1st generation DMU cab ride from Burton on Trent to Coalville via freight only line

1st generation DMU cab ride from Burton on Trent to Coalville MPD via the normally freight only line via Gresley. Special service for depot open day 1990. No commentary just cab chat.

[@whiteshield60]

Well, that brought back a few memories. Many years ago I used to live in Burton near the Drakelow East road bridge and spent many hours in the late 1950s trainspotting from the bridge. I also remember putting pennies on the line further up for locos to squash them. And I travelled on the line several times by steam train in non corridor stock and probably DMUs before the line was closed to passenger services in about 1962. My grandfather was a porter at Gresley station in the 1910s where he met my grandmother. My other grandfather was a loco driver and told me he had stopped in Gresley tunnel one night in WW1 to avoid a Zeppelin airship passing overhead, whether that's true or nor I have no idea, sadly he's long gone. But what is true is my uncle was a signalman and used to work the Leicester Junction box in Burton before it closed and the signalling was then controlled from a central box in Derby where he relocated. But prior to it closing I used to visit the box on Sunday mornings when he was on that shift and things were quiet. Finally I used to go trainspotting on Anglesey Road rec at the beginning of the line with good views of both the Birmingham Line and the lesser traffic on the Leicester line, and remember the 'excitement' when an occasional, and rare to the area, former LNWR 0-8-0 or an Eastern Region B1 would go up the Leicester line (where to - no idea!). But the flip side to that was the moans from spotters at the frequent sitings of Leander that used to pass on the Birmingham line; how times change now it is preserved!

[@bobbrooks266]

Absolutely brilliant love the train horns

[@mrowl-the-dsm1304]

Great to see this, I was on these DMU shuttles. Coalville always did do a good open day.

[@djtrainspotter3079]

Lol "dodgy livery competition". Great views of a fascinating circuit.

[@phwbooth]

Another belter!