Used to live in Burnham as a kid. Many happy memories, and used to get the smell of smelted metal from the iron works factory, being opposite the station [now occupied by a supermarket] .It's one of those odd places that [like Southwold] has only one road in and out. A lovely place to visit, especially by the quayside.
@@sarahwiththetrains Your welcome! Another great word is "Daggerboards". This is the term for the distinctive style of decorative woodwork on the old canopies. Great hair by the way.
This is one of those odd lines, I used to work for GA and the Crouch Valley line has always been DOO with the exception that guards are on it for revenue and safety including operating the ramps. All other lines from Norfolk into Suffolk and Essex up until Colchester have guards on them as well as the Marks Tey - Sudbury Branch and Witham - Braintree. I’ve always been told it’s due to there being no safe walking routes in case of emergencies. Harwich International and Thorpe Le Soken are good stations to have a look at along with Walton on the Naze where a train went through the ticket office back when they were operated by 313’s. I’ve heard so many stories from other guards that were pre privatisation
Burnham OC is a happy little station that has the love of volunteers with the flower boxes, nature signs and that talking bench is a pretty sweet idea. all the stations look like they have a loving community which care about them
Thank you for this. My wife and I spent the first fifteen years of our marriage in Southminster; mostly in one of the flats you can see from the station. Just up the road is a pub called the Station Arms in which we had many happy times; if you know the American sitcom "Cheers", well, it was rather like that. While, I was content in Southminster, my wife wanted to move to London, particularly for our daughter's education and, in fairness, it worked out well. We both have had lots of interesting opportunities in London but we did have many happy times. I had a few "adventures" on that line whne commuting to work in London. Not least, the electric cable being blow down in a storm and having to walk back along the track in the pitch dark ro Althorne Station. There isn't much to see in Southminster but the nearby village of Tillingham is delightful, so too in Burnham. It's definitely worth a walk along the river. Good luck with your channel.
If you ever in this area of the world again have a bus ride to The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall and next door you have the Othona community or Othona Bradwell where you can sleep in a Yurt or Tent or a number of other accommodations
When I was a Driver at Stratford, we had a turn of taking empty sand wagons to Southminster, shunting them into appropriate sidings ready for loading and returning with the full ones after checking that no wagon had been red carded. Not all the wagons were vacuum braked, so a bit of marshaling was required to get the vac braked wagons behind the Class 37. We set off gingerly after the last passenger train had left Southminster for Burnham. Our train with the 37 amounted to near 1.500 tons and only partly vac braked made for an interesting drive especially coming into Wickford as it is downhill with a fixed distant signal so you don't know if you've got the road onto the main line until you round a bend to signal protecting the junction, most times it was off thank God as you could feel weight of this train pushing you on. The rest of the trip upto the sand depot in Mile End in London was uneventful, bit of marshaling there and light engine back to Stratford.
Brings back the memories of summers in the 1950s when I would get the steam train from Wickford to Althorne where my friend`s dad was the Station Master and lived in one of the railway houses adjacent to the station. The houses are still there but are now private residences. Along with other children who lived in the other houses we lived the life of the railway children. Oh happy days!
Mind you I have been to stations on the Crouch Valley Line and I quite like Burnham-on-Crouch station. I would say that Greater Anglia needs to sort out Wickford station with a new station building since the old station building was knocked down few years ago.
Keep up the good work Sarah. Always great anticipation in my house when a new video is posted as to how many "flappy plastic bins" there will be on the platform(s).
The 'secret' nuclear train was sort of in the timetable. There were no spare paths on the line so one of the passenger trains was marked ThX (not Thursdays). Guess when the nuclear waste train ran!
Brilliant video Sarah, I chuckled when you crouched for the mention of Burnham on Crouch at the start lol. That rain at South Woodham Ferres looked very bad, I especially wouldn't want to be out in wet weather like that when it's winter.
@sarahwiththetrains You did. I was in London with Greater Anglia a few days ago after seeing Abba Voyage. I found myself at Berney Arms in my return journey which put me in mind of you.
Some have said that whenever they are near me that they should carry a Geiger counter, then again recent blood test did come back saying I was 95% human, 100% vampire
@@sarahwiththetrains Well if Buffy from my youth reminds me of anything, vampires can only die from sunlight, a stake to the heart or holy water so maybe?
the closeing of the M and GN 1959 was the start of britain totally destroying the best railway system in the world when there was no need for it to be done
Used to live in Burnham as a kid. Many happy memories, and used to get the smell of smelted metal from the iron works factory, being opposite the station [now occupied by a supermarket]
.It's one of those odd places that [like Southwold] has only one road in and out.
A lovely place to visit, especially by the quayside.
Another great vid Sarah. Happy new year to you!
I rode this line in the late 70s and early 80s on 2 car DMUs
Hi Sarah. The ornate "metal work" you refer to are called Spandrels. (lovely word)
@@darrenrawlinson6344 Ooh lovely! I'll add that one to my vocabulary! Thank you 😊
@@sarahwiththetrains Your welcome! Another great word is "Daggerboards". This is the term for the distinctive style of decorative woodwork on the old canopies. Great hair by the way.
Great video Sarah. Some nice Station on this branch line and wasn't aware that it had a passing loop as well
Thanks Simon!
This is one of those odd lines, I used to work for GA and the Crouch Valley line has always been DOO with the exception that guards are on it for revenue and safety including operating the ramps. All other lines from Norfolk into Suffolk and Essex up until Colchester have guards on them as well as the Marks Tey - Sudbury Branch and Witham - Braintree. I’ve always been told it’s due to there being no safe walking routes in case of emergencies. Harwich International and Thorpe Le Soken are good stations to have a look at along with Walton on the Naze where a train went through the ticket office back when they were operated by 313’s. I’ve heard so many stories from other guards that were pre privatisation
also a few minutes walk from Southminster station is Wibblers brewery they do have a beer festival with food and a live band on ther Saturday night
im liking all the stations in this vlog & the Crouch Valley line dose look like a nice line to ride brilliant vlog
Burnham OC is a happy little station that has the love of volunteers with the flower boxes, nature signs and that talking bench is a pretty sweet idea. all the stations look like they have a loving community which care about them
I would say that Burnham-on-Crouch station is very nice. Same with Southminster and South Woodham Ferrers on the Crouch Valley Line from Wickford.
The Mangapps Railway Museum will be well worth a visit when it reopens. I particularly like the meticulously restored raw aluminium tube carriage.
Thank you for this. My wife and I spent the first fifteen years of our marriage in Southminster; mostly in one of the flats you can see from the station. Just up the road is a pub called the Station Arms in which we had many happy times; if you know the American sitcom "Cheers", well, it was rather like that.
While, I was content in Southminster, my wife wanted to move to London, particularly for our daughter's education and, in fairness, it worked out well. We both have had lots of interesting opportunities in London but we did have many happy times.
I had a few "adventures" on that line whne commuting to work in London. Not least, the electric cable being blow down in a storm and having to walk back along the track in the pitch dark ro Althorne Station.
There isn't much to see in Southminster but the nearby village of Tillingham is delightful, so too in Burnham. It's definitely worth a walk along the river.
Good luck with your channel.
Brilliant film
If you ever in this area of the world again have a bus ride to The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall and next door you have the Othona community or Othona Bradwell where you can sleep in a Yurt or Tent or a number of other accommodations
When I was a Driver at Stratford, we had a turn of taking empty sand wagons to Southminster, shunting them into appropriate sidings ready for loading and returning with the full ones after checking that no wagon had been red carded. Not all the wagons were vacuum braked, so a bit of marshaling was required to get the vac braked wagons behind the Class 37.
We set off gingerly after the last passenger train had left Southminster for Burnham.
Our train with the 37 amounted to near 1.500 tons and only partly vac braked made for an interesting drive especially coming into Wickford as it is downhill with a fixed distant signal so you don't know if you've got the road onto the main line until you round a bend to signal protecting the junction, most times it was off thank God as you could feel weight of this train pushing you on.
The rest of the trip upto the sand depot in Mile End in London was uneventful, bit of marshaling there and light engine back to Stratford.
Brings back the memories of summers in the 1950s when I would get the steam train from Wickford to Althorne where my friend`s dad was the Station Master and lived in one of the railway houses adjacent to the station. The houses are still there but are now private residences. Along with other children who lived in the other houses we lived the life of the railway children. Oh happy days!
It's always so lovely to hear stories from people who've used the lines I visit in the past!
Excellent video once again, Sarah, and very well researched 👍
Mangapps Farm museum is definitely worth a visit
Great video again!
Ditto my comments elsewhere. 🙂👍
Mind you I have been to stations on the Crouch Valley Line and I quite like Burnham-on-Crouch station. I would say that Greater Anglia needs to sort out Wickford station with a new station building since the old station building was knocked down few years ago.
Keep up the good work Sarah. Always great anticipation in my house when a new video is posted as to how many "flappy plastic bins" there will be on the platform(s).
The 'secret' nuclear train was sort of in the timetable. There were no spare paths on the line so one of the passenger trains was marked ThX (not Thursdays). Guess when the nuclear waste train ran!
Thank you for taking us along for another great day out.
Hopefully the next one isn't so... wet. :O
And bonus lights and noise at the end. :D
Another nice video Sarah and a happy New year to you, the old line to Malden lost it's passenger service even earlier i believe back in 1939
Another Great video 👍
Brilliant video Sarah, I chuckled when you crouched for the mention of Burnham on Crouch at the start lol. That rain at South Woodham Ferres looked very bad, I especially wouldn't want to be out in wet weather like that when it's winter.
Thanks Reuben! I did debate whether to put the crouch in or not but it made me laugh so I'm glad it made others laugh too.
Thankyou Sarah enjoyed that, your in our neck of the woods again 😃👍
Great vlog, Sarah! I enjoyed this!
Definitely the line to crouch hence the name Crouch Valley Line! 😂
Thanks Reece!
try Burnham On Crouch during Burnham week and make a day of it if you can
Happy New Year to you and Brian!
Happy New Year!
Great video, thanks for braving the weather!
@carlwilson1772 Glad you enjoyed it! I got myself a sausage sandwich and hot chocolate when I got on the class 745 to Norwich. I think I earned it!
@sarahwiththetrains You did. I was in London with Greater Anglia a few days ago after seeing Abba Voyage. I found myself at Berney Arms in my return journey which put me in mind of you.
Many thanks for braving the weather to make this highly enjoyable video and best wishes for the new year & loved the hat and your glasses😀
Great video, Sarah 😃
Some have said that whenever they are near me that they should carry a Geiger counter, then again recent blood test did come back saying I was 95% human, 100% vampire
Are vampires often radioactive?
@@sarahwiththetrains Well if Buffy from my youth reminds me of anything, vampires can only die from sunlight, a stake to the heart or holy water so maybe?
Bronchitis? (actually you're both right with hypothermia and/or pneumonia, it's just that you missed one!)
A very Happy new year Sarah from Alan in Lowestoft ❤😊❤
@alanshelly7068 Happy New Year Alan!
Happy floppy bin... new year I mean!
Happy New Flappy Bin!
...and you let Brian out in this weather?
@teecefamilykent He's a rough tough little bunny!
Moist ending!
the closeing of the M and GN 1959 was the start of britain totally destroying the best railway system in the world when there was no need for it to be done