drains in the UK so how about All the Navigations?
Would be a fun way to spend a couple of years ;)
Amen to that mate
There is lots of quaint in Droitwich of you venture into the town (2min walk). The high street is definitely off the quaint scale and there's also lots of parks and a Lido.
..Vicki..you really should try and stop off in Saltaire - Aire Valley Line, West Yorkshire - when you're up..Titus Salt was not quite up to Cadbury but the village is a stunner..
rossmagpie And the Leeds-Liverpool canal runs through it. Double prizes
Have taken the bus through several times. It is indeed very attractive.
Nice I've lived in Sutton Coldfield grew up in four oaks and currently live in Lichfield right next to the Trent Valley line I hear them dam trains all night long although I'm used to it now.
9:40 there was a diesel shunter in the back parking area last time I went
I'm gutted I missed Vicky and Geoff in Birmingham! ☹️😂
Pauly D same!
It's not that hard to miss them, good luck finding anyone (or anything) at New Street station lol
KasabianFan44 once you get used to New Street Station and Grand Central its not that bad.
KasabianFan44 I use new street station 10 times a week I could walk round it with my eyes closed lol
Same. It's a 10 - 20 minute train from me.
My mum was born just round the corner from Rugley Station in the Pear Tree Estate her father (my beloved Grandad) was a miner and was often in Lea Hall. Used to love going to the town in 80s/90s as a kid. Grandad took me up Cannock Chase as a kid. Beloved memories of Rugley.(Had to get train to Lichfield then meet my uncle for lift to Pear Tree, Rugley)
You missed out! The clock tower in the Stourbridge junction car park whistles like an old train every hour.
I'm down with all the canals! And cheers to the good people who returned your glasses!
Reminds me of what we used to call "Schienenbus" in Germany which literally translates to "bus on rails" :D
We had those bus train things here for many years, called "pacers". They have recently gone off service after a very long life. Kept many smaller lines operable, but were a "love it or hate it" type of train. And with changing regulations to make trains more disability-friendly, those and some other older trains had to go.
I'd say it's more a modern version of the 1950s railbuses than a Pacer replacement. I'm aware Communist era east Europe had railbuses as well.
a 139, well many years a go, they ran a single car unit, to Stourbridge Town, again it was a unit powercar body with two bus engines to power it. A cut down class 101, yep a gearbox too! Good luck you too
So after a bit of research I found these interesting links regarding the units that used to run on the branch line.
www.simplonpc.co.uk/Stourbridge.html
This page shows images of the
Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge Town Branch, with images of
the current Class 139 Parry People Movers plus some earlier
'heritage' DMUs. Modern images of other West Midland connecting
services are also shown, including London Midland Class 172s in
their first month of service in the area.
The Stourbridge Town Branch Line is a 0.8 miles (1.3 km) railway
branch line, in Stourbridge, West Midlands. It is claimed to be
the shortest branch line in Europe, and many miniature railways
are certainly longer. Now used solely for passenger traffic, it
was originally constructed to allow trans-shipment with the
Stourbridge Town Arm of the Stourbridge Canal.
The passenger service along the branch is presently being
operated by Class 139 Parry People Movers. Replacement buses ran
from December 2008 until March 2009 due to the previous Class
153 being reallocated from December 2008, this being the date
the Parry People Mover was originally intended to start working
the service. However due to customer feedback, the Class 153 was
re-introduced from 15 March until Mid June, when the Parry
People Mover finally entered full service. For the first time in
many years, a Sunday service is operated.
www.miac.org.uk/stourbridgetown.html
Class 122 single car unit No.55012 was photographed at
Stourbridge Town Station in June 1982 at a time when the
minimalist single platform was on the west side of the line. When
the station was later rebuilt the platform was moved to the other
side of the train and proper passenger facilities were provided.
Photograph by Andrew Smith.
The station was again rebuilt with finance provided by Centro
(West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive). Centro built the
current station as a key part of an integrated bus/rail
interchange to serve Stourbridge town centre and fortunately on
this occasion specified the design to a high standard. The new
station was opened on 25th April 1994.
WOW! They went to all the UK stations by train? They must be trillionairs!
Legend says they used a time machine because Southern was delayed 8 years
@@asheiou Another legend states they 'forgot' the Isle of Wight...
"Droitwich Spa is trying to be quaint" what a great description of my town
It would definitely be a stop-off if they decided to do a series about interesting things to find within 10 minutes of a railway station, given the canals, salt works, museum (detailing nearby Wychbold), spa, modern roads on Roman alignments (the old A38, B4090 to Alcester) and the subsided bit of the town centre...
And probably not Geoff and Vicki, but anyone doing a series about roads could mention the bypass, which starts inconspicuously at a set of traffic lights, misses a flyover, finally gets going with a grade separated junction on a corner, then loses the will to live and peters down to a single carriageway for the Southern section.
The legend that is.........Phil Tonks!! At least you've met Geoff and Vicky, I think they're avoiding Evesham!!
Yay, all the canals!
nidostar2013 I'd watch!
vicky and the chocolate factory!!!
they should add music from charly and the chochate factory behind the peace o about the Cadbury factory
There's no earthly way of knowing
To which station we are going
Victoria and the chocolate factory
Yes the "Stourbridge Express" is rather cute, it's certainly unique. Did you get a chance to ride Chiltern Railway's bubble cars between Aylesbury and Princes Risborough? I think they stopped using them just before "All the Stations" started.
th-cam.com/video/LB9JlpgBp9w/w-d-xo.html
All The Stations Ah, you did !! I had watched the Little Kimble video before, but couldn't remember it featuring the bubble car!! I'm getting old and forgetful ! So glad you got a chance to ride it, ancient history now....
Not many exciting things happen in Stourbridge much, so when me and my friend found this series we were really excited
Much like Vicki, I like Birmingham too. It's a lovely city, and I do love the Brummy accent.
Thx for coming to birmingham my main city but I live in dudley but thanks respect
One of those 139s would be great for T&W Metro to do a service avoiding Newcastle City Centre (Monument Interchange) that could do West Jesmond, Old Jesmond Station, Byker via the under-Shieldfield Tunnel nr Manors Metro Station.
Ps. I do realised I watched this video a year ago.
Hello from Melbourne Australia. I have been to the Australian version of Cadbury world.
Am I missing the joke 6:50 ..what Partridge was Vicky on about previously then when she referred to Peartree?? I thought Peartree as in Peartree Productions
A reference to the Twelve Days of Christmas song, which mentions "a partridge in a pear tree". Geoff was pointing at Alan Partridge, a fictional comedy character.
@@cephalopod7300 Yeah, I know Alan Partridge and that his fictional production company was Peartree Productions. For some reason mind skipped straight over the Christmas song and was like…well if not Alan Partridge what the hell did she mean?? 🤣🤣🤣
Hi Geoff, when you go to Port Sunlight on the Wirral Line on Merseyrail please note it is similar to Bourneville because it is a village built for the factory workers too and has much history behind it
Port Sunlight was built by the Lever Brothers (now Unilever). Whether it had anything to do with your laundry I don't know.
Is it weird that going on the parry people mover is one of my life goals?
no. cant be. its one of mine.
I went on the prototype around 1998 outside the parry manufacturers in Cradley heath, we'd go into reception and they'd send a guy out to take us on a ride.
I always find myself replaying the intro! Loving the series! Shame you're not coming to Ireland but I can't blame you as although there are some beautiful routes trains are VERY infrequent in some areas. Anyways, thanks again for such a great series!!!
Luke McCormack that aged well
Hi, Just to say that Network Rail are upgrading the line to renew the track, which is currently ongoing. Their upgrade has however resulted in the cutting down and removal of the vegetation (including trees to their stumps) along most of the route and to show the very poorly maintained portacabins used for maintenance (apparently belonging to Chiltern Railways) . Your travel between the stations is not as you would have previously seen and it will be many years before it gets anywhere close to what it was, and the effect on the local wildlife is also significant. What was a nice little journey, is now one of visual destruction. It may be the shortest journey between stations, but it is now, not the most visually pleasant.
Nice view of Lichfield Trent Valley. Hope you spotted the unique three spires of the cathedral as you passed through Lichfield City.
Would have been nice to see the cathedral!
“Dont you dare quote me on that TH-cam” -Geoff Marshall, 2017
Your channel is good pandemic cabin fever tonic
what about doing all the underground railways....Glasgow and Newcastle!!!
Liverpool’s Got a few
@@jpbdude4223 part of the national rail network though.
Simon Teece well it would be cool to see them tbf
@@jpbdude4223 ask Geoff n Vikki?
Simon Teece I was talking about your 2
I watched this for the quoted Birmingham to Rugeley. I thought you would show Walsall and Rugeley Town. You only showed the actual line for the last 60 seconds of the video.
Yay! We adopted Bournville station. It is a great place. Glad you enjoyed it.
So it's the new generation of Pacer! 😂
I can't ad enough upvotes👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 ps we've got a cadbury factory here in Hobart Tasmania. It's village is Claremont.
"It's the Cutest Couple I have Ever Seen!"
When will take away tea in a pot with leaf tea complete with tea cosy and tea strainer be available?
I went on the 139 yesterday and you two are on the history inside
Another delightful episode of All the Stations. What will I watch in the morning while I eat my corn flakes when its done?
Between Rugeley Trent Valley and Birmingham New Street, you pass through the remains of a disused station between Cannock and Landywood - the platforms are still there - Wyrley and Cheslyn Hay (formerly Wyrley and Church Bridge). This is the Cheslyn Hay mentioned by Flanders & Swann in "Slow Train". I remember the "Chase Line" opening - some 24 years after the previous services ended - it happened a few weeks before my 16th birthday. I had been involved in the campaign for its reopening for around six years by then. I remember the days of "pay trains" on the line, and the occasional difficulty ordering long distance tickets. Oddly, Chesterfield was a popular destination - I can remember not being the only person on the train buying a Chesterfield ticket once - and there was disruption that day that led to us having to make an additional change at Derby.
Geoff, if you like Semaphore Signals and old signal boxes, you'll love the Furness Line, Cumbrian Coast Line and the Leeds to Morecambe Line! (Carnforth to Settle is the longest unsignalled section in the country!)
Stourbridge junction is the best station in my opinion I live near cradley heath that's the stop after junction. And the people move is just cute
#Samuel I'm gay I live in Cradley Heath too, I may have to visit Stourbridge junction now, just on your recommendation. I’m not a train geek, I just enjoy exploring with Geoff.
I've had a cab ride on the 139 before as well! Its amazing
Just had another thought about the Stourbridge Flyer, as the platforms at both Stourbridge Junction and Stourbridge Town are both on the same side, unless the unit is turned around out of service at some point, the door on the offside is never used!!
This one keeps popping up on my feed, so I just watched it again :-)
"All the canals" please! Just do it! :-)
The cutest train has a very bumpy ride 😂
that snowhill place looks like Southern Cross (pillar wise.) - except that's at ground level. Good to see your glasses were found!
The PPM depot at Stourbridge Junc. is built entirely from Parry's own lightweight bricks and tiles. They export the moulding/vibrating machinery across the world. There is a narrow-gauge test track for PPM vehicles circling their premises in Cradley Heath (which I've visited).
Geoff, when r u gonna go through hanborough? I really wanna see u guys there
I absolutely love that train as I use it every weekend to commute to the bus station
All the canals, yes Geoff hehe
There is 3 parry people movers in the country. Because the prototype was on the mid Hants for a trail service from Medatead to alton. Which unfortunately didn’t happen. But there are pictures on the net of it at Medatead and four marks station.
Worst part of New Street station is the fact that Birmingham is supposed to be a huge bustling city and yet the last train to Northampton on a Friday night is just after 11pm, and if you are running late after a gig or a show and then have to navigate through the mess of random ticket gates etc, its a race against time or risk waiting until 6am for your next train.
All the canals coming next year with Geoff and Vicky. may just take a bit longer that three months though 😀
Keith Flockhart Coming soon to GVTV
Its funny she said cutest, and i can understand. To me it looks like an old express dairies electric milk float.
Probably very practical though.
It should have a smiley face on the front
Just re-watched it... you went to droitwich spa but not hartlebury, and it’s gorgeous Taphouse bar, on the platform!
That cute little train - Love it !!!
Man i didnt know you were on the Cross City line, i would of come to meet you guys
Alas i have only just found your channel
So they can be congratulated for visiting many stations. I have only 50 or so left, all visited via train with a stop off (not jump back on). Covid caused a delay - but the project will be completed before I'm dead!
WOW, I RODE the Stourbridge shuttle in 2010 with my friends. It is the shortest branch line in Britain at less than ONE MILE! Totally amazing that it survived the BEECHING axe!
Best episode
You've created one of the nicest jobs, for yourself? Especially when you have a sunny day and all the nice GREEN out the window. It's 105 F and terribly boring here in Phoenix, AZ.
Haha, so exciting to see places I recognise on this channel!
3:52 It's Matt from Londonist! He get there before he's introduced.
Love the videos!
Enjoyed seeing you on BBC breakfast recently.
Well done
Vicky, you did not come to Lichfield Cathedral. now i am sad. i live in Lichfield and it is a beautiful city.
If you get off at the newish Kirkstall Forge you are right next to the Leeds Liverpool canal... Good planning for next year? (Or not?)
I didn't recognise Snow Hill Stn - but I recognised Colmore Gate - the building reflected in the station's glass !
Bromsgrove is a relocated station. it used to be a little closer to Birmingham, right at the foot of the Lickey incline and it had 2 platforms not 4.