ronik24
Proud Earthling
Hi,
To the previous part of the series:
Nostalgic May 10: Severn Railway Diesel Gala II (50 p.)
railroadforums.com
The new video:
May 19 2023
I walked over to modern Kidderminster station after 10 a.m.
A West Midlands Railway class 172/2 took me to the historic second station of Birmingham, Moor Street.
View to the south, tracks from the bay platforms joining from the right.
Chiltern Railways trains towards London depart here:
en.wikipedia.org
Bull Ring is an important Birmingham marketplace since the Middle Ages:
en.wikipedia.org
The Selfridges building:
en.wikipedia.org
I boarded a class 168 "Clubman" for the two-hour journey to London. You just have to be careful with air conditioned coaches on such trips... I have no idea why people would want freezing temperatures. I always take warm clothes with me, even in hottest summer.
Chiltern Railways serves one of many Victorian termini in London. Marylebone had been opened in 1899 by the Great Central Railway:
en.wikipedia.org
We already visited the heritage remains of the Great Central Railway at the start of the series:
Nostalgic May 2: Rocketman (50 p.)
railroadforums.com
And several times before (currently only available in German, please use autotranslate):
Orange - Blue Season (50 p.)
The Great Britain II - 10: Great Central (50 p.)
And now... it's: Part 1 - Great Central (50 p.)
The short London stay enabled me to purchase some Oyster cards for an upcoming trip, then the Bakerloo Line took me directly to Waterloo.
In the background the London Eye and the rounded roof of former Waterloo International station where Eurostars had departed for the continent since 1994 until the terminal was moved to the freshly refurbished St. Pancras in 2007. In the meantime, the platforms have found use for national services again.
A video taken by me in summer 1995:
I had booked a hotel at Alton. Unusually for this line, the service consisted of longer distance five-part class 444 units instead of the suburban four-part class 450. Announcements were made which doors could be used at stops with shorter platform lengths along the branch line to Alton.
May 20 2023
A short excursion back to the South West Main Line at Brookwood early Saturday morning.
The London Necropolis is adjacent, once accessible by rail from the other side of this platform.
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
South Western Railway class 158 and 159 DMUs continue with services to Exeter on the West of England line.
LMS Jubilee class 5596 (BR 45596) "Bahamas" (North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow #24154 / built in 1935) hauled the Railway Touring Company charter "The Atlantic Coast Express" from Waterloo to Exeter:
en.wikipedia.org
The charter changed to the outer track right in front of the station which was not ideal for pictures - but at least the crew opened the regulator nicely. See video:
I walked to the Mid-Hants heritage railway - known as "Watercress Line" – accessible from Alton station after breakfast.
en.wikipedia.org
One steam loco for the two-train timetable failed, so 47579 "James Nightall GC" replaced it. Named after a 22-year-old fireman who had separated burning munitions wagons from a goods train in 1944:
watercressline.co.uk
I took a seat for the short ride to the next station.
We have arrived at Medstead and Four Marks, the highest standard gauge station in Southern England at 644 feet above sea level. The name refers to two separate villages, "four marks" means "four borders".
Finally, the second steam locomotive of the day, London & South Western Railway Urie S15 class 506 (Eastleigh / built in 1920):
watercressline.co.uk
The accompanying soundtrack:
A perfectly matched green ensemble.
As no train meeting was planned, the engine rolled a little too far ahead for further pictures - I only recorded some audio of the departure.
Spring cleaning of fire extinguishing buckets.
I captured the arriving diesel train from above - the steam train was about to cross here.
It returned at 12:15.
A picture of Clapham Junction at the Alton heritage platform.
Clapham Junction nowadays, an hour later.
Next generation SWR "Arterio" units only commenced regular service in January 2024, as so often after years of delays:
en.wikipedia.org
Saturday afternoon, the station was full of empty bottles, drunk groups and people trying to marshal them.
I took a train to Feltham and a double-decker bus to a hotel near Heathrow.
May 21 2023
My Austrian flight to Vienna was the first take-off Sunday morning at 6 o'clock, see video for complete scene...
Morning fog and sunlight on the meandering Thames and central London.
Lewisham in the centre, Grove Park station to the bottom right.
We left the island above Ramsgate.
To the previous part of the series:
Nostalgic May 10: Severn Railway Diesel Gala II (50 p.)
Nostalgic May 10: Severn Railway Diesel Gala II (50 p.)
Hi, To the previous part of the series: Nostalgic May 9: Severn Railway Diesel Gala I (50 p. + 1 v.) https://railroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/nostalgic-may-9-severn-railway-diesel-gala-i-50-p-1-v.22523 The video for this part: May 18 2023 I arrived at Arley station shortly...
The new video:
May 19 2023
I walked over to modern Kidderminster station after 10 a.m.
A West Midlands Railway class 172/2 took me to the historic second station of Birmingham, Moor Street.
View to the south, tracks from the bay platforms joining from the right.
Chiltern Railways trains towards London depart here:
Chiltern Railways - Wikipedia
Bull Ring is an important Birmingham marketplace since the Middle Ages:
Bull Ring, Birmingham - Wikipedia
The Selfridges building:
Selfridges Building, Birmingham - Wikipedia
I boarded a class 168 "Clubman" for the two-hour journey to London. You just have to be careful with air conditioned coaches on such trips... I have no idea why people would want freezing temperatures. I always take warm clothes with me, even in hottest summer.
Chiltern Railways serves one of many Victorian termini in London. Marylebone had been opened in 1899 by the Great Central Railway:
Marylebone station - Wikipedia
We already visited the heritage remains of the Great Central Railway at the start of the series:
Nostalgic May 2: Rocketman (50 p.)
Nostalgic May 2: Rocketman (50 p.)
Hi, To the previous part of the series: https://railroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/nostalgic-may-1-enns-valley-classic-bohinj-railway-50-p.20107 Video for this part: May 14 2005 33-037 emerged from the Bohinj Tunnel at Podbrdo after 6 p.m. The charter...
And several times before (currently only available in German, please use autotranslate):
Orange - Blue Season (50 p.)
The Great Britain II - 10: Great Central (50 p.)
The Great Britain II - 10: Great Central - ENDE? (50 B.)
The Great Britain II - 10: Great Central - ENDE? (50 B.)
www.mstsforum.info
And now... it's: Part 1 - Great Central (50 p.)
And now... it's: Part 1 - Great Central (50 B.)
And now... it's: Part 1 - Great Central (50 B.)
www.mstsforum.info
The short London stay enabled me to purchase some Oyster cards for an upcoming trip, then the Bakerloo Line took me directly to Waterloo.
In the background the London Eye and the rounded roof of former Waterloo International station where Eurostars had departed for the continent since 1994 until the terminal was moved to the freshly refurbished St. Pancras in 2007. In the meantime, the platforms have found use for national services again.
A video taken by me in summer 1995:
I had booked a hotel at Alton. Unusually for this line, the service consisted of longer distance five-part class 444 units instead of the suburban four-part class 450. Announcements were made which doors could be used at stops with shorter platform lengths along the branch line to Alton.
May 20 2023
A short excursion back to the South West Main Line at Brookwood early Saturday morning.
The London Necropolis is adjacent, once accessible by rail from the other side of this platform.
London Necropolis Railway - Wikipedia
Brookwood railway station - Wikipedia
Brookwood Cemetery - Wikipedia
South Western Railway class 158 and 159 DMUs continue with services to Exeter on the West of England line.
LMS Jubilee class 5596 (BR 45596) "Bahamas" (North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow #24154 / built in 1935) hauled the Railway Touring Company charter "The Atlantic Coast Express" from Waterloo to Exeter:
LMS Jubilee Class 5596 Bahamas - Wikipedia
The charter changed to the outer track right in front of the station which was not ideal for pictures - but at least the crew opened the regulator nicely. See video:
I walked to the Mid-Hants heritage railway - known as "Watercress Line" – accessible from Alton station after breakfast.
Watercress Line - Wikipedia
One steam loco for the two-train timetable failed, so 47579 "James Nightall GC" replaced it. Named after a 22-year-old fireman who had separated burning munitions wagons from a goods train in 1944:
47579 – Class 47 ‘James Nightall GC’ - Watercress Line
British Rail had 512 Brush Type 4 locomotives built at both Crewe works and the Brush Works at Loughborough which were later became known as Class 47’s, which
watercressline.co.uk
I took a seat for the short ride to the next station.
We have arrived at Medstead and Four Marks, the highest standard gauge station in Southern England at 644 feet above sea level. The name refers to two separate villages, "four marks" means "four borders".
Finally, the second steam locomotive of the day, London & South Western Railway Urie S15 class 506 (Eastleigh / built in 1920):
506 (30506) - LSWR Urie S15 Class - Watercress Line
Image courtesy of Tony Storey
watercressline.co.uk
The accompanying soundtrack:
A perfectly matched green ensemble.
As no train meeting was planned, the engine rolled a little too far ahead for further pictures - I only recorded some audio of the departure.
Spring cleaning of fire extinguishing buckets.
I captured the arriving diesel train from above - the steam train was about to cross here.
It returned at 12:15.
A picture of Clapham Junction at the Alton heritage platform.
Clapham Junction nowadays, an hour later.
Next generation SWR "Arterio" units only commenced regular service in January 2024, as so often after years of delays:
British Rail Class 701 - Wikipedia
Saturday afternoon, the station was full of empty bottles, drunk groups and people trying to marshal them.
I took a train to Feltham and a double-decker bus to a hotel near Heathrow.
May 21 2023
My Austrian flight to Vienna was the first take-off Sunday morning at 6 o'clock, see video for complete scene...
Morning fog and sunlight on the meandering Thames and central London.
Lewisham in the centre, Grove Park station to the bottom right.
We left the island above Ramsgate.
