Great video.Remember seeing the class 50s coming out of the darkness. So many spotters watching the different classes of locos.a great place in the 80s.
B R in the 80's bittersweet memories, I drove pretty much every class in this video with the exception of the 317. Lovely to see 87022, one of my personal favourites...superb engine.
This was basically every Saturday of my life for four happy years….but don’t forget the ride in a whining WMPTE Fleetline on the way home….then listening to find out how the Blues, Villa and Baggies have done on the hilarious BRMB phone in with Phil Holden & Les Ross….eating Findus Crispy Pancakes whilst watching Lightning on the Gladiators….marking in the days cops whilst playing PWEI on full on the cassette player…. Finally to bed and then back to BNS early on Sunday for the Nuneaton drags, which were like a free diesel gala every week…. ….to think my teenage Son has wasted his youth playing ‘Call of Duty’….. Thanks for postin’…..bostin!
I can't even remember the last time I saw a loco (apart from a Class 43) at New St...possibly was a Class 67 on a diverted Wrexham and Shropshire train around 2008.
Ahhh those were the days of a 2p platform ticket....got me to places such as York station, the furthest travelled on a platform ticket...always timed right hopping off the train as an inspector hopped on 🤣🤣
Great footage with a ridiculous variety of trains going through there must of been one of the best places for spotters once a time certainly a far cry from what we’ve have today.
Working at New Street on summer Saturdays in 88 was one of the highlights of my life, you just didn't know what was going to emerge from the hazy tunnels next, nice to catch the odd glimpse of ones younger self in a couple couple of vids from this series
Great videos Roy they bring back so many memories of my teenage days bashing around Birmingham & the midlands I took a special interest in the scene where 31405 + 31283 were departing because I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and the service was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton departing the wrong end of new street because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route towards the lickey incline
Fantastic footage, mate. It really takes me back. New Street was always a magical place for a Southern lad like me. Very much looking forward to seeing more of the collection. Many thanks.
Great footage. Before my time but love the almost dystopian look of the brutal looking old locos and the diabolical concrete monstrosity that was the old Birmingham New Street.
I think that is precisely why it was so atmospheric and exciting!! I grew up in Birmingham in the '70s/'80s and to be brutally frank, the entire city centre had a 'dystopian' vibe!🤨
This is a truly amazing collection! Thank you so much for sharing. So many memories of the sights and sounds from BR days, end of the blue & grey era. I was a regular commuter up/down the WCML and these remind me of many happy days on the cushions and on the platforms!
Amazingly good quality video for 1988, must have been a very high end camera. Well done for retaining the original 4:3 aspect ratio as well. I see so many early videos filmed in 4:3 stretched out or blown up to 16:9 which completely ruins the video quality. Surprised to see Network SouthEast Class 317s at New Street, no idea they had escaped the Greater Anglia region.
Thank you! The footage was filmed in Video 8 on a Sanyo camcorder that was voted Camera of the Year in (I think) 1987... I can't recall the model off hand. I totally agree with you on the aspect ratio and always want the original retained. Yes some of the 317s worked into BNS via Northampton when they were new for about a year or two before the introduction of the 321s.
Those two 31s at 23.40 bring back memories. I grow up about 5 miles away from thornaby TMD . Those 31s were thornaby based locomotives. I recognised the thornaby kingfisher emblem.
I remember them on the Matlock line during their trial service. Currently working on a set of Railway Series style stories about them now working on the Island of Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine them having Brummie accents...
Was thinking about these films this week after hearing about the passing of Jed , the ever present New Street basher. I dont see him on any of the films but will keep looking
Hi Roy, these are an absolute gem, many thanks for subscribing my friend really takes me back to the day, much happier times in many respects! All the best, have subscribed to your channel and look forward to catching up on many more. Thanks for sharing, all the best, Paul
The most depressing thing about this footage is that even the most vanilla stuff at New St, the 47/4s and the 86s are way more interesting than than anything you see there these days. On by the way 45110 was off to Buxton and Blackpool tour came from Swindon
SO many spotters!!! 9:05 ...is it like that now? Things change, life moves on and it's unstoppable but, it WAS so much more varied and interesting then!! Wasn't it?
Wen used to go to Paignton Wen come in on electric from Liverpool lime street and back out with a deisls all the way to kingswheier wat a trip and a long day
Great stuff but just look at all the spotters on New Street,don’t think I ever saw that many on BNS plus look at the NB working you recorded,shows how hand having Bescot & Saltley on the doorstep really was.
Those railway employees crossing the track behind the engineering train at Bescot at 45:05 seemed rather casual; only one wearing a hi viz, and a very perfunctory glance up the line where they didn't seem to notice the Class 20s approaching. That's almost one for a "how not to do it" training video
Amusing to look back and see how little heed was paid to the 10mph limit back then. You probably wouldnt have got everything through the station in 24 hours if everything ran at the limit, given the volume of shunt moves and additionals.
@@theroybowdencollection9807 I visited New Street box in about 2005 and a signaller said that one problem when the Voyager fleets were introduced was that in Notch 1 they roll at about 6-7mph whereas in Notch 2 they reach 15mph and everything was either losing precious seconds or doing 50% over the limit and bashing the pointwork with the heavy 50t vehicles.
Hi Roy loving your videos , just a shot in the blue, Bescot Yard had two Class 58 one parked behind a class 86. The one I would like to ask the number of is in Rail Freight Coal. Would you have a record of it just modelling my railway for this time. I was in the Navy at the time in the Gulf my cousin who was a Br Engineer has told me 58043 was in this livery on the open day at Bescot 1988. Is this the same beast .
Hi Richard, firstly so sorry for missing your comment I didn't see it until now. Unfortunately I don't have any record of the identity of the 58s, I wish I could be of more help.
Class 151 prototype DMU; 1 of only 2 built. I remember them on the Matlock line in trial service. Both scrapped in real life; currently working on some Railway Series style stories about them now working on Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine "Derby" & "Matlock" having Brummie accents!
I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books I’m pretty sure it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and it was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton service leaving new street the wrong end because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route via the lickey incline
@Daniel Sellers trust me, that's a 304. I grew up catching the train from Walsall to Aston with my momto see my nan who lived several doors down from the parents of John "Ozzy" Osborne. I know the difference between a 304 and a 310.
Great video.Remember seeing the class 50s coming out of the darkness. So many spotters watching the different classes of locos.a great place in the 80s.
Ah the memories come flooding back! Spent many an hour on the end of New Streets platforms. Man for a time machine!!
Great memories of New Street in the 80s mate
What a place it was ....
The sheer amount of enthusiasts too ....fantastic ...keep them coming ...
B R in the 80's bittersweet memories, I drove pretty much every class in this video with the exception of the 317. Lovely to see 87022, one of my personal favourites...superb engine.
As a Scot, this loco was one of my favourites as well, and still in Rail Blue at the time! It's good to know the loco performed as well as it looked!
What was good about the 87s compared to the 86s or the 90s Sam?
A throw back to my childhood. Great days. Thanks 👍
This was basically every Saturday of my life for four happy years….but don’t forget the ride in a whining WMPTE Fleetline on the way home….then listening to find out how the Blues, Villa and Baggies have done on the hilarious BRMB phone in with Phil Holden & Les Ross….eating Findus Crispy Pancakes whilst watching Lightning on the Gladiators….marking in the days cops whilst playing PWEI on full on the cassette player….
Finally to bed and then back to BNS early on Sunday for the Nuneaton drags, which were like a free diesel gala every week….
….to think my teenage Son has wasted his youth playing ‘Call of Duty’…..
Thanks for postin’…..bostin!
And who would've thought that Les Ross would have a loco named after him...!
@@theroybowdencollection9807 ….and a Class 86 as well! Shame there’s not a ‘Roarer’ called George Gavin too….
@@NedPooleD818 Haha indeed!!
I can't even remember the last time I saw a loco (apart from a Class 43) at New St...possibly was a Class 67 on a diverted Wrexham and Shropshire train around 2008.
@@chriso8485 It not what it used to be!
The signallers at Proof House were very busy them days. Certainly brings back memories for me.
That takes me back a bit, brake vans fitted with sidelamps 👍
Ahhh those were the days of a 2p platform ticket....got me to places such as York station, the furthest travelled on a platform ticket...always timed right hopping off the train as an inspector hopped on 🤣🤣
Great footage with a ridiculous variety of trains going through there must of been one of the best places for spotters once a time certainly a far cry from what we’ve have today.
Working at New Street on summer Saturdays in 88 was one of the highlights of my life, you just didn't know what was going to emerge from the hazy tunnels next, nice to catch the odd glimpse of ones younger self in a couple couple of vids from this series
No matter what the livery they were in the 47s ,37s and even 31s looked and sounded brilliant, where as todays 66s all look the bloody same.
Today’s locos all look plastic and disposable. Whereas some 37s are 60+ years old and still in mainline operation.
Great videos Roy they bring back so many memories of my teenage days bashing around Birmingham & the midlands I took a special interest in the scene where 31405 + 31283 were departing because I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and the service was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton departing the wrong end of new street because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route towards the lickey incline
All absolutely spot on!! Many thanks Dave :)
WOW Love this.....brings back great memorys of BNS
I just want to jump into the film and go back in time. The sights, the smells, the people, the announcements. No mobile phones.
Me too!!!
Fantastic footage, mate. It really takes me back. New Street was always a magical place for a Southern lad like me. Very much looking forward to seeing more of the collection. Many thanks.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed! There's more to come :)
Great footage. Before my time but love the almost dystopian look of the brutal looking old locos and the diabolical concrete monstrosity that was the old Birmingham New Street.
Completely agree about the old New St! The traffic more than made up for it.
It's all about context, for me visiting in the 70's this station was a revelation, rather like Euston post modernism!
I think that is precisely why it was so atmospheric and exciting!! I grew up in Birmingham in the '70s/'80s and to be brutally frank, the entire city centre had a 'dystopian' vibe!🤨
This is a truly amazing collection! Thank you so much for sharing. So many memories of the sights and sounds from BR days, end of the blue & grey era. I was a regular commuter up/down the WCML and these remind me of many happy days on the cushions and on the platforms!
Likewise!!
NICE as it was with great sounds
Brilliant mate, best footage i have seen from New street. Used to spedn so many saturdays there , south end of 8 on a brute . loved it
Thanks Nick! Nice to share the memories :)
Amazingly good quality video for 1988, must have been a very high end camera. Well done for retaining the original 4:3 aspect ratio as well. I see so many early videos filmed in 4:3 stretched out or blown up to 16:9 which completely ruins the video quality.
Surprised to see Network SouthEast Class 317s at New Street, no idea they had escaped the Greater Anglia region.
Thank you! The footage was filmed in Video 8 on a Sanyo camcorder that was voted Camera of the Year in (I think) 1987... I can't recall the model off hand. I totally agree with you on the aspect ratio and always want the original retained. Yes some of the 317s worked into BNS via Northampton when they were new for about a year or two before the introduction of the 321s.
Brilliant memories 👍
Superb in the days of one fully functional railway.
Thanks Mike, and haha things were better back then!
Those two 31s at 23.40 bring back memories. I grow up about 5 miles away from thornaby TMD . Those 31s were thornaby based locomotives. I recognised the thornaby kingfisher emblem.
That class 151 was a rare catch . Well done on that sir. Love the clag from the 58 aswell
Sheer luck on both occasions!
I remember them on the Matlock line during their trial service. Currently working on a set of Railway Series style stories about them now working on the Island of Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine them having Brummie accents...
Excellent takes me back, when the time comes that's where I'm off to 🙂
Awesome
Was thinking about these films this week after hearing about the passing of Jed , the ever present New Street basher. I dont see him on any of the films but will keep looking
I didn't know he'd passed but I do remember him, sadly I don't think he appears in the footage
Hi Roy, these are an absolute gem, many thanks for subscribing my friend really takes me back to the day, much happier times in many respects! All the best, have subscribed to your channel and look forward to catching up on many more. Thanks for sharing, all the best, Paul
Thanks Paul, there's more to come! :)
The most depressing thing about this footage is that even the most vanilla stuff at New St, the 47/4s and the 86s are way more interesting than than anything you see there these days. On by the way 45110 was off to Buxton and Blackpool tour came from Swindon
Things certainly aren't the same any more! Many thanks for the background on these workings I had forgotten the precise details.
Could not agree more with your comments a 47 with rake of coaches way more enjoyable than plastic plying its trade at New St these days
SO many spotters!!! 9:05 ...is it like that now?
Things change, life moves on and it's unstoppable but, it WAS so much more varied and interesting then!! Wasn't it?
This is amazing footage spent many summer Saturdays at BNS Great days
Love new street
In corridor coaches they were so comfortable
Just as filthy as I remember it, including the choking blue smog! 😄 No bloody mobile phone zombies either!
I remember the fumes!
More hellfire stuff...keep them coming!
Still two or three to come from 1988!
Awsome😊
More spotters than passengers, great days!!!!!
Wen used to go to Paignton Wen come in on electric from Liverpool lime street and back out with a deisls all the way to kingswheier wat a trip and a long day
That must be the railtour to Glasgow via Manchester Vic with the 50s. I did it from Manchester.
It was, I wish I could've been on it as well!
Took it all for granted 😏 happy days though 👍
Great stuff but just look at all the spotters on New Street,don’t think I ever saw that many on BNS plus look at the NB working you recorded,shows how hand having Bescot & Saltley on the doorstep really was.
Yes anything could turn up, and did!
3:24 Sneak Peak! 🚂👍
So many train spotters
According to Wiki, Medusa was withdrawn on 27 July 1988...days/months after this vid? This could be the last known footage of that loco
I was lucky to have filmed it when I did!
Look at all those lovely diesel fumes! Impressive noisy departure by 45110
Brings back memories!!
By
5⭐video 👍😀😎.I've subscribers to your CZcams channel 😀
Many thanks!!!
Those railway employees crossing the track behind the engineering train at Bescot at 45:05 seemed rather casual; only one wearing a hi viz, and a very perfunctory glance up the line where they didn't seem to notice the Class 20s approaching. That's almost one for a "how not to do it" training video
How times have changed!!
Any idea what the 58 was doing on a passenger turn? , I'm guessing it was a special.
Just as I suspected. British Rail was run for the sole purpose of train spotters! I was one!
Certainly at New Street 😉
They can scoff all they like but this was much more fun than tictoc!
Agreed ;)
Mr Betts taking a for of 45110 My Lords
B'ham NEDStreet fantastic 😂👍
But no sign of Jed himself….would definitely been on 31 283 TE NB….
Outrageously good footage again, what was that 58026 on? Was it going down the bank?
It was a Summer Saturday Derby to Bristol extra if I remember correctly
So many bashers hanging out the windows, good times...highly likely I was there too lol
Is this your brothers account?
Amusing to look back and see how little heed was paid to the 10mph limit back then. You probably wouldnt have got everything through the station in 24 hours if everything ran at the limit, given the volume of shunt moves and additionals.
The speed limit was regularly exceeded...
@@theroybowdencollection9807 I visited New Street box in about 2005 and a signaller said that one problem when the Voyager fleets were introduced was that in Notch 1 they roll at about 6-7mph whereas in Notch 2 they reach 15mph and everything was either losing precious seconds or doing 50% over the limit and bashing the pointwork with the heavy 50t vehicles.
Hi Roy loving your videos , just a shot in the blue, Bescot Yard had two Class 58 one parked behind a class 86. The one I would like to ask the number of is in Rail Freight Coal. Would you have a record of it just modelling my railway for this time. I was in the Navy at the time in the Gulf my cousin who was a Br Engineer has told me 58043 was in this livery on the open day at Bescot 1988. Is this the same beast .
Hi Richard, firstly so sorry for missing your comment I didn't see it until now. Unfortunately I don't have any record of the identity of the 58s, I wish I could be of more help.
@@theroybowdencollection9807 Thanks for the reply a shot in the dark but thanks again still loving the videos Richard
What's that at 25:46? Never seen that class or livery before.
Class 151 prototype DMU; 1 of only 2 built. I remember them on the Matlock line in trial service. Both scrapped in real life; currently working on some Railway Series style stories about them now working on Sodor. Although made in Birmingham I don't imagine "Derby" & "Matlock" having Brummie accents!
@@danielsellers8707 good info, cheers!
A Peak on Network Southeast stock. Never heard of such a thing. Was that a service train or a special?
Buxton Rail tour.
Pathfinder Tour, "The Peaks 'N' Sea" 14/5/88. Swindon to Buxton & Blackpool North.
And 31405 & 31283 on a WCML Euston set?! 🙈
I reckon I was on that train looking back in my old scratch books I’m pretty sure it was Saturday 21/05/1988 the first weekend of the summer timetable and it was the 10.10 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton service leaving new street the wrong end because it went via camp hill to rejoin its normal route via the lickey incline
This wasn't your normal weekend at new street. I'm guessing at least one unusual booking was due to run through the station that day Roy?
Yes there were a couple of railtours that day!
Weird seeing a class 58 on passenger duty, normally they were pulling coal wagons.
IIRC tt was an extra from Derby to Bristol
110 the absolute hossing monster that it was, nice to see the fan's been switched in... 🙋♂️ 🇬🇧 🇬🇧 🇬🇧
Yes absolutely great sound!
4 car 304 at 46.23
Indeed!
310 as not all seating bays have doors.
@Daniel Sellers trust me, that's a 304. I grew up catching the train from Walsall to Aston with my momto see my nan who lived several doors down from the parents of John "Ozzy" Osborne. I know the difference between a 304 and a 310.
Absolute filth 😁
Great video . But what a horrible station Birmingham New St is
The refurbished Moor Street looks far more pleasant; like a heritage railway right in the city centre!