The Tube Train In the Channel Islands
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ย. 2024
- On the small island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, did you know there's a railway which uses old 1959 Tube Stock to run its services. So I took a trip and spent a few days there to explore the island, ride the railway, and revel in the old Northern Line stock.
Bonus video, Alderney's Lost Railway : • Alderney's Lost Railway
The Alderney Railway website with schedule and all the further information you need is at: www.alderneyra...
Thanks to additional photos & video, from Richard Griffin and LS/YourIslandPhotography.
You can read Richard's report on the 1959 Tube stock (and their last day of working) here: www.squarewhee...
CORRECTION:
0:15 I've got 'Herm' and 'Sark' transposed in the graphic at the beginning, which is hugely annoying!
What an unexpected little treat. I lost my father last year. He was a guard on the Central Line when he first came over from the Caribbean in the 1950s. We lived in Tooting on the Northern line so I fondly remember him explaining all the indicator abbreviations. As I child, I loved watching the active brake pressure gauges. Miss you, Skipper 😪
All the Stations: Alderney!
Exactly!
Hi Geoff, in 1972 my parents got jobs in the Island school. We lived a rented bungalow alongside the track looking out across Braye Bay and in those days, the rubbish dump! I turned 5 just before we moved and started school on Alderney; we used to walk to school along the line. In those days the train, pulled by Molly, was in use ... probably moving stone for maintenance of the navy breakwater as they ran out on to it regularly. Sadly, house prices leapt in 1973, so we moved back to the Mainland. Last time we were there as a family was Summer 1979 for a holiday. Chris Wall
One of your best ever videos Geoff. You’ve inspired me to pay a visit myself one day!
thank you Ben, extremely kind. spend all week putting that togehter! not a ten minute job .. ;-)
@@geofftech2 quality work, sir
Geoff "go the extra mile" Marshall. Not only did you go all the way to the channel Islands to ride on the Underground, but you also took more dives onto gravel than any other video I think you've ever made, and tried some pretty unusual shots (camera on the track anyone?). It's almost like you've done a course in videography and are trying to up your game with new unusual angles. Well done for pushing the (guard's) bar ever higher! lol.
The lights on the tube train cab end are actually flashing as I remember when I visited. One thing that Geoff didn't mention is that the loco and tube carriages at each end are fitted with Dash Cams - sadly road traffic on the island has increased and as you can see from the map of the crossings there are a large number of them, most of which are road ones. None of the crossings have lights or barriers. Whitegates crossing, near to Eclipse Halt (which serves the Football Club and Saye Campsite a short walk to the north) - is a particularly dangerous crossing - the train is effectively entering a road blind in the westbound direction.
It's useful for the drivers of the loco to be able to see over the top of the train as well, as it's push and pull operation. The bells are the crew communicating and the team at the westbound end have to authorise the loco to pass each crossing via bell communication. A wired telephone also exists between each driving end (one of which is the loco) - for speech communication. When travelling Eastbound, the second man in the loco is on lookout for road traffic.
Fun fact, as Geoff mentions, the compressed air braking system is still there and they are the original brakes on the carriages. They are linked up to the loco's brakes via the air pipe, but if the crew at the westbound end apply the brakes of the carriages they will stop the carriages and the over 70 year old loco - even if the loco doesn't shut off power - they are that powerful.
Years ago when on holiday, I hired a car, drove around the whole island in a slightly shorter time than you could walk.
Airport was a grass field and as a pasenger you virtually sat next to the pilot. Great fun.
This video is why I love your channel, Geoff: your infectious joy is brilliant.
Alderney is a wonderful snapshot of what Jersey and Guernesy used to be like before they became the modern financial centres we see today. I haven't been over there for around 10 yrears but hope to get back as soon as the ferries from France start running again. Geoff, if you ever get to Jersey rent an electric bike and cycle the two former railway routes which head east and west from St Helier. The one to the west, in particular is well woth if for the views at the far end.
Must have impressed the Alderney Railway Society as there is now a direct link to this upload on their website.
Travelled on this line in 1995 when presumably it would have been on the older stock. The current tube carriages seem to be in much better condition than the one I remember being on.
Geoff! Your enthusiasm and genuine affection for Alderney was lovely to see, and infectious. A great video. Big cheers to the volunteers!
Next video: Eclipse Halt, Least Used Station on Alderney
PID: No
Rubbish bins: No
Services: Very very rarely
You're never too big for miniature trains Geoff!
I'd like an all the miniature stations please - never too old for miniature trains!
I like the way the locomotive is tall enough to see over the carriages when running backwards.
G'day Geoff
Grant from Hobart here.
Great video mate, I have visited London 4 times and love the tube almost as much as the London buses.
Keep up the good work.
Grant
I'm going to Alderney this Saturday for the sole reason of riding this train! 😂
GET IN!!! excellent. tell them you saw my video!! ;)
Great video, and it was my pleasure to meet Geoff in person in my local pub this evening. He is just as friendly in real life and I look forward to more videos.
Woohoo jersey boy here…. I suggested this to you a couple years ago - happy to see you did it. Jersey also had a Railway but only the old station buildings exist now as it was lifted by the Germans during the occupation but what’s left is still worth a look at including the scenic railway walk
it wasn't lifted by the Germans. they relaid all the track to 60 cm gauge to build the extensive coastal fortifications. there was a track to Ronez quarry and down to St. Ouen's bay, and a tunnel under Mt. Bingham. the tracks were lifted after the Occupation.
Anyone else feel Geoff's pain mentioning the train he's too big for 😭
Looked like 7¼" gauge, quite capable to haul persons much 'larger' than Geoff.
I don't care how big I am... I'm riding that train ! 😆
no. quite the opposite :- I _wish I could_ say that. :D
Guernsey does have a train!
The Petit Train!
My tourist land train tours St Peter Port throughout the summer and Christmas.
Been waiting for this video for years. Chuffed for Alderney Railway to get the privilege of a Geoff vid. Now everyone visit!
Exceptional video of the Alderney Tube Train and it's history. Very informative. Didn't know that during the German occupation the Germans relaid the tracks. There is another video on TH-cam specifically covering the miniature railway.
I rode on the 1959 Tube stock on the Northern Line every day, to and from work when it was new.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful part of England 💞
Fantastic content Geoff, some great camera angles and your enthusiasm is palpable. We need more of these kind of happy videos in these days.
Oh Memories Geoff ..
In the Mid 80’s we as a family used to do day trips from Torquay to Alderney ( There was a ferry company called Torbay Seaways) While on Alderney as a family we always had a trip on the train what was always unique with the stock being ex london underground.
What an absolutely fantastic video Geoff, did not know this existed until seeing this vid! Absolutely brilliant!
Isle of Wight railway also uses tube trains (1988) for a regular all year service connecting through Ryde Pier and a ferry with the London mainline at Portsmouth Harbour
Really rare to see videos on the island. I only know of 2 videos talking about Alderney, so this made me smile 😃
its not rare, there was a couple hired by the tourist board. They spend 2 lockdowns there filming and making videos about everything in Alderney. I spotted them on Instagram but they have TH-cam channel too. They are Scottish and since then have left the island...
Brilliant, my family heritage is Alderney and Guernsey with my father evacuated during the war. We've been to Alderney three times in recent years but have yet to be there when the train is running.
Was not expecting to see the Alderney Railway on a video!! Used to love this when we went on holiday over and grandparents back onto the line! Shame it's so expensive to get over to Alderney and stay there, else I'm sure there would be a lot more people willing to go and experience the island, history and the railway!!
yes, its really expensive and they need more flights and ferries to the island. It's not very accessible at all.
The Channel Islands are scandalously expensive to get to.
Been to Alderney several times but never knew it was there, next time I'm taking a ride cheers Geoff.
Thank you for your lovely videos and the short distraction from every day life they pose. All the best from Germany :)
the cut to you narrating really made it feel like you meant it. great stuff.
This is now my hands-down favorite GM video. Mind you, I've been going to Alderney since 1965 (when I was 4). We holidayed there every year as kids. I then work there summers , including 1980 when the railway opened. My parents retired there, their house 100m from the line in Newtown. We scattered my Dad's ashes at Corblets, the closest beach to Mannez. We walked the railway incessantly because it was the shortest route to the golf course and the beaches at the Mannez end of the Island. My brother was hit by a car at the crossing 150m from where you were lying (only a broken leg, he's fine). So many memories!
Never thought to see you off piste in the Channel Islands. Many thanks for this surprise video.
Great video! Lovely that they are using 2 carriages from the "Heritage" liveried 59 stock train, celebrating 100 years of the Northern Line, hence the gorgeous period livery and moquette, as the standard unpainted 59 stocks looked really drab and scruffy in comparison. Always a highlight when that train was the one you took home from work, rather than a standard 59 or 72.
Loved this video. I never knew that this railway existed in Alderney, so it was an education for me as well. Thanks for making these videos Geoff, they are so interesting.
yep, me too. Never realised they had one!
We had an Easter holiday on Alderney in 1980! We rode on that train on its first day, April 5th! Great little island, and a lovely holiday. Flew from Bournemouth airport, and the landing was like coming in to the deck of an aircraft carrier, at the clifftop!
That man at 8:50 has a Toronto blue jays hat on it’s the mid 2000s design as well. Let’s go!
I was a guard on the Northern in the early to mid 90's. I've probably operated the doors on that very train!
As a kid I remember the guards and button operations from the 70's. I'm sure no guard bothered with the gate.
Fair enough. I was very young and taking in a lot of things. Many probably wrongly.
@@pigunderaroof And there's always the sneaky bastards that try to sneak under the bar. And people trying to push you out of the way to get through the guards door.
@@pigunderaroof I also did a few stints at White City between 90 and 95. Where were you based?
3:47 I haven't seen the Alderney Gambit in years, yet here we are in Mornington Crescent. You win this round, Geoff.
I thought that having London Underground trains on the Isle of Wight was unusual but this certainly wins the star price for oddity value.
That brings back memories of the old girls on the Northern Line [BO for Watling] is our station....!
Great sliding into the dirt. Geoff does his own stunts!
like Tom Cruise!
@@geofftech2 now you have to fight on top of a train, like mission impossible 1
@@geofftech2 I had to pause it there. The resemblance is uncanny!
The car in the background at 9:56 tho! 🤣 Stay free-spirited, Geoff, it's great! 👍😄
I love your style ...so lively and refreshing, thank you.
PS . Beautiful image quality as well !
Amazing! Passengers all the way from Guernsey. It really is the Northern Line for them.
So you'll go to Alderney, but not the Isle of Wight! Great video, your enjoyment and enthusiasm fell out of the screen!
All The Stations visited the IoW
@@SportyMabamba it was a joke at the time that they never went there! th-cam.com/video/bpSl5A04kMw/w-d-xo.html
It is surprising that the 1938 stock rusted on Alderney in 18 months, but survived going out on the IOW Ryde pier for many years!
I am sure he will go to Isle of Wight next. I will (again) if he wont!
Unbelievable........I have watched so many of your vids...but this one blows my mind.......especially as I have just watched (again) The Eagle Has Landed
I used to live in Morden, the end of the Northern line, so would watch the trains coming and going from their sheds from the white bridge, also travelled on the 1938 stock trains a fair bit..😊
Probably your best video yet Geoff. I really want to go now 👍🏼
I love Alderney, would love to live there one day. I love how Railway Royalty (Geoff) has discovered the Alderney Railway 🙂
It took him long enough, it's been there for years!
I made that dream come true and moved here last year. Just love it.
The plane to here is like Dr Who’s Tardis. You fly for 20 minutes and travel back 60 years and vv.
Aw the mini railway reminded me of the one in Betws y Coed (which I refuse to ever be too old to ride)
I remember those old tube trains well. My family and I lived in Wood Green north London near Turnpike Lane tube station.
One of your best Geoff. Very enjoyable.
I'd forgotten the whole 'guard on the Tube' thing too. But lovely to see the wooden floors again - I always used to wonder how they cleaned those...
A friend of mine was one of the team that travelled out to Alderney to get the 1938 Stock and 1959 Stock swapped over. I didn't realise that the former had been only in service for such a short length of time.
I've been to the Channel Islands twice, and visited Guernsey, Jersey and a couple of hours on Sark, but not (yet) to Alderney. I'll have to try and get out there for a visit.
It seems strange seeing these carriages over there, I rode these painted up ones with the old Lozenge moquette several times whilst in London, the first time was on a railtour from Morden which took in, amongst other things, stops in the tunnels at the old station sites at City Road and the proposed North End (or Bull and Bush), and the Kennington Loop!!
This was an absolutely fantastic video. Thank you for posting it. You really made my day.
Love the infectious enthusiasm in that video. Thanks Geoff
Nice to see you've finally travelled on my local railway line, Geoff!
This was a wonderful surprise and made my morning! The Isle of Wight has something similar.
This Canadian was fascinated to see one of the passengers wearing a Toronto Blue Jays hat! Anyway, I hope to visit the Channel Islands when the pandemic subsides!
I was due to do this during my summer holiday to Guernsey this year. However a seismic shift in personal circumstances during the trip put paid to that. However, I still love the Channel Islands and this video was just the thing to convince me to try again next year. Thanks 😊
I like that pillar box ie post box in blue seen inthe last few minutes of this most excellent doc…Great stuff by the creators and by the compère narrator, like all his other docs and especially for me the one on the old GWR Staines West to West Drayton and onto Uxbridge of which most happy memories…which unless I have done so already I shall revert at some later stage …thanks a million for your efforts.
That's brilliant - I recall them from the 70's - seemed old then...
My sister’s best friend is from Alderney and I think I’m the only member of the family not to go to Alderney and go on the railway. It’s a stunning island as are all the Channel Islands - thanks Geoff!
I remember as a child the thrill of one of the old carriages coming along on the northern line
I was born in the late 70,s so just watched them decline.
This really is a bit of a treat
Thank you
That ending was really touching and sweet, Geoff ☺️
Oh, this is just wonderful. My kids would've loved this when they were younger, but they're too old now and into video games. Of course, us grown-ups are NEVER too old!
Wonderful! Your enthusiasm has warmed me up on a cold and windy spring morning.
What an inspiration! With bags of enthusiasm from @Geoff Marshall. What a great little video!
It's amazing how infectious Geoff's enthusiasm can be! BIG Thanks 🙂
That tube train looks like it’s come all this way to the Channel Islands from its old home in london
Oh the memories. I think I remember the red trains (1938 stock) on the Northern line but I was very young (8yo) at the time. They were replaced by these 1956 stock some time in the 1970s. Seeing those wonderful period interiors has brought back a flood of memories.
5:03 We should all be so lucky to experience this kind of unbridled joy once in our lives.
Lovely to see the obsolete underground cars in active use and in such wonderful condition. What a lovely way to extend their careers.
So many memories of this old stock and travelling on Tube Trains. Thanks Geoff.
Oh dear, another place to visit! Thanks Geoff, very entertaining and informative as usual!
👍 love the channel islands, been to Alderney only twice, plans in place to return again, never been on the train since the island is so small. 🇬🇬
What a great video. First time I’ve been made aware of a line on Alderney.
Thanks Geoff, very enjoyable. Must go someday.
I do miss the old LU trains....After I moved out of London in 2003 to a small town, and seldom travelled on LU trains these days..
OMG!!! Can't believe you have visited Alderney! My Gran and my Auntie both live on the island and this was almost an annual summer journey as a kid riding this train lol
¡ WOW ! Amazing what CGI can do nowadays ! The IOW video was good but with this one Geoff has surpassed himself, you would almost really believe there's old tube stock running on Alderney.
I love the video! Your enthusiasm for Alderneys railway is catching, even I want to take another trip! It was lovely to meet you and hope you can come and stay with us again sometime soon.
I love that at 9:58 you can see the car slowing down due to the man lying in the road!
Reminds me of the old Bakerloo trains on the Isle of Wight! Ah happy memories!
When I first went to the Isle of Wight in the seventies, the train from Ryde Pierhead to Ventnor was a 1910s tube train. Later they updated them to 1930s tube trains.
Seriously a nice little railway shuttle, really cool that you get to ride a 1959 train stock and just an old tube stock that's not in London or the Isle of Wight!
Very well presented with invaluble nuggets about the Northern 1959 stock carriages. I also love your infectious passion.
I've heard about this line and it's great to actually see it. It's on a nice sunny day, too, and I get the impression the weather can turn quite nasty being surrounded by the sea.
I enjoyed that. Although for me they are ex Bakerloo Line cars...... Back in the 1980s i worked on them when they were on the Bakerloo before being replaced by the rancid 72 stock! The 59s were a far supieror train to work on but the 72s were able to be converted to OPO unlike the 59s which is why we lost them......
Great little railway. My wife and I went on the train when we in Alderney on our honeymoon. The concrete building at the top of the cliff in quarry which looks like a 1930’s cinema is called The Odeon. It was built by the Germans in about 1941 when they occupied the Channel Islands. It used hold about 3 big artillery guns pointing at England. Alderney is a beautiful little island, had some lovely holidays there.
Brilliant video Geoff! It was great to meet you on the train (& later the plane!)
Great video Geoff, nice to bump into you over the weekend, you mentioned that this week’s video was going to be a good one and it didn’t disappoint! Keep up the good work! cheers, Matt
Very nice to watch . And well presented , after seeing this looks like a worthwhile trip .
Honestly I love the look and feel of the old stock. Sure the new ones may be more energy efficient, but there’s something about wood and curved lines that I just really enjoy.
Oh '59 stock oh the hours or rather years that I spent Guarding and Driving that stock. I still have my "keys " for the guards panel and my control and reverser keys, they are great as spanners!! Thanks for the memories from a retired LUL worker
So many wonderful memories of my childhood holidays to the channel islands in the 1960's. I grew up in North London and remember jumping on these tube trains at Cockfosters or High Barnet, memories of the wooden slatted flooring, the strap hangers etc. Thank you for a wonderful video, it's prompted me to return to Aurigny very soon.
Geoff, as a loyal viewer, can I just say this is one of my all-time favourite videos of yours from a production viewpoint?
I love the way it was cut, the sequence of the scenes (which includes you recording your voice-over), and just the overall vibe of the video. What might have helped with the latter is that you were visibly giddy every time you were around the train. Sliding!
Eddy, thank you .. kindly! spent a LOT of time working on it trying to get it just perfect! am thrilled you noticed, thank you, humbly.