I seem to remember that they ran like that for quite a while didn’t they Arthur? It does seem strange that BREL rolled out a load of loco hauled mk3 SO and FO coaches, but that it took them so long to complete the buffet vehicles. They didn’t have any problem rolling them out as complete rakes for the HSTs. I guess they weren’t as stressed about it given the 100mph speed limit on the WCML around that time. At least you could get a decent ‘greasy grill’ from them!
There were no mk2 buffet/restaurant cars (aside from mini-buffet conversions) and no mk2 or mk3 full brake vans. This in of itself ensured that almost all WCML expresses were at least a bit of a mix. Remember also that many of the Scottish trains split at Carstairs into Glasgow and Edinburgh portions, and the portions often got jiggled around on the return working leaving some odd-looking formations (eg the buffet car sometimes ended up as the very first or very last carriage).
Fab footage - pre-DVT and people stood right at the end of platforms to get the best shots. Boy I miss those days! Thanks so much for posting - these are priceless!
Thank you for your fabulous comment Keith. I'm really glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such great memories for you. I too miss those days very much.
Takes me back. Used to go to Crewe many Saturdays back in the early 80s. From Leeds... change at stalybridge and Stockport... £3.40 fare. The livery was just blue and yellow then.
Really pleased you’re enjoying the series Dennis. I too used to spend many hours on Crewe station back then, sitting on a brute trolley at the end of the platform. I wonder whether we ever chatted.
Thanks for the great comment Jason, and really glad you enjoyed the video. I so wish that spotting had been trendy back in the eighties - I remember taking so much flack about my hobby from peers at school. I’ll never forget how the term ‘Trainspotter’ became such a widely used put down that it was picked up by mainstream media, and we were treated as sad, anorak wearing nerds who needed to ‘get a life’ ! But I wouldn’t change a thing, and I still remember every single minute of my time Criss-crossing the country loco and track bashing, trying to talk my way into depots and hanging around platform ends discussing that days ‘gen’ with like minded soles. Wonderful days.
@@davidsnapebrcrosslane8782 Thank you for the fabulous comment David. Really glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such great memories.
Great video. Took me back to my youth. In August (i think) 85, at 12, I was lucky enough to have my parents buy me a one week midland rail card and most of that week I spent at Crewe. The card cost £12 whole pounds and gave unlimited travel on the midland area with Crewe being the most northern station. Such a hive of activity. Those newer liveried class 86 and 87 are beautiful and you even see the rarer class 85 on this vid. Dang a class 33 is cool and these were based in the far reaches so uncommon in the midland area. 👍
Coming from Manchester, I used to do the same thing with the old Coast and Peaks Rover DtRTB. Had some brilliant days out. Thanks for the great comment.
Thanks for the great comment Paul, and glad you’re still enjoying the collection. Standing on the northern end of the platforms at Crewe, that freight avoiding line was really frustrating wasn’t it? You could hear the freight trains passing but you couldn’t see them. Do you know whether the avoiding line is still in still use nowadays?
@@kartwheelkarl Yes it was frustrating. I'm not sure if it does, not been for years. I sort of drifted away from the railways in the mid nineties when teenage years kick in, girls and cars. My Dad still goes out abit, mainly for steam when passing through the Peak District. He got his first video camera around the early 90s. Remember it costing a fortune back then. Keep telling him to upload it on to TH-cam. The stuff you posted up Scotlands my favourite. Many happy days up there with my dad.
@@paulcresswell1843 A couple of us had similar conversations with Alan about his collection. He didn’t think anyone would be too interested in what he’d filmed back in 1986, but he agreed to let me feature his films on my channel. The response has been phenomenal, and Alan is delighted that his films have brought so much pleasure to so many people. I wonder if I know your dad. We used to live in New Mills and I too used to chase the local steam specials. I still have many friends back there.
@@kartwheelkarl My dad thinks no one will be that bothered about his as the quality of filming isn't up to modern day 4k. I keep telling him that people accept that it won't and are more interested in the quality of things that ran back then. We live in Whaley Bridge, small world.
@@kartwheelkarl oh they were so lucky. As an American born in 2003, 21 years after they last set foot there. Also Queen played 2 nights at Wembley, July 11th and 12th, so there was a possibility that they could have gone to the first night.
@@stephenduncan3605 some tracks were on that album. The concert was released as “Live at Wembley ‘86” - Live Magic was mostly the final Queen concert ever, at Knebworth Park near Stevenage on August 9th.
Starting my career in 75, this is how I remember Crewe.... platforms full of Royal Mail trolleys, blue/grey stock, dirty locos, the DMD in full use(my depot) and hardly any weeds or trees on/near the track. Great days.
What a great place to start your career MPG. I too remember Crewe well around this time, but only from the platform end! Really glad the video brought back good memories and thanks for the comments.
Wonderfull I so miss the real sparkles look forward to seeing all his work.myself any many others so grateful for his wisdom in capturing the age top man
Thank you for the kind words Jeff, and so glad you’re enjoying the collection. Can you believe that Alan didn’t think anyone else would be very interested?
In the days before buddleia took over. Look at that immaculate and cared for infrastructure. And in the days where the railway was run as a railway not a business, and also everything connected, note the 33 waiting and departing for North Wales.
The infrastructure was "immaculate and well cared for" primarily because the layout at Crewe was brand new in this video - it had famously been totally remodelled the year before in 1985, for quite some weeks that year the entire station was closed while the work was done. I don't think anyone will disagree that Crewe 33 years later looks tired and a bit decrepit but partly that reflects the much higher frequencies on the WCML today reducing its importance as a junction and interchange point.
Great how that leading 127 unit has a full working headcode- ten years after they had officially been abandoned:-)) RIP the roarers, 304s and 310s - when train had real character...
@@kartwheelkarl Yes the original EMUs and bog carts were great in hindsight but incredibly despite taking thousands of pics since the late seventies I completely ignored them!! The 304s were my fave- on Saturday living in Brum we’d do the usual circuit up to Bescot and back to Saltley and the units were fitted with Gresley bogeys which gave a fairground style ride!!! At Hamstead there would be a brief stretch where we would hit 40mph and all the passengers would start bouncing up and down in unison- hilarious!!! We’d also whack the cushions and huge clouds on dust would emerge!! Then back to the flat to listen to how the Blues had got on and await Gladiators on the telly!!! Great stuff!!
Marvelous footage of a bygone era, love all those wailing electrics and chugging diesels. I didn't realise the 310s worked as far north as Crewe during the 80's. Amazing to thinks some of the 86s and 47s can still be seen on the mainline today! Though sadly most of the vehicles seen here have long since been scrapped.
I seem to remember there being a booked 310 working from Birmingham to Liverpool, although I may be wrong. Excellent units - comfortable, smooth and great performers.
How today's passengers could benefit from some of the consists on show here. I remember as a child counting most WCML trains through at 11-12 carriages. The Clansman was usually 13-14 strong. Some even had up to 8 standard class vehicles in the consist!! These were the types of loading that the class 86s and 87s were designed to haul from day one. Ok, so the modern WCML timetable is quite a bit more frequent on the Manc's especially. However BR had one thing right back then...everyone got a seat.
I think you should also factor in the much higher densities per carriage today....given how many seats are crammed in these days, an 8 or 9 carriage train must carry quite a few more seated passengers now than in a 1986 mk2 or mk3. And passenger numbers were far far lower then - nationally, passenger numbers are now nearly three times higher than they were in the late 80s. Personally I think the Pendolinos are a good step up from what went before but it's hard to deny that what now operates the former cross country type services on the WCML are a pretty big step down.
Superb WCML action.........rare shot of Inter City Motorail mk1 coaches......motorail flats......also spotted an Express Parcels Mk1 subbing for the usual unbranded BG.......a few Roarers in the mix.....a few EMU 310/312s too. This was the era I loved just before DVTs started to turn the route into a push pull corridor.....the best liveries too of blue and grey and executive....... 👍👍👍👍👍👍
I am enjoying ur videos mate tell ya wot there bringing back memory's I use to love going on train rides I use to go all over greater Manchester about 12 of us top times we would buy a ticket called the rail ranger for a £1 , how things have changed, godbless you,
Good spot Andrei - it definitely was an 85 and the first two coaches were indeed mk3s, although the rest of the train was mk2. I don’t know why (and I am obviously completely wrong!) but I had it in my head that roarers couldn’t work mk3s, although I have no idea why that would be.
Particularly poignant video as Crewe is where I’m originally from. Mid 80s when the Railway works still employed thousands and the diesel depot was a hive of activity. It’s a somewhat depressing experience visiting nowadays seeing how these places have changed. Great video. Brings back so many memories.
Really pleased you''re enjoying the collection Dean, and glad that this video brought back such great memories. I haven't been to Crewe for over eight years but the last time I was there I couldn't believe how much it had changed. Rationalisation had changed the station and the yards seemed empty. I never got to see the old works/electric depot area - should have taken a ride to Chester to have a look. I have memories of a brilliant open day there back in about 1984 (?) I'm guessing it would look nothing like that now?
It’s pretty much completely changed - a large part of the works site is now a new housing estate and supermarket. I remember the 1984 open day - lines of scrap 40s and various locos in a state of repair/construction in the main workshop. I’m sure they were surprised at the sheer volume of people that attended - thousands of folk. I think it’s safe to say back then pretty much every family either had a member that was employed at the works or knew someone that did.
I never knew there was such a thing as Inter-City Motorail branding. They seemed to have overestimated demand slightly, although I bet those Mk 1 FOs on B4 bogies were nice with all that varnished woodwork. Nice 5 Series BMW as the last vehicle on it too.
I recently recreated this on a N gauge MK1. It took me ages just to find out whether the '1'appeared on the centre door. If I had found this video earlier I would have had my answer! Great username, by the way. Some of my videos might be of interest to you!
From what I remember Andrei, motorail was quite pricey and was marketed as a luxury first class replacement for driving the full length of the country.
I could watch this again and again, for hours. Thanks for sharing. I was 14 in 1986 and this sends me right back there. Love it!! Do you have any more?
So far I'm up to Episode 12, and that covers the first two DVDs. Alan has sent me SEVEN DVDs in total, so hold tight - there's lots more to come. I just need the time to sort them out!! Thank you for your kind comments though.
Born 72 also got the sleeper from Carlisle to Euston station class 86 took us down if I can remember correctly the engine was named Phoenix although I was a young lad then maybe late 79 or 1980..can remember getting class 87 back also but didnt get the name raging then from Carlisle got a connecting train to Stranraer..but so many memories this has actually prompted me to get back into model railways again!!
I’m thinking Alan, that the 33 was working the daily Cardiff to Bangor service. It was the first time a 33 had been rostered for the North Wales coast.
Really glad you’re enjoying the collection John. I’m afraid I can’t shed any light on the brake application question. I’ll ask Alan if he has any recollection of what might have happened.
Good ol BR from the late 80s, at 14:59 are the Motorail car carrier wagons base on MK1 coaches with there bodyshells removed off, the sounds from the bogies indicate there MK1 coaches with the bodyshells removed?
Well then they would have been a vast improvement to travel in than the ill-conceived class 142 Skipper of that year which was a Leyland bus body (yes an actual bus) on a non-bogie (ie only 4 wheels) FREIGHT WAGON chassis! Good God, they looked smart but were AWFUL!
Not sure to be honest. I'd have to look into that one. Oxford Rail have just produced them in model form so there must be a recent detailed review and history in a magazine somewhere.
Thanks for the comment David. As a teenager in the 80s, we would often head down to Crewe. I remember the first time we carried on to Shrewsbury and I had my first taste of class 33 haulage. It seemed really exotic ! Then, when one Cardiff train per day was extended through to Manchester, a quick Compton thrash between Stockport and Piccadilly became a must do every other Saturday. Wonderful days eh?
@@kartwheelkarl Oh yes! Used to have 'em on the Cardiff/ Portsmouth, too. U sed to meke a great noise as they reached the dip in the middle of the Severn tunnel and started the climb out.
Couldn’t tell for certain RD, and unfortunately Alan didn’t note down details of the trains he filmed. Glad you’re enjoying the vids though, and thank you for the comment.
More than happy for you to share it with the group, and thank you so much for your kind comments. Really pleased that you are enjoying Alan's work as much as I am; I'm delighted to be able to bring this footage to as wide an audience as possible. Alan himself is also delighted - he genuinely didn't think it would be so well received. I've still got another 5 DVDs to upload so loads more to come.
It was indeed a time of variety wasn’t it Lee? Mixtures of mk2 and mk3 coaches, with the odd mk1 buffet or brake van thrown in, were not uncommon. And as for the mixture of blue/grey & intercity coaches, with an occasional Scotrail on Anglo-Scottish services. Add to that Friday’s only peak services (sometimes all first class) summer Saturday holiday trains, football specials and excursion rakes!! What a great time it was to be watching trains.
What do you mean by ‘junk’ William? Almost life expired locos? Mixed rolling stock? Non standardised coaching rakes? Complex track work? 1960s overhead electrification paraphernalia? Surely all of that contributed to the atmosphere of the WCML in the eighties and made it interesting for us enthusiasts?
Mk3s with a mk1 buffet car. Got to love British rail.
I seem to remember that they ran like that for quite a while didn’t they Arthur? It does seem strange that BREL rolled out a load of loco hauled mk3 SO and FO coaches, but that it took them so long to complete the buffet vehicles. They didn’t have any problem rolling them out as complete rakes for the HSTs. I guess they weren’t as stressed about it given the 100mph speed limit on the WCML around that time. At least you could get a decent ‘greasy grill’ from them!
That was quite normal until the Mk 3 buffets were built in the mid to late 80s
Some of those rakes of coaches are just unbelievable. Mk 1s, mk2s, both air conditioned and non-air conditioned, and mk 3s, all in the same train!
There were no mk2 buffet/restaurant cars (aside from mini-buffet conversions) and no mk2 or mk3 full brake vans. This in of itself ensured that almost all WCML expresses were at least a bit of a mix. Remember also that many of the Scottish trains split at Carstairs into Glasgow and Edinburgh portions, and the portions often got jiggled around on the return working leaving some odd-looking formations (eg the buffet car sometimes ended up as the very first or very last carriage).
Cracking piece of history, brings back happy times..................
Excellent Steve. Really happy to bring back happy memories for you and glad you’re enjoying the collection.
Can't mistake the sound of an A/C electric. Brilliant video..
Absolutely Bib. How I miss that wonderful wail! Really glad you're enjoying the collection.
Fab footage - pre-DVT and people stood right at the end of platforms to get the best shots. Boy I miss those days! Thanks so much for posting - these are priceless!
Thank you for your fabulous comment Keith. I'm really glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such great memories for you. I too miss those days very much.
Takes me back. Used to go to Crewe many Saturdays back in the early 80s. From Leeds... change at stalybridge and Stockport... £3.40 fare. The livery was just blue and yellow then.
Really pleased you’re enjoying the series Dennis. I too used to spend many hours on Crewe station back then, sitting on a brute trolley at the end of the platform. I wonder whether we ever chatted.
@@kartwheelkarl Possibly. I remember sometimes leaving the station and sitting in a hill on the approach to the station. In the summer anyway.
Total magic , loved every second of that. Even better now spotting is trendy saying you were doing it in 1986 ! 😜😜😜
Thanks for the great comment Jason, and really glad you enjoyed the video. I so wish that spotting had been trendy back in the eighties - I remember taking so much flack about my hobby from peers at school. I’ll never forget how the term ‘Trainspotter’ became such a widely used put down that it was picked up by mainstream media, and we were treated as sad, anorak wearing nerds who needed to ‘get a life’ ! But I wouldn’t change a thing, and I still remember every single minute of my time Criss-crossing the country loco and track bashing, trying to talk my way into depots and hanging around platform ends discussing that days ‘gen’ with like minded soles. Wonderful days.
Fantastic video, brought back great memories of Crewe in the early 80s when it was busy - especially the 25 and 33
@@davidsnapebrcrosslane8782 Thank you for the fabulous comment David. Really glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such great memories.
Great video. Took me back to my youth. In August (i think) 85, at 12, I was lucky enough to have my parents buy me a one week midland rail card and most of that week I spent at Crewe. The card cost £12 whole pounds and gave unlimited travel on the midland area with Crewe being the most northern station. Such a hive of activity.
Those newer liveried class 86 and 87 are beautiful and you even see the rarer class 85 on this vid. Dang a class 33 is cool and these were based in the far reaches so uncommon in the midland area. 👍
Coming from Manchester, I used to do the same thing with the old Coast and Peaks Rover DtRTB. Had some brilliant days out. Thanks for the great comment.
Brilliant video, takes me back.
Remember stuff sneaking round the back on the freight avoiding lines
Thanks for the great comment Paul, and glad you’re still enjoying the collection. Standing on the northern end of the platforms at Crewe, that freight avoiding line was really frustrating wasn’t it? You could hear the freight trains passing but you couldn’t see them. Do you know whether the avoiding line is still in still use nowadays?
@@kartwheelkarl
Yes it was frustrating. I'm not sure if it does, not been for years. I sort of drifted away from the railways in the mid nineties when teenage years kick in, girls and cars. My Dad still goes out abit, mainly for steam when passing through the Peak District. He got his first video camera around the early 90s. Remember it costing a fortune back then. Keep telling him to upload it on to TH-cam. The stuff you posted up Scotlands my favourite. Many happy days up there with my dad.
@@paulcresswell1843 A couple of us had similar conversations with Alan about his collection. He didn’t think anyone would be too interested in what he’d filmed back in 1986, but he agreed to let me feature his films on my channel. The response has been phenomenal, and Alan is delighted that his films have brought so much pleasure to so many people. I wonder if I know your dad. We used to live in New Mills and I too used to chase the local steam specials. I still have many friends back there.
@@kartwheelkarl
My dad thinks no one will be that bothered about his as the quality of filming isn't up to modern day 4k.
I keep telling him that people accept that it won't and are more interested in the quality of things that ran back then.
We live in Whaley Bridge, small world.
12 July 1986 - the band Queen would play at Wembley Stadium later that very night!
I had mates who had tickets to that concert Ryan. Lucky things. They’d been winding us up about it at school the day before.
@@kartwheelkarl oh they were so lucky. As an American born in 2003, 21 years after they last set foot there. Also Queen played 2 nights at Wembley, July 11th and 12th, so there was a possibility that they could have gone to the first night.
Would that be Live Magic?
@@stephenduncan3605 some tracks were on that album. The concert was released as “Live at Wembley ‘86” - Live Magic was mostly the final Queen concert ever, at Knebworth Park near Stevenage on August 9th.
Starting my career in 75, this is how I remember Crewe.... platforms full of Royal Mail trolleys, blue/grey stock, dirty locos, the DMD in full use(my depot) and hardly any weeds or trees on/near the track. Great days.
What a great place to start your career MPG. I too remember Crewe well around this time, but only from the platform end! Really glad the video brought back good memories and thanks for the comments.
Superb footage, thank God someone captured it on film!
I couldn’t agree more Zetan. And Alan is delighted that we’re all enjoying his work so much.
Wonderfull I so miss the real sparkles look forward to seeing all his work.myself any many others so grateful for his wisdom in capturing the age top man
Thank you for the kind words Jeff, and so glad you’re enjoying the collection. Can you believe that Alan didn’t think anyone else would be very interested?
In the days before buddleia took over. Look at that immaculate and cared for infrastructure. And in the days where the railway was run as a railway not a business, and also everything connected, note the 33 waiting and departing for North Wales.
The infrastructure was "immaculate and well cared for" primarily because the layout at Crewe was brand new in this video - it had famously been totally remodelled the year before in 1985, for quite some weeks that year the entire station was closed while the work was done. I don't think anyone will disagree that Crewe 33 years later looks tired and a bit decrepit but partly that reflects the much higher frequencies on the WCML today reducing its importance as a junction and interchange point.
Great how that leading 127 unit has a full working headcode- ten years after they had officially been abandoned:-))
RIP the roarers, 304s and 310s - when train had real character...
Agreed Ned. Isn’t it mad that we even miss the suburban trains?
@@kartwheelkarl Yes the original EMUs and bog carts were great in hindsight but incredibly despite taking thousands of pics since the late seventies I completely ignored them!!
The 304s were my fave- on Saturday living in Brum we’d do the usual circuit up to Bescot and back to Saltley and the units were fitted with Gresley bogeys which gave a fairground style ride!!! At Hamstead there would be a brief stretch where we would hit 40mph and all the passengers would start bouncing up and down in unison- hilarious!!! We’d also whack the cushions and huge clouds on dust would emerge!!
Then back to the flat to listen to how the Blues had got on and await Gladiators on the telly!!!
Great stuff!!
love it
Great days.
Absolutely M18. Really glad you’re enjoying the collection.
Marvelous footage of a bygone era, love all those wailing electrics and chugging diesels. I didn't realise the 310s worked as far north as Crewe during the 80's.
Amazing to thinks some of the 86s and 47s can still be seen on the mainline today! Though sadly most of the vehicles seen here have long since been scrapped.
I seem to remember there being a booked 310 working from Birmingham to Liverpool, although I may be wrong. Excellent units - comfortable, smooth and great performers.
Thanks for the great comments by the way Soundseeker. Really glad you’re enjoying the collection.
Loved Crewe around this time - would spend hours here after travelling from Colwyn Bay behind a duff or peak - fantastic videos.
Absolutely Colwyn Boy. I too was a regular platform ended there during the eighties. Perhaps we chatted at some point.
@@kartwheelkarl Be nice to think we did. The variety of engines & mishmash of rolling stock remind me of how good we had it back then.
How today's passengers could benefit from some of the consists on show here. I remember as a child counting most WCML trains through at 11-12 carriages. The Clansman was usually 13-14 strong. Some even had up to 8 standard class vehicles in the consist!! These were the types of loading that the class 86s and 87s were designed to haul from day one. Ok, so the modern WCML timetable is quite a bit more frequent on the Manc's especially. However BR had one thing right back then...everyone got a seat.
I think you should also factor in the much higher densities per carriage today....given how many seats are crammed in these days, an 8 or 9 carriage train must carry quite a few more seated passengers now than in a 1986 mk2 or mk3. And passenger numbers were far far lower then - nationally, passenger numbers are now nearly three times higher than they were in the late 80s. Personally I think the Pendolinos are a good step up from what went before but it's hard to deny that what now operates the former cross country type services on the WCML are a pretty big step down.
Superb WCML action.........rare shot of Inter City Motorail mk1 coaches......motorail flats......also spotted an Express Parcels Mk1 subbing for the usual unbranded BG.......a few Roarers in the mix.....a few EMU 310/312s too. This was the era I loved just before DVTs started to turn the route into a push pull corridor.....the best liveries too of blue and grey and executive.......
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for the great comments FWB. Really glad you’re enjoying the collection and I couldn’t agree more with what you say.
I am enjoying ur videos mate tell ya wot there bringing back memory's I use to love going on train rides I use to go all over greater Manchester about 12 of us top times we would buy a ticket called the rail ranger for a £1 , how things have changed, godbless you,
Thanks for your comment Lee. Really glad to be able to bring back such great memories for you. They were indeed wonderful times weren’t they?
What a nostalgic sound the 86s and 87s make. That was a Class 85 at 2:03 wasn't it, not often you saw them on Mk 3 stock
Good spot Andrei - it definitely was an 85 and the first two coaches were indeed mk3s, although the rest of the train was mk2. I don’t know why (and I am obviously completely wrong!) but I had it in my head that roarers couldn’t work mk3s, although I have no idea why that would be.
Fantastic video, really enjoyed hearing the roar of the 85s, 86s and 87s.
Thanks ST. Really glad you’re enjoying the collection. And I couldn’t agree more - that wail brings back so many memories.
Particularly poignant video as Crewe is where I’m originally from. Mid 80s when the Railway works still employed thousands and the diesel depot was a hive of activity. It’s a somewhat depressing experience visiting nowadays seeing how these places have changed. Great video. Brings back so many memories.
Really pleased you''re enjoying the collection Dean, and glad that this video brought back such great memories. I haven't been to Crewe for over eight years but the last time I was there I couldn't believe how much it had changed. Rationalisation had changed the station and the yards seemed empty. I never got to see the old works/electric depot area - should have taken a ride to Chester to have a look. I have memories of a brilliant open day there back in about 1984 (?) I'm guessing it would look nothing like that now?
It’s pretty much completely changed - a large part of the works site is now a new housing estate and supermarket.
I remember the 1984 open day - lines of scrap 40s and various locos in a state of repair/construction in the main workshop. I’m sure they were surprised at the sheer volume of people that attended - thousands of folk.
I think it’s safe to say back then pretty much every family either had a member that was employed at the works or knew someone that did.
I never knew there was such a thing as Inter-City Motorail branding. They seemed to have overestimated demand slightly, although I bet those Mk 1 FOs on B4 bogies were nice with all that varnished woodwork. Nice 5 Series BMW as the last vehicle on it too.
I recently recreated this on a N gauge MK1. It took me ages just to find out whether the '1'appeared on the centre door. If I had found this video earlier I would have had my answer! Great username, by the way. Some of my videos might be of interest to you!
From what I remember Andrei, motorail was quite pricey and was marketed as a luxury first class replacement for driving the full length of the country.
In the days when you didn’t know ‘what ‘would be pulling ‘how many’, ‘where to’ and ‘how far’ !! Happy days
Absolutely Adrian. Somehow, pendos and Hitachis just don’t have the same appeal do they?
I could watch this again and again, for hours. Thanks for sharing. I was 14 in 1986 and this sends me right back there. Love it!! Do you have any more?
So far I'm up to Episode 12, and that covers the first two DVDs. Alan has sent me SEVEN DVDs in total, so hold tight - there's lots more to come. I just need the time to sort them out!! Thank you for your kind comments though.
Born 72 also got the sleeper from Carlisle to Euston station class 86 took us down if I can remember correctly the engine was named Phoenix although I was a young lad then maybe late 79 or 1980..can remember getting class 87 back also but didnt get the name raging then from Carlisle got a connecting train to Stranraer..but so many memories this has actually prompted me to get back into model railways again!!
Love that 33 crompton chugging away,what service was that on please
Holyhead, probably
I’m thinking Alan, that the 33 was working the daily Cardiff to Bangor service. It was the first time a 33 had been rostered for the North Wales coast.
Superb viewing - takes me back! Loved the full brake application at 11:50 of the 47... wonder what happened?
Really glad you’re enjoying the collection John. I’m afraid I can’t shed any light on the brake application question. I’ll ask Alan if he has any recollection of what might have happened.
Good ol BR from the late 80s, at 14:59 are the Motorail car carrier wagons base on MK1 coaches with there bodyshells removed off, the sounds from the bogies indicate there MK1 coaches with the bodyshells removed?
Well then they would have been a vast improvement to travel in than the ill-conceived class 142 Skipper of that year which was a Leyland bus body (yes an actual bus) on a non-bogie (ie only 4 wheels) FREIGHT WAGON chassis! Good God, they looked smart but were AWFUL!
Not sure to be honest. I'd have to look into that one. Oxford Rail have just produced them in model form so there must be a recent detailed review and history in a magazine somewhere.
142s are still going strong. They're the mainstay of Northern's local fleet!!
The 33s on the marches route. Way off their own land, but did a good job of it.
Thanks for the comment David. As a teenager in the 80s, we would often head down to Crewe. I remember the first time we carried on to Shrewsbury and I had my first taste of class 33 haulage. It seemed really exotic ! Then, when one Cardiff train per day was extended through to Manchester, a quick Compton thrash between Stockport and Piccadilly became a must do every other Saturday. Wonderful days eh?
@@kartwheelkarl Oh yes! Used to have 'em on the Cardiff/ Portsmouth, too. U sed to meke a great noise as they reached the dip in the middle of the Severn tunnel and started the climb out.
At start I didnt get the chance to read the name but was that PHOENIX class 86 216??
Couldn’t tell for certain RD, and unfortunately Alan didn’t note down details of the trains he filmed. Glad you’re enjoying the vids though, and thank you for the comment.
Can i share this on BR Blue forum for model railways?
More than happy for you to share it with the group, and thank you so much for your kind comments. Really pleased that you are enjoying Alan's work as much as I am; I'm delighted to be able to bring this footage to as wide an audience as possible. Alan himself is also delighted - he genuinely didn't think it would be so well received. I've still got another 5 DVDs to upload so loads more to come.
What a mish mash of carriages
It was indeed a time of variety wasn’t it Lee? Mixtures of mk2 and mk3 coaches, with the odd mk1 buffet or brake van thrown in, were not uncommon. And as for the mixture of blue/grey & intercity coaches, with an occasional Scotrail on Anglo-Scottish services. Add to that Friday’s only peak services (sometimes all first class) summer Saturday holiday trains, football specials and excursion rakes!! What a great time it was to be watching trains.
For such an important route between Glasgow and London......there's alot of junk on that route 😳
What do you mean by ‘junk’ William? Almost life expired locos? Mixed rolling stock? Non standardised coaching rakes? Complex track work? 1960s overhead electrification paraphernalia? Surely all of that contributed to the atmosphere of the WCML in the eighties and made it interesting for us enthusiasts?