I lived by Shoebury station for 18 years. The sounds of those old slam door trains, the ticking, the brakes squealing as they drew to a halt, clunking into action as they left the station, the doors slamming as people dismounted, strange hissing noises. This trip reminded me of many of those sounds, and many past trips to London.
Really interesting hearing the conversation in the cab about how the 302s "are built to last" and "the modern stuff, the 315s, they're flimsy, they're not built to last" 😄
Fantastic video, oh the memories! And so there i was, minding my own business, waiting for the next phone call from my then girlfriend a few years ago while looking at another old rail magazine including a pic of a freight going over the Barking fly-over, when a few minutes later she rang! She said 'i'm just about to go over the Barking fly-over darling', calling from the cab of her loco briefly, in command of either another rake of empties back to Acton or the cartics from Daggers or summin. The luck, coincidences and sheer rarity of that brief relationship deserve a book, although i do mention some of them on youtube comments from time to time, like this! It is still impossible to comprehend the dream finally came true for this mere spotter!! I did plan it lol. What a dream, what a journey that was. . . .
Notes on my timings : Where we stop, this is when the train comes to a halt. Stations we pass through its when we pass the beginning of the platform <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="25">00:25</a> Leaves SOUTHEND CENTRAL <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="124">02:04</a> WESTCLIFF <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="258">04:18</a> CHALKWELL (Good section on waterfront) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="405">06:45</a> LEIGH-ON-SEA (Very straight section over Hadleigh Marsh) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="714">11:54</a> BENFLEET <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1006">16:46</a> PITSEA (where line via Grays diverges left as we enter station) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1247">20:47</a> BASILDON <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1422">23:42</a> LAINDON (Joan Sims of the Carry on Films grew up at the station, were her father was Station master!) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1724">28:44</a> WEST HORNDON (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1901">31:41</a> Passes under M25) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1988">33:08</a> Route from Grays via Ockendon joins from the left) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2036">33:56</a> UPMINSTER (The start/end of the District line(DL), that runs alongside for most of the rest of the way) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2110">35:10</a> Line to Romford diverges, just visible off to the right) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2137">35:37</a> UPMINSTER BRIDGE (DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2188">36:28</a> HORNCHURCH DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2239">37:19</a> ELM PARK (DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2317">38:37</a> DAGENHAM EAST (DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2363">39:23</a> DAGENHAM HEATHWAY (DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2408">40:08</a> BECONTREE (DL Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2472">41:12</a> UPNEY (DL Only)) (Quite a bit happens before Barking and its not clear to see when. The other line from Grays merges from the right and at least one of the Underground tracks crosses by a fly-under) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2552">42:32</a> BARKING (After barking things are more confusing Somewhere off to the right the line to Gospel Oak diverges. Underground (U) lines (now including the Hammersmith line) take flyovers and we are routed on a sole line the far side of a train shed) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2748">45:48</a> EAST HAM (U Only), we take an old and decrepit platform that obscures the station ) (After East Ham we rejoin to run alongside the other lines) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2810">46:50</a> UPTON PARK (U only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2863">47:43</a> PLAISTOW (U Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2896">48:16</a> WEST HAM (U Only, then in 1980s, but now platforms rebuilt on this side)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2937">48:57</a> Crosses River Lea) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2955">49:15</a> BROMLEY-BY-BOW (U Only)) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2980">49:40</a> Diverges from Underground lines) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3011">50:11</a> Lines from Stratford converge from right) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3127">52:07</a> LIMEHOUSE. Right after station DLR (which was quite new then, runs alongside) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3226">53:46</a> SHADWELL DLR) (<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3316">55:16</a> TOWER GATEWAY DLR) <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3385">56:25</a> FENCHURCH STREET
And to elaborate on the 'after Barking' part, over to the right is Barking Trust Estates stone terminal next to the Gospal Oak line (mainly for the last part of the A406 North Circular construction). The fly-over was also the busy freight route from Ripple Lane, Purfleet area and Thameshaven refinery etc across to Woodgrange Park. And East Ham EMU depot slightly further on to the right, the home of the LT&S fleet of 302, 305/2 and 308's, most of which still carried the blue/grey livery during 1989.
Remember the line well. Used to get the train from Laindon up to town from 73 onwards. Worked at the Railway pub, behind the main station building at West Horndon for many years in the 80's. Live over in B.C. Canada now.
Hi,I started driving on the Shoeburyness line in April 1981, have just watched this film of the line, it looks a little different today especially towards Fenchurch Street. If I remember correctly the Railway pub at West Horndon used to host Railway union meetings and the odd retirement party!!
I was a regular at the Railway West Horndon for many years,guess it's changed a lot in recent years. I worked as Traincrew Supervisor at Shoeburyness back in the 1980s so knew the LT& S as it then was quite well - a fantastic bunch of people to work with.
Thx for this Film. I lived in Benfleet and used this line regularly. I am now in Australia ( Adelaide) it was a Nice chance to Jog the Memory..!! Thank u ever so much.!!! Kim in Oz. 😎
The District Line rolling stock,which this passes on several occasions throughout this video,is no longer in use on the Underground but many of the carriages are being modified to run on various parts of the mainline rail network.
@airscrew1 Cool! Lots of changes now, with the DLR & the building over of Fenchurch Street - those grimy wooden stairs at Fen St before the makeover... ahhh!
At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="349">05:49</a> the train passes the original Leigh Station on the left which was at one end of Old Leigh High Street.
Lovely video. I dont suppose you have a cab ride of what i call the lower line via purfleet and dagenham dock remember seeing one in the early 80s LTS era thanks
AWS or the automatic warning system. That long bell that you hear is the system alerting the driver that the next signal is a green, meaning he can proceed. The bell tone changes when there is anything but a green at the signal.
British Rail - Network South East you do see one network southeast train as we approach Fenchurch street - the fact that all the other train in video are in BR blue+grey (and that the DLR is running) tell me this must have been videoed late 1987 early 1998
That's the Tilbury Loop Line, which goes via Stanford-le-Hope, East Tilbury, Tilbury Town, Grays , Purfleet, Rainham and Dagenham Dock (or Ockendon towards Upminster which diverges at Grays )
<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2663">44:23</a> - whats that class 302 doing with red strips one not 1 but 2 carridges? - there were not buffet cars on the LTS!
The red stripes were added to dissuade lone passengers from travelling in them after a woman was murdered on a similar compartment train on the Southern Region
The Class 302 and 305 units were replaced by Class 310 and 312 units made available by investment in new rolling stock on the commuter services out of Euston and Liverpool Street respectively.
