Great video.Remember seeing the class 50s coming out of the darkness. So many spotters watching the different classes of locos.a great place in the 80s.
B R in the 80's bittersweet memories, I drove pretty much every class in this video with the exception of the 317. Lovely to see 87022, one of my personal favourites...superb engine.
This was basically every Saturday of my life for four happy years….but don’t forget the ride in a whining WMPTE Fleetline on the way home….then listening to find out how the Blues, Villa and Baggies have done on the hilarious BRMB phone in with Phil Holden & Les Ross….eating Findus Crispy Pancakes whilst watching Lightning on the Gladiators….marking in the days cops whilst playing PWEI on full on the cassette player…. Finally to bed and then back to BNS early on Sunday for the Nuneaton drags, which were like a free diesel gala every week…. ….to think my teenage Son has wasted his youth playing ‘Call of Duty’….. Thanks for postin’…..bostin!
I can't even remember the last time I saw a loco (apart from a Class 43) at New St...possibly was a Class 67 on a diverted Wrexham and Shropshire train around 2008.
Ahhh those were the days of a 2p platform ticket....got me to places such as York station, the furthest travelled on a platform ticket...always timed right hopping off the train as an inspector hopped on 🤣🤣
Great footage with a ridiculous variety of trains going through there must of been one of the best places for spotters once a time certainly a far cry from what we’ve have today.
Great footage. Before my time but love the almost dystopian look of the brutal looking old locos and the diabolical concrete monstrosity that was the old Birmingham New Street.
I think that is precisely why it was so atmospheric and exciting!! I grew up in Birmingham in the '70s/'80s and to be brutally frank, the entire city centre had a 'dystopian' vibe!🤨
Working at New Street on summer Saturdays in 88 was one of the highlights of my life, you just didn't know what was going to emerge from the hazy tunnels next, nice to catch the odd glimpse of ones younger self in a couple couple of vids from this series
Amazingly good quality video for 1988, must have been a very high end camera. Well done for retaining the original <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="243">4:3</a> aspect ratio as well. I see so many early videos filmed in <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="243">4:3</a> stretched out or blown up to <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="969">16:9</a> which completely ruins the video quality. Surprised to see Network SouthEast Class 317s at New Street, no idea they had escaped the Greater Anglia region.
Thank you! The footage was filmed in Video 8 on a Sanyo camcorder that was voted Camera of the Year in (I think) 1987... I can't recall the model off hand. I totally agree with you on the aspect ratio and always want the original retained. Yes some of the 317s worked into BNS via Northampton when they were new for about a year or two before the introduction of the 321s.
Great videos Roy they bring back so many memories of my teenage days bashing around Birmingham & the midlands I took a special interest in the scene where 31405 + 31283 were departing because I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and the service was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton departing the wrong end of new street because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route towards the lickey incline
I remember them on the Matlock line during their trial service. Currently working on a set of Railway Series style stories about them now working on the Island of Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine them having Brummie accents...
Fantastic footage, mate. It really takes me back. New Street was always a magical place for a Southern lad like me. Very much looking forward to seeing more of the collection. Many thanks.
This is a truly amazing collection! Thank you so much for sharing. So many memories of the sights and sounds from BR days, end of the blue & grey era. I was a regular commuter up/down the WCML and these remind me of many happy days on the cushions and on the platforms!
Those two 31s at 23.40 bring back memories. I grow up about 5 miles away from thornaby TMD . Those 31s were thornaby based locomotives. I recognised the thornaby kingfisher emblem.
Hi Roy, these are an absolute gem, many thanks for subscribing my friend really takes me back to the day, much happier times in many respects! All the best, have subscribed to your channel and look forward to catching up on many more. Thanks for sharing, all the best, Paul
Was thinking about these films this week after hearing about the passing of Jed , the ever present New Street basher. I dont see him on any of the films but will keep looking
The most depressing thing about this footage is that even the most vanilla stuff at New St, the 47/4s and the 86s are way more interesting than than anything you see there these days. On by the way 45110 was off to Buxton and Blackpool tour came from Swindon
SO many spotters!!! <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="545">9:05</a> ...is it like that now? Things change, life moves on and it's unstoppable but, it WAS so much more varied and interesting then!! Wasn't it?
Wen used to go to Paignton Wen come in on electric from Liverpool lime street and back out with a deisls all the way to kingswheier wat a trip and a long day
Great stuff but just look at all the spotters on New Street,don’t think I ever saw that many on BNS plus look at the NB working you recorded,shows how hand having Bescot & Saltley on the doorstep really was.
Those railway employees crossing the track behind the engineering train at Bescot at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2705">45:05</a> seemed rather casual; only one wearing a hi viz, and a very perfunctory glance up the line where they didn't seem to notice the Class 20s approaching. That's almost one for a "how not to do it" training video
Hi Roy loving your videos , just a shot in the blue, Bescot Yard had two Class 58 one parked behind a class 86. The one I would like to ask the number of is in Rail Freight Coal. Would you have a record of it just modelling my railway for this time. I was in the Navy at the time in the Gulf my cousin who was a Br Engineer has told me 58043 was in this livery on the open day at Bescot 1988. Is this the same beast .
Hi Richard, firstly so sorry for missing your comment I didn't see it until now. Unfortunately I don't have any record of the identity of the 58s, I wish I could be of more help.
Amusing to look back and see how little heed was paid to the 10mph limit back then. You probably wouldnt have got everything through the station in 24 hours if everything ran at the limit, given the volume of shunt moves and additionals.
@@theroybowdencollection9807 I visited New Street box in about 2005 and a signaller said that one problem when the Voyager fleets were introduced was that in Notch 1 they roll at about 6-7mph whereas in Notch 2 they reach 15mph and everything was either losing precious seconds or doing 50% over the limit and bashing the pointwork with the heavy 50t vehicles.
Class 151 prototype DMU; 1 of only 2 built. I remember them on the Matlock line in trial service. Both scrapped in real life; currently working on some Railway Series style stories about them now working on Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine "Derby" & "Matlock" having Brummie accents!
I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books I’m pretty sure it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and it was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton service leaving new street the wrong end because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route via the lickey incline
@Daniel Sellers trust me, that's a 304. I grew up catching the train from Walsall to Aston with my momto see my nan who lived several doors down from the parents of John "Ozzy" Osborne. I know the difference between a 304 and a 310.
