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Pete. I've tried to PM you but it failed. Maybe your inbox is full. Failing that I don't think Nottstalgia will allow me to give you my Email address by other means.

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I do remember one trip around 1964 we did with our school railway society one Saturday. We bought an eastern region Rail Rover type of ticket (each) and planned a good days outing using the blue eastern region time table and we travelled as follows

  • A walk round to Peterborough East station for a quick look and back in time to see Deltic Nimbus parked in a bay platform having failed on the down Flying Scotsman. It still had the Thistle headboard attached

You mean this:-

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Pete. I've tried to PM you but it failed. Maybe your inbox is full. Failing that I don't think Nottstalgia will allow me to give you my Email address by other means.

Have cleared my PM box!

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Pete! Remember when we went to the Isle of Wight on your tandem ( and came back walking like we'd pooed our pants)? I still have photos of the last steam week on the Lymington branch. USA tank at Eastleigh and BR standards at Brocklehurst. Remember that railwayman at either Oxford or Winchester youth hostel who 'lost' his hat and cap badge. I wonder what happened to that.

Our only reference to railway matters in those days was the 'Trains Illustrated' who's reports were about two months out of date. After spending two days cycling down to Winchester from Nottingham without so much as a whiff of steam, we arrived at the YH early and went up to Winchester Station at about 4:00pm. Standing on the platform despairing at the EMU's, the up signals changed to green and this beauty appeared out of nowhere:

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WC Pacific 'Honiton' on an up parcels.

Following this was a semi-fast to Waterloo, Bilbraborn taking a keen interest, before we bogged off to book in at the Youth Hostel for dinner.

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Oh God. You gave me a copy of that photo which I still have. Was I actually wearing winkle pickers or had the pedals on that tandem just worn the toes down on my shoes (LOL). My mum said I was walking as if I'd just poohed my pants for a week after that trip. We were hellish fit in those days, what with hill walking, school sports and cycling everywhere (can you imagine our dads giving us a lift everywhere?) Sadly I'm not as fit now and stairs really present a challenge. Mind you, I had a little race with my 16 year old grand daughter last year. I was leading for the first ten yards then she left me standing even though she was doubled up laughing.

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I'd like to thank Smiffy49 for starting this Topic. I've really enjoyed reading the posts and seeing the photos from everyone, especially from the couple of rascals good mates Bilbraborn and firbeck. I've sat here giggling away at some of the stuff they got up to. This is what Nottstalgia is all about, enjoying reading other peoples memories and sharing your own.

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Pete! Remember when we went to the Isle of Wight on your tandem ( and came back walking like we'd pooed our pants)? I still have photos of the last steam week on the Lymington branch. USA tank at Eastleigh and BR standards at Brocklehurst. Remember that railwayman at either Oxford or Winchester youth hostel who 'lost' his hat and cap badge. I wonder what happened to that.

USA tank at Eastleigh:-

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Also at Eastleigh, the last of the streamlined Bullied Pacifics, 34023, Blackmore Vale, thankfully preserved:-

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The last of the I o W class 02's at Ryde shed, Chale and Calbourne, at least the latter is now preserved, the lovely brass water gauges from Chale, fell into our cycle bags, have been lovingly restored and looked after.

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It wasn't all Standards at Brockenhurst:-

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Let's not forget the 1930's tube trains ( what were BR thinking of when they brought in this crap at great expense ) and the funny little trams on Ryde Pier:-

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Sorry, but the computer is really playing up, I'm finding it difficult to down load anything from Photobucket, why, I don't know!!

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Lovely pictures. I think the idea of the LT standard stock for the IoW line was that it was the only available stock that would both fit the loading gauge and also had the electrical equipment safely packaged above the floor level, out of the way of the prevailing conditions on Ryde pier.

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  • 2 years later...

I've just come across this old thread again and once more enjoyed reading all of the stories and anecdotes.

The Grantham link has recently been revised and can now be found at www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk 

 

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  • 3 months later...

It would be around 1960 or 1961 my brother and I would get day returns to Grantham to see the swan song of the Gresley Pacifcs on mainline services. I seem to remember that the station platforms had canopies then which nearly met over the main running lines - so that when an A4 went through at speed your senses were well assaulted by noise, steam swirling under the canopies and the platforms 'throbbing'.

 

There was still a shed at Grantham then visible from one of the platform ends where you could see inexperienced (or could not care less) drivers or shunters starting a B1 or V2 by opening the regulator wide so that the wheels spun before eventually gripping the rails and the engine lurched forward.

 

However I was subsequently impressed by the growl of a Deltic!

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  • 8 months later...

I'm currently doing some research on the change from steam to diesel on our local railways, in particular the Nottingham (Victoria & Midland) to Grantham services.

If anyone has any personal memories of rail travel on this route in the mid 1950s to mid 1960s, especially using the early Diesel Multiple Units / Railcars I would love to hear from you. Thanks in anticipation of your replies, please post on here or if you prefer send me a PM.

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My first trips to Grantham were steam hauled in the late 50's behind L1 tanks from Vic, but haulage soon became DMU's, but at least you could see more. I was fascinated when I saw the prototype Deltic, and then the production ones. Also the EE type 4's (D200etc) but it soon dawned on me that my beloved A1's, 2's, 3's, 4's and V2's wouldn't last indefinitely, and the writing was on the wall for steam. 

Likewise on the Midland, when Jubilees, Scots and Brits were replaced by Peaks. A novelty at first, then my enthusiasm waned considerably. The worst was at Vic when EE type 3's and 4's appeared on the renowned Bournemouth - York express. I knew then (62) that it was time to throw in the towel. Steam was doomed.

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I spent many happy hours on Grantham station in the late 50s and well remember the prototype Deltic. Caught the train from Basford North so no restrictions, but  'all trainspotters for Nottingham and Derby must leave on the four o'clock train'. Got thrown off only once, for burning my initials into a bench with a red hot poker out of the fire, and quite right too. One thing I can picture but think I might have dreamt it; was there a turning triangle alongside the running shed?

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Yes Jim, as near as damn it. It was situated on the west side of the mainline 

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1 hour ago, FLY2 said:

Yes Jim, as near as damn it. It was situated on the west side of the mainline 

My first visit was in 1959 hauled by steam.

There's an article about the turning triangle on www.tracksthroughgrantham.uk under the heading 'Railway life at Grantham' then 'Footplate and the Loco' then scroll down to the bottom of the drop down list to find it 'Turntables & Triangles'

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Thanks Smiffy and Fly. A fascinating article. I also remember that as the 4 o'clock train left for Nottingham a through express was scheduled to run through heading north. I thought it was the Elizabethan but my 1960 eastern region timetable shows this not to have been the case. Could it have been the Centenary? I cannot find the timings for this and assume it had been discontinued by 1960.

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