Stratford was a mecca for southern spotters. We used to do Old Oak Common, Willesden then Stratford. I used to have mega strong ribena lol. My mates wanted a drink and went phwaa ! when they tried it. The waiting rooms were still originals with the glazed tiling etc. Brilliant times back in the 70s/80s 08s, 25s, 31s, 37s, 40s, 47s, occasional 56 and emus galore. As I've said to Soi before, all I have are still photos. There were lines of old locos in the depot too including several departmental ones.
Yes, some of my earliest memories are of spotting at Stratford. It was local to me although the Woodgrange Park to Barking line ran at the bottom of my garden so i grew up with railways......
Just how I remember it in the late 80's, dark wet and damp. The long tunnel over to the depot with the trespassing signs. I can't count how many times I bunked that depot, never got thrown off once, although I did get sent back half way through the tunnel one day, waited five minutes and then tried again. Result. Always plenty to see on the depot and in the workshops. I guess it's all gone now.
You can walk through the Westfield Shopping Centre and try and recall the TMD & DRS buildings that once stood there! There is a nice little bar at the end called Tap East, they brew their own beer, very socialable place to while away an hour or two and take in the 'progress'.....lol
Did look pretty grotty. Some interesting glimpses of the old LNER colour light signalling, where the single yellow aspect was at the bottom (9:48) and the red above it, giving the impression of a SPAD. (And how important drivers' route knowledge is so they'd know that).
Another great video. 27 years on, there are some significant changes to the station infrastructure with the International Station being built & operational a few years later. And then there is the rolling stock. #classictraction
Platform 10a that where you find me.. chrips and a can of coke.. and my spotter book.... again good time's.. i spent few hour over in the depot.. there was a little green patch that where fine me out of the way .. Again thanks for the video...
Yes, i remember that yard, known locally as Leyton Ballast Hole....it was a bit run down as i found out one day when the 37 i was on came off the road in there!....
Done that trip many times. One time there were about 6 of us. We were never thrown out once ! The men knew you were there, they also knew you weren't going to fk about.
At the time of watching this, July 2021, there are 3 links to 1994 * remnant class 315 emus * declining class 321 * class 90 locomotives on freight Other than that - all gone
So when did they get rid of those 2 bay platforms and replace them with the island platform of today? I understand fewer trains topped at Stratford at that time.
They weren't bay platforms, they were both through roads. They were re-signalling the whole GE lines when i was working in that area at that time and closing these platforms was the start of re-modelling of Stratford Staion which was finished by the mid/late 1990s. What is now the North London line platforms came quite late in the day although there were platforms 11 & 12 on the line round to Temple Mills East Junction and Stratford Old Yard for years. But they were demolished and rebuilt for the diversion of services from Stratford Low Level.
I was mostly on platform 10 (like a 7min 26) facing south looking at the main Stratford station. The TMD was north, behind me and slightly to the west. You used to be able to see the depot from platform 8, see my upload here ua-cam.com/video/Evp7LYywrFA/v-deo.html, look between the gap between the 2 class 31s on the liner train you can just make out the sheds with their red strip along the sides.
The 'bomb' trains (as train crews called them!) normally only ran once a week. A train with various flask's would run from Sellafield to Brent Yard near Willesden. Once there it would split into smaller portions and they would run to Dungerness, Southminster and Leiston. Once back at the Brent they would be marshalled up again and ran back as one train to Sellafield.
This is the old Stratford I knew and loved. Nice to see the station before the underground makeover
Yes, this is how the place was when i grew up, i don't recognise it these days!
Stratford was a mecca for southern spotters. We used to do Old Oak Common, Willesden then Stratford. I used to have mega strong ribena lol. My mates wanted a drink and went phwaa ! when they tried it.
The waiting rooms were still originals with the glazed tiling etc.
Brilliant times back in the 70s/80s
08s, 25s, 31s, 37s, 40s, 47s, occasional 56 and emus galore. As I've said to Soi before, all I have are still photos.
There were lines of old locos in the depot too including several departmental ones.
Yes, some of my earliest memories are of spotting at Stratford. It was local to me although the Woodgrange Park to Barking line ran at the bottom of my garden so i grew up with railways......
Many thanks for uploading this Interesting clip ... and great to see 87101 in action.
A strange place to find it i think. Sadly the first to get cut up.
Just how I remember it in the late 80's, dark wet and damp. The long tunnel over to the depot with the trespassing signs. I can't count how many times I bunked that depot, never got thrown off once, although I did get sent back half way through the tunnel one day, waited five minutes and then tried again. Result. Always plenty to see on the depot and in the workshops. I guess it's all gone now.
You can walk through the Westfield Shopping Centre and try and recall the TMD & DRS buildings that once stood there! There is a nice little bar at the end called Tap East, they brew their own beer, very socialable place to while away an hour or two and take in the 'progress'.....lol
Did look pretty grotty. Some interesting glimpses of the old LNER colour light signalling, where the single yellow aspect was at the bottom (9:48) and the red above it, giving the impression of a SPAD. (And how important drivers' route knowledge is so they'd know that).
The old searchlight signalling which was being replaced at this time. I had a good few weekends on ballast trains in the area at this time......
Another great video. 27 years on, there are some significant changes to the station infrastructure with the International Station being built & operational a few years later. And then there is the rolling stock. #classictraction
There's very little left of the old place now......it was quite a hotch-potch of a station when i grew up with it.....
late 80's .. mmmmm in the tunnel .. walking about the depot... out to the markey a bit iffy .. but it was fun
Yes, that long, damp & somewaht smeely tunnel under the tracks, i have walked it many times.....
87101 made one appearance at Preston in March 1996.
When on freight a much harder machine to track down. I was amazed to see it here at Stratford that's for sure!
That was from a R/L trip for Ipswich crew learning the W/A line 👍
Another great video
Looked very limited clearance indeed between the engineering train and the Norwich Mk 2 set at 13:50!
Yes, a lot of lines in a confined space.....and it still is.....
Platform 10a that where you find me.. chrips and a can of coke.. and my spotter book.... again good time's.. i spent few hour over in the depot.. there was a little green patch that where fine me out of the way ..
Again thanks for the video...
My pleasure....I used platform 8 mostly for seeing the action....
@13:33 a reminder of the large engineering yard at Leyton - all consumed, like 30A by the great gods: shopping and cars.
Yes, i remember that yard, known locally as Leyton Ballast Hole....it was a bit run down as i found out one day when the 37 i was on came off the road in there!....
Those class 90s looked in a rite state
I'm the same age as this vid many of my favourite artists used these canvases
great video as allways.
Thank you...
Put your hands up if you ever walked through the tunnel into the depot 👐👐👐
I think lots of us did, hoping to get round the shed without getting caught!
@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus i braved it into the drivers canteen 👊🏾👊🏾 old oak common was another interesting depot 😍😍😍👀👀👀
Done that trip many times. One time there were about 6 of us. We were never thrown out once !
The men knew you were there, they also knew you weren't going to fk about.
At the time of watching this, July 2021, there are 3 links to 1994
* remnant class 315 emus
* declining class 321
* class 90 locomotives on freight
Other than that - all gone
Yes, sad isn't it! I drove the 321s and they were great trains to work on.....
@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus - be good if you could do a video of your career in transport
Nice one Soi
Ta!
So when did they get rid of those 2 bay platforms and replace them with the island platform of today? I understand fewer trains topped at Stratford at that time.
They weren't bay platforms, they were both through roads. They were re-signalling the whole GE lines when i was working in that area at that time and closing these platforms was the start of re-modelling of Stratford Staion which was finished by the mid/late 1990s. What is now the North London line platforms came quite late in the day although there were platforms 11 & 12 on the line round to Temple Mills East Junction and Stratford Old Yard for years. But they were demolished and rebuilt for the diversion of services from Stratford Low Level.
So where was the depot in relation to these scenes?
I was mostly on platform 10 (like a 7min 26) facing south looking at the main Stratford station. The TMD was north, behind me and slightly to the west. You used to be able to see the depot from platform 8, see my upload here ua-cam.com/video/Evp7LYywrFA/v-deo.html, look between the gap between the 2 class 31s on the liner train you can just make out the sheds with their red strip along the sides.
Whatever became of that nightly nuclear waste train through the inner west side of London back in the '70s, do you know?
The 'bomb' trains (as train crews called them!) normally only ran once a week. A train with various flask's would run from Sellafield to Brent Yard near Willesden. Once there it would split into smaller portions and they would run to Dungerness, Southminster and Leiston. Once back at the Brent they would be marshalled up again and ran back as one train to Sellafield.
The new Stratford so different now how times have changed i do remember this old station rustic
Yes, i hardly recognise the place now, totally different to the station i grew up with!
You must know Andy Grimmett
Of course! I worked with him when at Ilford Car Sheds, out on ballast trains.......
grimmet is a hoax @@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus
or mr ung he's not andy🙄nt