firbeck 860 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Can you remember those red boxes on the wall of the station booking offices selling platform tickets. Looking at some of these oldies that I've found, they varied from 1d to 3d, some of them obviously come off a roll but some are individual card issues, which suggests that they were sold at the ticket window. The blue Nottingham Vic ticket, a freebie, is a mystery, perhaps this was issued to postal staff, or people with business on the station, it's the only one of this type I have from stations all over the country. It was never a problem getting a platform ticket to get on to Vic, but Midland was a different story, I seem to remember the machine being positioned on the bridge next to the ticket barrier and if you looked like a train spotter you were refused access. The London Road High Level ticket is interesting, I bet that they never issued many of those. Here's a selection:- This one isn't local, but obviously significant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 It was never a problem getting a platform ticket to get on to Vic, but Midland was a different story, Just goes to show I was right all along, the GCR/LNER/Eastern BR was the better railway Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 These will upset you then Ashley, some tickets from a sadly defunct railway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Our favorite train-spotting location was Derby Midland Station - to avoid a platform ticket, we would take the train from Sawley Junction (now Long Eaton). I seem to remember that, since we never left the station at Derby, we would buy the cheapest "return" ticket available at Sawley - they never did check tickets on the trains in those days! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 No not upsetting, I didn't travel for trainspotting not even to Victoria, but on shopping in town trips did catch trains home to basford at both there and midland and did go on trains to relations in Hull from same stations, Midland to change at Leeds where once saw a streamlined ex LMS loco and Victoria with changes at if I recall right Sheffield and Doncaster where I saw lots of streaks inc Dominion of Canada with it's bell. Mablethorpe was also a regular trip going both north and south out of the vic, also remember one trip there took us through Boston, maybe from Midland? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Limey Perhaps this was one of yours!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted January 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Midland to change at Leeds where once saw a streamlined ex LMS loco At Leeds???????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 At Leeds???????? Yes quite definate, think maybe some static display? blue and white as I recall, no idea when but over 50 years ago, if a clue trams were running there then Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Anyone remember the label machines found on many station platforms? Is there a propriety name for them? There was a pointer like a clock hand with the alphabet around the edge. Printed out an alumunium label. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 yes was one on Hull Paragon Station in 1950,s, only place I saw such Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 There was one on the Nott'm midland on the top concource (on the left hand side at the top of the stairs) I also remember a recording boothe on Bournemouth station in the late 60s early 70s, I think my mum still has the record we made !!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,878 Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Yes i remember the machine that printed tags on to aluminium strips it was there late sixties. Next to it was a vibrating plate to stand on for those aching feet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted January 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I remember those old tag machines, you're right Beefsteak it was on the bridge behind the ticket hall at Midland. They were red, had long legs and a big dial, you put your 6d? in via one of those sliding coin slots, set the dial on the top and punched the appropriate number or letter with a handle at the side. I'm sure you had a maximum number of digits you could emboss. When you had finished, you moved the handle backwards, the tag appeared in a chrome cup container out the front, that's when you found out your mistakes and had to nag for another 6d, they were quite common around stations all over the country, my old man would despair knowing he would be nagged for a 6d, which was probably quite expensive then. There must be one preserved at a preserved railway somewhere. Your recording booth at Bournemouth sounds intrigueing, I went there a lot in the 60's and 70's and can't remember it, if you find the recording can you publish it on Youtube please. Perhaps I was at the wrong station:- Ashley LMS Streamlined Coronations were first painted blue and silver when they came out in the mid 30's, it was changed to red and gold in 1938 approx and their streamlined casings were removed in the war or just after. So I'm intrigued as to what you actually saw at Leeds, I'm not doubting that you saw something unusual, I've always been under the impression that I saw 60700, Gresleys 4-6-4 rebuild of his 'Hush Hush' loco at Grantham on my first visit there, perhaps it was my brother winding me up, it's certainly marked down in our combined volume from the time, but in retrospect it would have looked just like one of those big streaks to me, only being 5 or 6 at the time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 yes can picture it now, I had looked up facts re removal of streamlining, depends on how long after the war? (if still in original trim) but as I said got impression it was some exhibition etc and maybe not even on the tracks? getting on for 60 years ago but as you say I did see something Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,878 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 I'm sure i have seen that tag machine somewhere, possibly the Heritage centre at Ruddington. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,654 Posted January 10, 2009 Report Share Posted January 10, 2009 There's one of them tag machines at the National Railway museum just as I remember it at Nottingham Midland, in fact I had a play on it when I was up there last Autumn Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted January 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 There's one of them tag machines at the National Railway museum just as I remember it at Nottingham Midland, in fact I had a play on it when I was up there last Autumn I hope you didn't mis-spell your name and had to scrounge another 6d. Ashley The last Coronation Class to be de-streamlined was City of Lancaster in May 1949, it couldn't have been anything to do with City of Leeds as that loco was never built with a streamlined casing. I've seen some pictures of these streamliners in wartime and they were really filthy and neglected, and in common with many locos, painted black. I've had a thought, when the railways were nationalised in 1948, different liveries were tried out including blue, it wouldn't surprise me if there were exhibitions around the country, especially in a big railway centre like Leeds, in order to gauge the reaction to the new colours. Incidentally, noting the date, I wouldn't be surprised if the Duchess having it's casing re-applied under great secrecy at Tyseley will be revealed to the public on the 60th anniversary of the last one being stripped. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ashley 288 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I reckon it would have been 1950 at least, so the mystery continues, the more I think about it the more convinced I am that it wasn't in the "working" area of the station? I have no recollection of the platform/station layout etc, whether it was down/up stairs from the entrance or on the level, but my memory of that engine is that it was to the left on the way out and the area walls were what I'd call "marble slabbed" maybe I dreamed it!!!! (I know I didn't) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StephenFord 866 Posted February 12, 2009 Report Share Posted February 12, 2009 There's a website about Victoria Station (http://come.to/victoria-station) which also has pcitures of the blue free platform tickets. It says they were issued to people needing to visit the Station Master's office which was on one of the platforms, and therefore wrong side of the ticket barrier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,654 Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Finally got a picture of the metal tag machine, this one was a "penny in the slot" as opposed to sixpence, but even so a penny a letter was still quite a bit, I remember spending a fortune at Nottingham Midland on theirs writing out our favorite loco names, Brittania,Duke of Gloucester, and of course Mallard. Any way took this picture at the NRM today Rog Looks like this one has been converted to take the new pence instead of the old pence Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted March 8, 2009 Report Share Posted March 8, 2009 Super, thanks for the photo Plantfit. Looks like "Nottstalgia" would cost us 20p! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Finally got a picture of the metal tag machine, this one was a "penny in the slot" as opposed to sixpence, but even so a penny a letter was still quite a bit, I remember spending a fortune at Nottingham Midland on theirs writing out our favorite loco names, Brittania,Duke of Gloucester, and of course Mallard. Any way took this picture at the NRM today. Great to see a picture of one of those things again, I couldn't find one anywhere. Did the machine actually work, 10 letters for 10p doesn't sound bad, I presume that in my day it was 10 letters for 6d, if you did use it, does it now have a spell check, I was thinking........Britt.........Britannia......... sorry. Was Tornado on the turntable at York, did you take any pictures that you could put on here. Oh, on the subject of platform tickets, I was rooting around for my birth certificate (don't ask) this morning and came across this little gem, I remember writing off to the station master for it about 45 years ago, and the nice man sent me one. As you can imagine, it wouldn't have come out of the normal platform ticket machine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I got one of those as a souvenir when on holiday in the area at about the same time, (65) IMMSC the station was actually closed down (Beaching??) but it has since reopened. I actually (With the help of a Welsh friend) learnt how to say it too!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 860 Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Sorry, I couldn't resist sabotaging my own thread. Can't see one of those tag machines on the platform, it would cost a fortune to stamp the station name, could be a good earner for Network Rail though. Could you post yourself saying the name on Flickr, Beefsteak, perhaps not, lurgy combined with the Welsh language might not be a good mix. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 You wouldn't believe how much fun I have had trying to get it on Flikr (I just can't remember how I did it last time !!) I'll keep trying and it may come back to me!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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