This series is great. I know almost nothing about trains, but am very mechanically-inclined, so the captioning is extremely helpful, especially regarding signaling. Thank you for all the work you put into this,
Thank you so much for the series of videos of the travel exploits of this Hastings unit. Down here in Australia, you’ll be pleased to know that I’m sitting watching them, with my rail atlas at one side seeing where we are!! Plus it’s useful for when we visit in 2020, and the lines we need to travel on. Keep ‘em coming - please!!
I lived in Tunbridge Wells for 20 years and travelled many times on these old diesel trains and also on that main line from Paddington to Devon so it’s nice to see the two combined!
Ironically part of this route was the stomping ground for the prototype class 210 demu way back in the 80s, I once caught a class 165 to bedwyn when they were brand new back in 94 nice area that.
Brilliant. Loved it. Thanks so much for sharing, it's obvious a lot of work went into creating these videos. I used to travel on this line a lot, and I worked on the original Westbury resignalling in 1980 - 82 so it brings back memories for me. I am looking forward to the next section from Westbury to Bristol. When I used this line to get to work I always used to sit in the front of the DMU (often from Keynsham) so it will be nice to see how it has changed since then.
Love it . . . . Dad was GWR Padd and travelled to Westbury many times. My first time was in 1937 to Paington. Grateful for memories revived by your creations. Thank-you.
Just great. The captions tell me exactly what I would want to know (the geography and history of the line) without being intrusive at all. Thank you for all the trouble you go to to put these films together. And long may the Hastings Diesel prosper!
I live in Westbury and work in Pewsey. I use this route everyday. I always like the part beyond Pewsey as I see it less often. It's such a shame the line from Andover to Swindon was closed and I would love to have been able to use the line through Devizes. The history in your videos adds to the appeal.
Hi Hastings Diesels Ltd, thank you for all the cab view videos which you have uploaded. It would be great in due course if you could kindly film and upload onto UA-cam railway cab view videos for Bath Spa via Chippenham to Swindon. Westbury via Frome so via the Frome loop and onto Castle Cary and Taunton. Castle Cary via Yeovil Pen Mill and Maiden Newton and Dorchester West to Upwey and Weymouth. Westbury via Melksham to Chippenham. Westbury via Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Dean, Mottisfont & Dunbridge, Romsey, Redbridge and Millbrook through Southampton Central and onwards via St Denys, Swaythling, Southampton Airport Parkway and Eastleigh to cover the branch line from Eastleigh via Chandlers Ford to Romsey. Many positive thanks in anticipation of these railway cab view videos and any others being uploaded. Cheers.
Hi N32, I'm glad you've enjoyed the videos I've published so far. I fear though that you may have mis-understood what we do. We take our museum-piece train on railtours to interesting places for days out, often along pretty or rare routes, paid for by the 250 or so customers we can carry. Purely as a by-product of these, as a hobby I have put my video-camera into the cab of our train while it goes on the aforementioned railtours and [when I am not snowed under with emptying my late father's house and dealing with his estate and his life's work] I have begun to publish some of the better footage that I have recorded. As it happens, I have Castle Cary to Taunton 'in the can' from our 2018 railtour to Paignton; and as per our website I do have Salisbury to Botley via Chandlers Ford 'in the can' from our 2019 Ludgershall Legionnaire railtour. But we do not go round acting as a Railway Filming Unit nor can we take requests for such. When we go via Bath Spa we are necessarily routed via Trowbridge not Chippenham as the busier route usually lacks sufficient capacity for our comparatively slow train. I can make no comment on when exactly the footage already recorded will get published, but it is not forgotten. ^Richard.
At around 20.20 after Pewsey there is a wood on the left. There's a public footpath which crosses the railway there, where I spent fun times twice in 2004 and 2005 filming at the crossing, whilst holidaying in the cottage attached to the old Manningford Bohune church (now a private residence). It was just a low stile then but seems to have grown guard rails and steps now. Still have the vids back here in Australia.
I’m puzzled about something : At 22:50 the train goes into a looo to stop and wait for two faster following trains; at both ends of the track-and at the loop on the other side-there’s what appears to be a switch but the tracks for the other line end in less than a few feet. This seems to be common in UK railroads; in some cases (like the entry into the loop here) it looks like there once was another rail line coming in; in others (like the exit to this loop) there’s no place for another line to go at any time in the past. Why is that, and why not take out the “ghost” line and switch?
Your answer is at 27:20 - these are "trap points". Their purpose is to derail a train which passes a signal at danger. Better to derail the train at low speed than to allow it to join the main line into the path of a high-speed train. The fatal head-on collision at Cowden on the Uckfield branch would have been averted had the start of the single-line section at Ashurst Junction been so equipped (today it is fitted with TPWS* which should stop a train which passes a signal at danger). (*TPWS = Train Protection & Warning System)
Another great day out in england's beautiful country side ,What year was this train built and how long did it stay in br service?,Thanks richard for another wonderful vid,cheer's bob from sunny and hot sydney.
Hi Bob, thanks for this, from a cold and frosty but sunny England. The train was built in 1957 and was in service for around 30 years to 1986. More detail on the story here: www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/history/
Just brilliant AGAIN ! The captions were superb and it was so interesting to see features and landmarks on the canal mentioned too. Planning an excursion down to Penzance anytime soon ?
Thank you, glad you like it! I found it would be difficult to ignore the canal given how it and the railway had a kind of co-dependent relationship over the years...! No immediate plans for Penzance, but last summer we went to Paignton and that'll appear on UA-cam in the fullness of time...
A very good series! Something new to me as we left the mainline and diverted to Westbury, a switched diamond crossing. Presumably for safety on a high speed line?
I'm not sure of the parameters, but shallower crossing-angles and higher permitted speeds are each apparently likely to increase the likelihood of switched diamond crossings being specified.
Love these journeys. Can you explain if these units have two horns? One, the traditional BR two tone horn when you come to crossover etc. and the other, a more soft playful horn at stations to warn passengers on the platform? Or am I just hearing things?
There's the 2-tone horn, and there's the chime-whistle. The whistle on our unit is actually from London Underground, but is a nod to the fact that these units were originally fitted with a whistle of that type, prior to being retrofitted with horns instead.
I've always wondered: what is discussed during times in videos like this when the audio has to be muted or switched to the rear cab? Is it just a blanket ban on recording any speech, or is there anything which could actually be regarded as secret or commercially sensitive?
Thank you! 75 is the maximum speed that our train is currently permitted to attain; I dare say if the driver were to continue motoring on that gentle downgrade through Pewsey we could have gone faster - but there's no point both because we were about to be held in the Woodborough Loop for 15 minutes, and because everything that the driver does is recorded by a 'black box' as part of the national rail network's requirements for our train to run upon it.
Thank you. No, not really; if we have no further scheduled pickups we'll hope to carry any gained time forward to get our passengers to their destinations sooner - but typically we get held at a junction to await our correct pathway among other services.
..Nice Ride....I much prefer riding Traditional proper railways "Un-Wired Tracks "..rather than Wired Electrified ones...the un -wired ones are far more atmospheric..where you get to see EVERYTHING along the way & track detail etc...rather than upright rigging posts every few yards & wires above you everywhere ..obscuring all the views etc..
Great video again! Crofton pumping station I visited several times. I took my father in 1977 shortly after his retirement. It was the first place he ever visited at a reduced entrance fee as an Senior Citizen. He was quite amused. Now I'm the 'Senior" by many years.
Why did the GWR only build its various cut-off routes (Westbury, Badminton, Gerrards Cross) in the early 1900s, some 60 years after the GWR came into existence? Was it that they couldn't afford the construction costs until then, or did the need for shorter, more direct routes not become apparent for a long time? London-Taunton/Exeter via Devizes and Trowbridge, or London to Birmingham via Reading, Didcot and Oxford live up to the GWR's nickname of "Great Way Round" ;-)
This series is great. I know almost nothing about trains, but am very mechanically-inclined, so the captioning is extremely helpful, especially regarding signaling. Thank you for all the work you put into this,
Again, an excellent film. The annotations give added interest to an already interesting programme. I look forward to the next.
WHAT line has the most long tunnels .
Thank you for posting this and mentioning us at 11.22 in! You went past on one of our our pre-2018 steaming season engine trials and training days!
Excellent stuff! :-)
Thank you so much for the series of videos of the travel exploits of this Hastings unit. Down here in Australia, you’ll be pleased to know that I’m sitting watching them, with my rail atlas at one side seeing where we are!! Plus it’s useful for when we visit in 2020, and the lines we need to travel on.
Keep ‘em coming - please!!
I love the historical snippets, very interesting, thank you.
Awesome series of videos. Just the ticket to watch while your hands are occupied (eating) and so cannot touch the computer.
Brilliant footage!
I lived in Tunbridge Wells for 20 years and travelled many times on these old diesel trains and also on that main line from Paddington to Devon so it’s nice to see the two combined!
Ironically part of this route was the stomping ground for the prototype class 210 demu way back in the 80s, I once caught a class 165 to bedwyn when they were brand new back in 94 nice area that.
Thanks for another lovely trip through the English countryside. I feel i should get off and have a pint of Worthington E. Tony, Australia.
Hi Tony. no such thing as Worthington E any more I'm afraid like many old brands its been replaced by more trendy, but not necessarily better, beers
Brilliant. Loved it. Thanks so much for sharing, it's obvious a lot of work went into creating these videos. I used to travel on this line a lot, and I worked on the original Westbury resignalling in 1980 - 82 so it brings back memories for me. I am looking forward to the next section from Westbury to Bristol. When I used this line to get to work I always used to sit in the front of the DMU (often from Keynsham) so it will be nice to see how it has changed since then.
Thank you, glad it brought back memories!
Love it . . . . Dad was GWR Padd and travelled to Westbury many times. My first time was in 1937 to Paington. Grateful for memories revived by your creations. Thank-you.
Another very enjoyable video, thank you!!
Just great. The captions tell me exactly what I would want to know (the geography and history of the line) without being intrusive at all. Thank you for all the trouble you go to to put these films together. And long may the Hastings Diesel prosper!
Brilliant and interesting and I love it.
Another outstanding video, I can't wait for the next installment, top stuff
Always good quality footage - thank you!
9:18 best bit of the line 😉 love it especially crofton and bedwyn station
I live in Westbury and work in Pewsey. I use this route everyday. I always like the part beyond Pewsey as I see it less often. It's such a shame the line from Andover to Swindon was closed and I would love to have been able to use the line through Devizes. The history in your videos adds to the appeal.
Thank you, glad you find interest in it!
Was gonna shout out OH A HST … then it dawns on me it’s 6 years ago 😂🤣😂 especially a blue one now they are green
Hi Hastings Diesels Ltd, thank you for all the cab view videos which you have uploaded. It would be great in due course if you could kindly film and upload onto UA-cam railway cab view videos for Bath Spa via Chippenham to Swindon. Westbury via Frome so via the Frome loop and onto Castle Cary and Taunton. Castle Cary via Yeovil Pen Mill and Maiden Newton and Dorchester West to Upwey and Weymouth. Westbury via Melksham to Chippenham. Westbury via Dilton Marsh, Warminster, Salisbury, Dean, Mottisfont & Dunbridge, Romsey, Redbridge and Millbrook through Southampton Central and onwards via St Denys, Swaythling, Southampton Airport Parkway and Eastleigh to cover the branch line from Eastleigh via Chandlers Ford to Romsey.
Many positive thanks in anticipation of these railway cab view videos and any others being uploaded. Cheers.
Hi N32, I'm glad you've enjoyed the videos I've published so far. I fear though that you may have mis-understood what we do. We take our museum-piece train on railtours to interesting places for days out, often along pretty or rare routes, paid for by the 250 or so customers we can carry.
Purely as a by-product of these, as a hobby I have put my video-camera into the cab of our train while it goes on the aforementioned railtours and [when I am not snowed under with emptying my late father's house and dealing with his estate and his life's work] I have begun to publish some of the better footage that I have recorded. As it happens, I have Castle Cary to Taunton 'in the can' from our 2018 railtour to Paignton; and as per our website I do have Salisbury to Botley via Chandlers Ford 'in the can' from our 2019 Ludgershall Legionnaire railtour. But we do not go round acting as a Railway Filming Unit nor can we take requests for such. When we go via Bath Spa we are necessarily routed via Trowbridge not Chippenham as the busier route usually lacks sufficient capacity for our comparatively slow train.
I can make no comment on when exactly the footage already recorded will get published, but it is not forgotten. ^Richard.
At around 20.20 after Pewsey there is a wood on the left. There's a public footpath which crosses the railway there, where I spent fun times twice in 2004 and 2005 filming at the crossing, whilst holidaying in the cottage attached to the old Manningford Bohune church (now a private residence). It was just a low stile then but seems to have grown guard rails and steps now. Still have the vids back here in Australia.
Brilliant stuff !
For the eagle eyed amongst us 2 celebrity power were seen London bound
43172 Harry Patch
43002 Sir Kenneth Grange!
👏❤️😁Brilliant thanks x
Must be very rare for a passenger train to go into Woodborough Loop. Some desirable rare track that.
Great video and the captions are very helpful. At 44:26 those catch points from the old cement works spur ran off down into someones back garden :-)
They had steam up at Crofton then. I was going to go there once, but it was too windy :(
great video (from italy).
All that early running...NR ought to give you guys a discount on access charges for that! ;-)
I’m puzzled about something : At 22:50 the train goes into a looo to stop and wait for two faster following trains; at both ends of the track-and at the loop on the other side-there’s what appears to be a switch but the tracks for the other line end in less than a few feet. This seems to be common in UK railroads; in some cases (like the entry into the loop here) it looks like there once was another rail line coming in; in others (like the exit to this loop) there’s no place for another line to go at any time in the past. Why is that, and why not take out the “ghost” line and switch?
Your answer is at 27:20 - these are "trap points". Their purpose is to derail a train which passes a signal at danger. Better to derail the train at low speed than to allow it to join the main line into the path of a high-speed train. The fatal head-on collision at Cowden on the Uckfield branch would have been averted had the start of the single-line section at Ashurst Junction been so equipped (today it is fitted with TPWS* which should stop a train which passes a signal at danger). (*TPWS = Train Protection & Warning System)
Another great day out in england's beautiful country side ,What year was this train built and how long did it stay in br service?,Thanks richard for another wonderful vid,cheer's bob from sunny and hot sydney.
Hi Bob, thanks for this, from a cold and frosty but sunny England. The train was built in 1957 and was in service for around 30 years to 1986. More detail on the story here: www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/history/
Just brilliant AGAIN ! The captions were superb and it was so interesting to see features and landmarks on the canal mentioned too. Planning an excursion down to Penzance anytime soon ?
Thank you, glad you like it! I found it would be difficult to ignore the canal given how it and the railway had a kind of co-dependent relationship over the years...! No immediate plans for Penzance, but last summer we went to Paignton and that'll appear on UA-cam in the fullness of time...
I will look forward to seeing that trip, thanks for the response @@hastingsdiesels
What's an 'HST replacement'? There can never be one!
Err. Have you been asleep? 😂😂
Lovely 46 minute ride. Can the train exceed a permissible 75 miles per hour speed?
Thank you. Already answered about the speed to another comment on this video.
A very good series! Something new to me as we left the mainline and diverted to Westbury, a switched diamond crossing. Presumably for safety on a high speed line?
I'm not sure of the parameters, but shallower crossing-angles and higher permitted speeds are each apparently likely to increase the likelihood of switched diamond crossings being specified.
Love these journeys. Can you explain if these units have two horns? One, the traditional BR two tone horn when you come to crossover etc. and the other, a more soft playful horn at stations to warn passengers on the platform? Or am I just hearing things?
There's the 2-tone horn, and there's the chime-whistle. The whistle on our unit is actually from London Underground, but is a nod to the fact that these units were originally fitted with a whistle of that type, prior to being retrofitted with horns instead.
@@hastingsdiesels Yes, it's the whistle now come to mention it. Thank you the information. Lovely vehicle.
I've always wondered: what is discussed during times in videos like this when the audio has to be muted or switched to the rear cab? Is it just a blanket ban on recording any speech, or is there anything which could actually be regarded as secret or commercially sensitive?
It's a blanket ban, and forms part of the conditions under which my camera may be placed in the cab at all, far less its footage broadcast.
Awesome footage. Is 75 limit your permissible limit or the top speed attainable?
Thank you! 75 is the maximum speed that our train is currently permitted to attain; I dare say if the driver were to continue motoring on that gentle downgrade through Pewsey we could have gone faster - but there's no point both because we were about to be held in the Woodborough Loop for 15 minutes, and because everything that the driver does is recorded by a 'black box' as part of the national rail network's requirements for our train to run upon it.
Most enjoyable. If you are running early do you try to lose time when approaching a stop?
Thank you. No, not really; if we have no further scheduled pickups we'll hope to carry any gained time forward to get our passengers to their destinations sooner - but typically we get held at a junction to await our correct pathway among other services.
@@hastingsdiesels - Right, thanks.
..Nice Ride....I much prefer riding Traditional proper railways "Un-Wired Tracks "..rather than Wired Electrified ones...the un -wired ones are far more atmospheric..where you get to see EVERYTHING along the way & track detail etc...rather than upright rigging posts every few yards & wires above you everywhere ..obscuring all the views etc..
Great video again! Crofton pumping station I visited several times. I took my father in 1977 shortly after his retirement. It was the first place he ever visited at a reduced entrance fee as an Senior Citizen. He was quite amused. Now I'm the 'Senior" by many years.
Why did the GWR only build its various cut-off routes (Westbury, Badminton, Gerrards Cross) in the early 1900s, some 60 years after the GWR came into existence? Was it that they couldn't afford the construction costs until then, or did the need for shorter, more direct routes not become apparent for a long time? London-Taunton/Exeter via Devizes and Trowbridge, or London to Birmingham via Reading, Didcot and Oxford live up to the GWR's nickname of "Great Way Round" ;-)
Excellent as always
Great videos! This is only way I'm able to ride the rails in the UK.
Fantastic thank you so much !!!