So far, this is my _favorite_ episode of Least Used Stations. Not just the improvised song and the live guitar outro music, but the bench that overhangs the yellow line, and you both demonstrating the "safe" way to sit on it!
Yeah, all good, Dan let me know earlier today, that's a mighty quick turn around on your video! I shall be keeping an eye out for interesting waiting rooms when you visit AllTheStations :-)
I have lived in the next town Woburn Sands for 51 years, whats more i have been driving the trains along this line for the last 30 years ( Bletchley depot train driver ) I really enjoyed this video, it's great to see the spotlight being turned onto something that i am so familiar with. The passenger numbers have dropped back in recent years due to the lower number of school children using Aspley Guise, The area has more affulant housing the occupants of which can afford to send their children to private schools in Bedford, in the 80's and early 90's a special train of four carriages had to be run on the school kids service a large proportion of which got on at Aspley Guise. The previous lowest usage station in Bedfordshire, Kempston Hardwick, now has an increased number of passengers due to adjacent factory units being built in last decade, at one time Kempston Hardwick was the least used station in the UK ! The yellow line, as commented on by someone bellow, is designed to be a safe distance back from the edge when high speed trains are passing, particullary because of the suction effect follwing a fast train which can drag even heavy items over the edge of a platform, Aspley Guise station has a narrow east bound platform dating back to at least the sixties and survives unaltered by 'grandfather rights' despite not being to national standards. This makes the painting of the standard distance yellow line look farcical. The west bound platform at Aspley Guise was built when the whole line was re-signalled and the manually operated level crossings were replaced with lifting barrier crossings, where this was done one of the platforms was moved so as the train crossed over the road in both dirrections before coming to a stand thus shortening the time the barriers are lowered. being a recent build the platform conforms to the standard width, the yellow line being replaced with a strip of 'Pimple' paving slabs. In the days prior to the lifting barriers this crossing worked in a reverse manner to other level crossing on the line, the gates were kept closed to road traffic, there was a lever frame ( like a small signal box ) outside by the east bound platform which controlled railway signals either dirrection approaching the crossing, if a vehical approached along the road a toot of the horn would alert the crossing keeper who, if no trains were approaching would open the crossing gates briefly to allow the vehical to pass over the railway, yes, back then the road was little used ! The house adjacent to the crossing was the station house and like those from Fenny Stratford to Lidlington is built in a timber frame style at the request of the Duke of Bedord upon who's Woburn Estates land the railway was constructed through. There is another Milbrook station in Southampton which is important to know because it sometimes becomes the default Millbrook station which could vastly increase the price of a ticket, another ticketing quirk several years ago was when tickets were purchased on the train to destinations beyond Bedford, if Via Bedford was not added the price was charged via London which was considerably more expensive, modern machines have corrected this but it would be worth checking the route advised when purchasing tickets from a website. Thankyou Geoff for venturing out into 'My' part of the world, please come and investigate the rest of the line, there is much more to discover.
Meeting a random bloke at Euston was it turned out to make a brilliant video. Keep it up Geoff looking forward to all the stations want to know when your passing through Gillingham and Chatham.
My wife and I travelled from Fenny Stratford to Bedford on Feb 18th and were amazed to see FOUR people (yes FOUR people) all get off at this station. I still can't fathom how this place is less busy Kempston Hardwick though.
I used to work the level crossing when it was a manual crossing. It didn't have signals so you had to open the gates for road traffic. That was 25 years ago
Yellow lines are for the benefit of standing back from the platform edge, when fast trains go through can cause air turbulence. It's possible to drag light items like kids buggies or people into the trains passing vehicles (wagons or coaches).
The short explanation as to the "Senior Conductor" is that it's what London Midland call them. The longer explanation is that British Rail (RIP) introduced what became known as the "Traincrew Concept" back in October 1988, part of which saw the traditional Guard's role replaced by three new grades: Trainman (G) - Freight/non-commercial passenger Guard Conductor - Passenger Guard with commercial duties Senior Conductor - InterCity Guard with commercial duties Then along came privatisation in the mid-90s and we got Train Managers, Customer Service Managers, Retail Service Managers and sundry other silly titles at the whim of the new operators, but from a Rule Book point of view they're all Guards when undertaking operational duties.
By far the best 'least used' yet! 😂 My family lives next door to the crossing - I can still remember until recently the 'shelter' being the guards hut with a little fire in it - he used to come out and open / close the wooden gates for traffic! Great video! Funny story (ish) my cat got his collar stuck on a spike and if it wasn't for the crossing guard noticing him it'd of been a different ending to the happy one we had!
Absolutely love this series your doing, actually my favourite follow on TH-cam currently. The waiting room review website had me in stitches when it was mentioned, but have spent the last 15 minutes ironically enjoying them - love anything that's a bit quirky.
Marston Vale, my local and much loved line. Yes we still live in hope of being part of a recreated Varsity Line here. Really enjoyed the video, many thanks.
Hi Geoff! Have just watched this video and, again, another enjoyable and entertaining one! You came really close to my "neck of the woods", so to speak. I actually live, sort of, between Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford stations. I used to go through Aspley Guise on my way to Bedford, occasionally. But that was many years ago - when I was a lot younger!!
if this is how good LUSI videos are, think how good the ALL THE STATIONS ones are going to be!!! as Five Star once sang "I can't wait ... another minute".
I recently discovered this channel and have been loving all of the videos, but so far this is without a doubt my favorite. I hope to go to the UK sometime soon and explore via rail as you do. You are always welcome to visit us in NY and ride the subway and the Long Island Rail Road.
You skip the teas to make room for stopping at the Euston Tap for a cider on the way home. This was a fun vid, love the birdsong and the closing one as well
Love your vids Geoff. I used to board that train at Woburn Sands for the short commute to Bedford. The rush hour train could get a bit full but what a lovely relaxing journey into work.
Right, so I am confused. Was the "are you Geoff" a set up and you knew him or was it a stranger and completely random? I'm thinking the former. EDIT: Maybe I should watch the whole video before commenting.....
Traveled on that line a few times myself and with Senior Conductor on London Midland goes back to Silverlink days and to do with the grading at the time of split of services at the time of NSE / ICWC affecting Euston, Watford and Bletchley Depots. The line does actually see a Sunday service when the Bedford River Festival takes place - the last time was in 2016. And the 150 units will shortly be on the way out and kudos to Dan for getting the chord for the title music.
I don't like it because it gives new passengers an unrealistically high expectation of the quality they are to expect. When I told me friend that my dad drives for LM he said "Oh, aren't they the fancy trains?" He couldn't be further from the truth, but that's the impression he had from the looks alone.
One of my favourite videos so far on the least used stations 😂😂💙 absolutely brilliant really made me smile Geoff!! Please do some more. Can you do one on Bat and Ball station 😂🙏🏼
Kempston Hardwick's passenger increase is probably due in part to trade plate drivers delivering/collecting from BCA Bedford down the road, got the train out up to Bedford then Corby many times from there whilst plating!
If there is a senior conductor that you must buy a ticket from then it stands to reason that there would be junior conductors who can not sell you a ticket.
would love to see a tour called the aspley guys where you go around british railway stations singing songs about them finishing at aspley guise with the original song
Sounds like an insult to normal peoples intelligence He needs the strings on his guitar broken He seems a nice guy, but stupid songs like that irritate me, but I didnt know about the song before I watched the video
Yay! A station I have been to, didn't get the train though, the busses down the hill are more frequent or you can walk through the golf course to Woburn Sands if you miss the last one.
Rubbish busker Dan was quality, hope it was a genuine meet up, did you buy his ticket as well as your own ? Surely the average has to be worked over 6 days if there's no Sunday service. Keep up the good work Jeff 👍🏼
365 for 7 days a week 312 for 6 days a week 260 for 5 days a week -------------------- And so on to 1 train a week 30.65 passengers per day would be more accurate The missing 0.35(?) A passenger without a full brain
Somebody else did Oxfordshire. Maybe for April fools you should do the most used station in the whole of England, branded as a least used station video.
It'd b ratha awesome if Geoff did an entire video dedicated to our humble Marston vale line! ... Sure, its small but got plenty 2 c + do & much history! :D
1:22 Hang on, am I expected to believe that there is a real place in the UK called "Leighton Buzzard"? That's the name of a vulture lawyer in an anthropomorphic animal cartoon. Leighton Buzzard, Esquire.
Why did you divide by 365? Doesn't the 9,564 passenger figure cover entries and exits from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016, a 366-day time period (inclusive of 29 February 2016)?
Hi Geoff I am on the metropolitan line just coming into finchley Road towards London what's the train that is Chiltern railway and where is best to get it from and where does it goto many thanks Rob
So far, this is my _favorite_ episode of Least Used Stations. Not just the improvised song and the live guitar outro music, but the bench that overhangs the yellow line, and you both demonstrating the "safe" way to sit on it!
Me two
shortly after filming, that bench was killed by a train
KFCJones lol
RIP poor bench, you will be missed...
Classic Geoff insults a stranger then befriends him and goes on a train journey 😂
I'm fairly sure it was all faked lol
The fact he said "rubbish busker" as he walked past to me spells it out as being entirely setup.
Can't be fake - they tell no lies
Matt Gabriel I think it was already staged to happen that way
He said 'this is my friend Dan'
Geoff: there's a busker playing rubbish music.
End result : great video!!
Julioishype it was fake lmao
Average monthly views on my waiting room blog, about 50. One mention on this video and I'm on a 1000 today :-) Thanks Geoff!
Yeah, all good, Dan let me know earlier today, that's a mighty quick turn around on your video! I shall be keeping an eye out for interesting waiting rooms when you visit AllTheStations :-)
I have lived in the next town Woburn Sands for 51 years, whats more i have been driving the trains along this line for the last 30 years ( Bletchley depot train driver ) I really enjoyed this video, it's great to see the spotlight being turned onto something that i am so familiar with.
The passenger numbers have dropped back in recent years due to the lower number of school children using Aspley Guise, The area has more affulant housing the occupants of which can afford to send their children to private schools in Bedford, in the 80's and early 90's a special train of four carriages had to be run on the school kids service a large proportion of which got on at Aspley Guise.
The previous lowest usage station in Bedfordshire, Kempston Hardwick, now has an increased number of passengers due to adjacent factory units being built in last decade, at one time Kempston Hardwick was the least used station in the UK !
The yellow line, as commented on by someone bellow, is designed to be a safe distance back from the edge when high speed trains are passing, particullary because of the suction effect follwing a fast train which can drag even heavy items over the edge of a platform, Aspley Guise station has a narrow east bound platform dating back to at least the sixties and survives unaltered by 'grandfather rights' despite not being to national standards. This makes the painting of the standard distance yellow line look farcical.
The west bound platform at Aspley Guise was built when the whole line was re-signalled and the manually operated level crossings were replaced with lifting barrier crossings, where this was done one of the platforms was moved so as the train crossed over the road in both dirrections before coming to a stand thus shortening the time the barriers are lowered. being a recent build the platform conforms to the standard width, the yellow line being replaced with a strip of 'Pimple' paving slabs.
In the days prior to the lifting barriers this crossing worked in a reverse manner to other level crossing on the line, the gates were kept closed to road traffic, there was a lever frame ( like a small signal box ) outside by the east bound platform which controlled railway signals either dirrection approaching the crossing, if a vehical approached along the road a toot of the horn would alert the crossing keeper who, if no trains were approaching would open the crossing gates briefly to allow the vehical to pass over the railway, yes, back then the road was little used !
The house adjacent to the crossing was the station house and like those from Fenny Stratford to Lidlington is built in a timber frame style at the request of the Duke of Bedord upon who's Woburn Estates land the railway was constructed through.
There is another Milbrook station in Southampton which is important to know because it sometimes becomes the default Millbrook station which could vastly increase the price of a ticket, another ticketing quirk several years ago was when tickets were purchased on the train to destinations beyond Bedford, if Via Bedford was not added the price was charged via London which was considerably more expensive, modern machines have corrected this but it would be worth checking the route advised when purchasing tickets from a website.
Thankyou Geoff for venturing out into 'My' part of the world, please come and investigate the rest of the line, there is much more to discover.
Cracked me up this one!
It's clear you two had met before that opening sequence, cause there were two teas on the bench behind dan!
Meeting a random bloke at Euston was it turned out to make a brilliant video. Keep it up Geoff looking forward to all the stations want to know when your passing through Gillingham and Chatham.
Who thinks the Aspley Guise song should go on iTunes?
P.S. I recently went to Shippea Hill, it is a nothing.
Definitely!
Yes please. I'd buy it.
It used to have manually operated barriers.
Those automated ones are relatively new.
Nice
My wife and I travelled from Fenny Stratford to Bedford on Feb 18th and were amazed to see FOUR people (yes FOUR people) all get off at this station.
I still can't fathom how this place is less busy Kempston Hardwick though.
I used to work the level crossing when it was a manual crossing. It didn't have signals so you had to open the gates for road traffic. That was 25 years ago
Yellow lines are for the benefit of standing back from the platform edge, when fast trains go through can cause air turbulence. It's possible to drag light items like kids buggies or people into the trains passing vehicles (wagons or coaches).
Gillinghamgus In pre yellow line days it was natural selection by slam door stock
Indeed.
Gillinghamgus And the bright contrasting colour is to the benefit of blind or partially sighted passengers.
There are signs at stations warning about passing trains air turbulence
Having used this train service, I can confirm that the speed it travels at are just about enough to generate a light breeze....
The short explanation as to the "Senior Conductor" is that it's what London Midland call them.
The longer explanation is that British Rail (RIP) introduced what became known as the "Traincrew Concept" back in October 1988, part of which saw the traditional Guard's role replaced by three new grades:
Trainman (G) - Freight/non-commercial passenger Guard
Conductor - Passenger Guard with commercial duties
Senior Conductor - InterCity Guard with commercial duties
Then along came privatisation in the mid-90s and we got Train Managers, Customer Service Managers, Retail Service Managers and sundry other silly titles at the whim of the new operators, but from a Rule Book point of view they're all Guards when undertaking operational duties.
By far the best 'least used' yet! 😂 My family lives next door to the crossing - I can still remember until recently the 'shelter' being the guards hut with a little fire in it - he used to come out and open / close the wooden gates for traffic! Great video!
Funny story (ish) my cat got his collar stuck on a spike and if it wasn't for the crossing guard noticing him it'd of been a different ending to the happy one we had!
Absolutely love this series your doing, actually my favourite follow on TH-cam currently. The waiting room review website had me in stitches when it was mentioned, but have spent the last 15 minutes ironically enjoying them - love anything that's a bit quirky.
They tell no lies here at Aspley Guise! Great video Dan and Geoff. Keep it up!
I don't even know how many times I've watched this video but it still makes me smile every single time.
That was totally amazing off the cuff song. Really cool
Geoff, this is the best video on your channel! Dan needs to come along again!
Having seen a large amount of your videos, Geoff, I can honestly say I think this was the most fun one. The impromptu manner of it was just great!
Marston Vale, my local and much loved line. Yes we still live in hope of being part of a recreated Varsity Line here. Really enjoyed the video, many thanks.
Best one ever. Absolutely brilliant. Smiled and laughed all the way through. We want more Dan!!!!!
This skit is brilliant. Nicely done, Marshall.
Perhaps take that friend on the rest of the ""least used" and make an album. Now THAT is something I would pay for!!!
Best LUS vid yet. Brilliant!
This series is amazing keep it up
Hi Geoff! Have just watched this video and, again, another enjoyable and entertaining one! You came really close to my "neck of the woods", so to speak. I actually live, sort of, between Milton Keynes Central, Bletchley and Fenny Stratford stations. I used to go through Aspley Guise on my way to Bedford, occasionally. But that was many years ago - when I was a lot younger!!
I love listening to this song and the video. This is by far the best least used station video!
LOVE the song ! Especially the last line, just brilliant.
I was laughing all the way through the Aspley Guise Song. Well done the Aspley Guise Guys
Aspley Guys?
DAN! Great work Aspley guys! 👏
I love that song! You will NEVER top that. well done.
I really like your videos Geoff - I think the most enjoyable thing about them are the people. Fantastic stuff! the Michael Palin of TH-cam!
How funny how he said that his companion was playing rubbish music at the beginning
What an awesome piece of musical innovation! - 'Great work. :)
Love these videos! Please keep doing them :)
many thanks to you two putting your feet on furniture people actually use to sit down on (no matter how ridiculous you think it is)
if this is how good LUSI videos are, think how good the ALL THE STATIONS ones are going to be!!! as Five Star once sang "I can't wait ... another minute".
Please bring Dan on every trip - I think this is my favourite video ever!
I recently discovered this channel and have been loving all of the videos, but so far this is without a doubt my favorite. I hope to go to the UK sometime soon and explore via rail as you do. You are always welcome to visit us in NY and ride the subway and the Long Island Rail Road.
"There's a busker playing some rubbish songs"
*Proceeds to collab with the busker* 🤣
You skip the teas to make room for stopping at the Euston Tap for a cider on the way home. This was a fun vid, love the birdsong and the closing one as well
That's my favorite "Least used Station" video so far!
Love your vids Geoff. I used to board that train at Woburn Sands for the short commute to Bedford. The rush hour train could get a bit full but what a lovely relaxing journey into work.
One of the best videos yet. That was great!
Senior Conductors sell tickets in addition to doing the doors and despatch.
can you ask Dan to do a whole version of the least used station song because I would love a full version.
southwest455 - Trains & Planes rip swt 700
Lol yeah xD
Have you seen what the 720s will look like?
Right, so I am confused. Was the "are you Geoff" a set up and you knew him or was it a stranger and completely random? I'm thinking the former.
EDIT: Maybe I should watch the whole video before commenting.....
It was a set-up I think. I mean the guy is a comedian so seems reasonable that he would want to do an intro like that.
I feel slightly betrayed now, and stupid. I was loving the video thinking it was this awesome random thing :/
It's a setup.
Love this series. Great work Geoff!
The guy you met for this was absolutely awesome I loved the song :')
That was a great episode....well done, super twist on an already great concept. !!
Those platforms were STAGGERing
Traveled on that line a few times myself and with Senior Conductor on London Midland goes back to Silverlink days and to do with the grading at the time of split of services at the time of NSE / ICWC affecting Euston, Watford and Bletchley Depots. The line does actually see a Sunday service when the Bedford River Festival takes place - the last time was in 2016. And the 150 units will shortly be on the way out and kudos to Dan for getting the chord for the title music.
Definitely my favourite least used station video. The yellow line. The song. It has it all! 🙂🚂
This is one of the best “Least Used” episodes. 🌟
Southease station in east sussex is the least used station as it used to be a halt, The other ones are normans bay, Pevensey bay and Winchelsea
Just noticed you're the guy that ran all the London parkruns... parkrun & train videos. Best of both worlds. 😀
The black and green London Midland-style coat deserves more recognition in these comments.
I don't like it because it gives new passengers an unrealistically high expectation of the quality they are to expect.
When I told me friend that my dad drives for LM he said "Oh, aren't they the fancy trains?" He couldn't be further from the truth, but that's the impression he had from the looks alone.
Maybe when West Midlands Trains take over in December quality will improve.
Whoop! I live in Bedfordshire! The Bedford to Bletchley line doesn't surprise me that it's got onto the list! Lots of small stations. X
One of my favourite videos so far on the least used stations 😂😂💙 absolutely brilliant really made me smile Geoff!!
Please do some more.
Can you do one on Bat and Ball station 😂🙏🏼
Kempston Hardwick's passenger increase is probably due in part to trade plate drivers delivering/collecting from BCA Bedford down the road, got the train out up to Bedford then Corby many times from there whilst plating!
Having used this line when I was in my late teens/early 20s, it's hard to believe that Kemptson Hardwick has more passengers than Aspley Guise
Given the many cups of tea you usually drink, I would imagine the sanitation to be top priority while exploring the stations immediate vicinity ;)
So I take the Class 153 arrived on time? :)
Yes yellow lines utterly ridiculous. Once at Moor Street I got told twice that i had to get back behind the line.
This video is really good. Pure brilliance.
that song was great . didn't expect that. flying from Boston to Manchester just to ride the trains in May !!!
Can't believe you've never been on a 150. Hopefully you'll get lucky down here on the Valley Lines with them and not Pacers :P
The staggered platforms on that line are quite a new feature - they were created early 2000's to reduce waiting time for traffic at the crossing
it took me 4 years to realise that geoffs coat is london midland colours
London Midland also has a line that has been a bus replacement for 13 years
If there is a senior conductor that you must buy a ticket from then it stands to reason that there would be junior conductors who can not sell you a ticket.
Geoff you cannot have enough teas cheers for all the information in your videos
Best "Least Used Station" EVER EVER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Couldn't say it better myself!
Agreed
Timeline of least used stations in bedfordshire
2014-2015: Kempston Hardwick
2015-2016: Aspley Guise
2016-2017: Aspley Guise
2017-2018: Kempston Hardwick
2018-2019: Kempston Hardwick
would love to see a tour called the aspley guys where you go around british railway stations singing songs about them finishing at aspley guise with the original song
Somehow I missed this. This. Is incredible. ♥️😍
the aspley guise song is AWESOME
Sounds like an insult to normal peoples intelligence
He needs the strings on his guitar broken
He seems a nice guy, but stupid songs like that irritate me, but I didnt know about the song before I watched the video
Yay! A station I have been to, didn't get the train though, the busses down the hill are more frequent or you can walk through the golf course to Woburn Sands if you miss the last one.
Yeah, seems harsh the way you were so cold to him Geoff.
Fantastic stuff. The song was very good, Dan's sound was a lot like the legendry busker from Canterbury - Taihg
Rubbish busker Dan was quality, hope it was a genuine meet up, did you buy his ticket as well as your own ?
Surely the average has to be worked over 6 days if there's no Sunday service.
Keep up the good work Jeff 👍🏼
365 for 7 days a week
312 for 6 days a week
260 for 5 days a week
--------------------
And so on to 1 train a week
30.65 passengers per day would be more accurate
The missing 0.35(?) A passenger without a full brain
Brilliant Geoff and Dan i loved the song 🎶😁👍🏾
Best “Least Used Station” video to date. Hilarious 😂 😂🤣🤣 Well done 👍 guys!
03:44 you can hear the AWS going off haha.
As soon as you did the station figures in song the video made it into my favourites box.
Somebody else did Oxfordshire. Maybe for April fools you should do the most used station in the whole of England, branded as a least used station video.
I Love Bedfordshire :) This Line Too :) But One question was there a conductor ? :)
Geoff Marshall he obviously wasn't a Senior conductor then
I've just come back from a week in Norfolk,I think Salhouse must be a least used station I've never seen anyone get on or off there
Yellow line rules, welcome to Bedfordshire Geoff!
It'd b ratha awesome if Geoff did an entire video dedicated to our humble Marston vale line! ... Sure, its small but got plenty 2 c + do & much history! :D
I'm loving waiting room looking like wait in groom on screen ;)
Will Dan appear in another video in 2022 or beyond? It would be great to have a sequel!
the least used station in Norfolk is Buckenham with only 134 passengers last year
Declan Ricketts I just googled for it. Why is there an station anyways lol
At first I couldn't tell if Dan was actually a stranger or it was all just staged until I read the comments
1:22 Hang on, am I expected to believe that there is a real place in the UK called "Leighton Buzzard"? That's the name of a vulture lawyer in an anthropomorphic animal cartoon. Leighton Buzzard, Esquire.
Why did you divide by 365? Doesn't the 9,564 passenger figure cover entries and exits from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016, a 366-day time period (inclusive of 29 February 2016)?
i love how on the marston vale line replaced 150s with 150s
Bedford to Bletchley. Where the bus is quicker than the train.
Hi Geoff I am on the metropolitan line just coming into finchley Road towards London what's the train that is Chiltern railway and where is best to get it from and where does it goto many thanks Rob
Please do Cannock least use station in Staffordshire geoff
Fenny Stratford, shallowest lock Grand Union canal!