Thanks Tony. Great footage there bringing back oh so familiar memories. Travelled everyday from Radlett to StAlbans for Townsend school. Blue livery started appearing about 65. Always remember passing high over the old GNR line to the Abbey station. Track remained there until about 69 I think : Looked all rusty and mothballed in time.
Your film came up in my recommends, 7 yrs later. Just a note, Class 25 D5217 was the first of the class to go into preservation. So it's parricularly nice to see it in service here, and still in green.
My Midland as I remember it; DMUs and Peaks in that beautiful green livery. Good job that parcels unit tucked itself out of the way without holding up the down fast!
Great stuff, brings back many memories. No Harpenden here, though - all St Albans. Those shots after the 'Harpenden' title are taken at the North end of St. Albans station.
I travelled from Harpenden to St. Albans for four years to get to the Grammar School. I started with 2-6-2 tanks and ended with diesel multiple units and locos on the Moorgate route. Being a steam buff I hated the diesels with a passion but now I realise that they had had their day. It just seems that one main line could have remained steam for much longer to make the most of locos built since the war which had much more useful life left in them. What a huge waste of money.
It doesn't seem that long since we enthusiasts were cursing "those new-fangled diesels"for consigning steam to the breakers yard, now most of those diesels have gone the same way, and we miss them just as much, I wonder, will we mourn Voyagers, Sprinters, and Pacers when they are gone?
I moved to St Albans in 1968 so your video brought back many happy memories - thank you. Parcels Unit M55989 must have been a regular around that time as it was the first one I saw. Just one thing... The two trains you have shown as "Harpenden" are actually at St Albans. The view is from the island platform looking north with Hatfield Road bridge in the distance.
You are right. I do not remember being on the station when I took the first shots, but I did go on the station at a later date to film Flying Scotsman. I must have taken then at that time. Well spotted.
Early sixties you could see the Blue Midland Pullman and the mostly forgotten 10201-3 on coal trains or passenger from Nottingham. Whatever happened to those three diesels?
Priceless thanks any more of elstree please the solitary1868brick shed back of slow line...and set back from n portal elstree tunnel to spur...wonderful Maroon coaches deep and solid...summer smell steam oil creosoted fencesxxxpaul hayward
That is excellent. Those were the days when trains were real trains. By the mixture of blue/grey and maroon stock, I would guess around 1969? Thankyou very much; this is almost as good as a time machine.
There is a lot of blue there for the 60's? Any Bedford on your reels? Thanks for uploading enjoyed watching. Amazing how much a 25 could pull considering its size lol.
Hi Andy, I am a trustee of the St Albans signal Box preservation trust and wonder whether you would allow us to feature your St Albans clips on our website/facebook page, with due credit of course. Thanks
