What train encapulates your childhood?

[John Brannelly]

I would say it was the steam trains on the Isle of Man. In 1949, we had our first family holiday there. We took the train from Eccleston Park to Lime Street, and my brother pointed out named locos as we passed Edge Hill and ran down through the cuttings and tunnels into the terminus. We used public transport to get around the island, including trains from Douglas to Port Erin, Peel and Ramsey. Those locos all had names, and that confirmed my interest. My locospotting days began then: I was a few days short of my seventh birthday, and the fascination continues.

 

[d9009alycidon]

The Glasgow Blue Trains were with me right through my childhood, I remember seeing them on their test runs in 1961 prior to reintroduction after the transformer issues, I grew up with them as my bedroom window looked out on the embankment between Coatdyke and Airdrie stations so every railway journey started and finished with an AM3. Copped my last one (106) after hours of spotting at Glasgow Central, travelled on them nearly every day during my University Years and I was there for the last run

 

[Master Cutler]

I recall another memorable event during my childhood in the 1960s watching 5MT 45156 Ayrshire Yeomanry operating the limestone working on the branch between Dyserth Quarry and Prestatyn station.
In those days I believe 45156 was allocated to Llandudno Junction.
There was a mixture of motive power on the branch back then which included Type 2s later to become Class 24s.

 

[rdlover777]

For me, it has to be the old slam door units Connex Southeastern operated through the Medway towns, the mix of NSE and Connex white and yellow wit blue trim will always have a place in my mind

 

[Nammer]

Class 205 DEMUs and Class 33 locos hauling Mk1s through Cosham

 

[4REP]

For me it's the Reps down to Bournemouth /TCs to Weymouth
and remembered the times when using the stopping service from Basingstoke to Farmborough on the Veps. Waving goodbye to my Dad or uncle at Farnborough from a vep. When mum took me to visit at weekends.
The journey down to Bournemouth always remember the EE546 Motors and the nice interior of the Reps.

 

[Arrpi87]

Growing up on the Kent Coast line in the 90's can be fully summed up with this train in this livery.

1586

Waterloo East 24/9/97 New as 7164 10/60 & renumbered 1586 8/81. Withdrawn 3/03.

flic.kr

And you know what? I found them to the most comfortable train I've ever used to this day.

 

[D6130]

And you know what? I found them to the most comfortable train I've ever used to this day.

What?????.....even sitting in the motor coach hunting madly from side-to-side at anything over 60 mph? I have horrendous memories of working them on the Newhaven boat trains in the 'eighties and my back has never recovered!

 

[GB&K Joint]

The Glasgow Blue Trains were with me right through my childhood, I remember seeing them on their test runs in 1961 prior to reintroduction after the transformer issues, I grew up with them as my bedroom window looked out on the embankment between Coatdyke and Airdrie stations so every railway journey started and finished with an AM3. Copped my last one (106) after hours of spotting at Glasgow Central, travelled on them nearly every day during my University Years and I was there for the last run

Late sixties, early seventies, springy seats, bouncy ride and forward view on a summer trip from Paisley to Gourock a precursor to the sail to Rothesay. Tend to associate them with the Clyde coast for this reason though l appreciate they were workhorses of the suburban network.

 

[Arrpi87]

What?????.....even sitting in the motor coach hunting madly from side-to-side at anything over 60 mph? I have horrendous memories of working them on the Newhaven boat trains in the 'eighties and my back has never recovered!

I think must have been those big cushioned seats. Felt like an armchair compared to what we sit on today.

 

[alex397]

Travelling in to London Liverpool Street with a Class 315 on the Chingford branch with my grandparents.

One of my earliest memories is seeing Liverpool Street for the first time. Obviously as a young child I would never have seen such a large Cathedral-like building before, so it must have left quite an impression on me. I can remember the distinct noises of the 315s, seeing life going on in London from the viaducts approaching central London, the dark approach to Liverpool Street with the historic trackside brickwork. I travelled on the Central Line a lot as a child too with the 92-stock, so it brings back memories travelling on those too, especially as the sounds haven't changed and 'Sonia' is still there...

 

[Purple Orange]

For me it is two: a Tyne & Wear Metro and a class 101. I spent my early childhood in Newcastle and I’d be taken on the metro frequently. Second nature to be feeling the rush of air through a tunnel as a train comes in. These days (covid aside) I frequent London more than I like and that rush of air as you’re on the platform takes me back to being a child and waiting at Monument station.

The 101s were the first heavy rail trains I ever went on, from Newcastle Central to East Boldon to visit family. The last time I went on one was a snap decision based on nostalgia which I quickly regretted. I was at Manchester Piccadilly heading to Newcastle in about 1999/2000 and normally I’d go to York then change. This time I seen a 101 going to Sheffield, so I thought I’d go there and pick up a Virgin Cross Country HST. So off I went, it was late and had not realised I was on the stopper. In the end I missed my connection, but thankfully it wasn’t the last train of the day heading to Newcastle. Took me ages.

In a strange way, the 350s remind me of the 101s. It’s something about the position of the headlights and the smooth, baby faced look the trains have.

 

[RPI]

Class 117 DMUs, in particular T305/117305 in Chocolate and Cream livery, I lived in St Ives thought the 90s, happy memories of this set going up and down the branch, even in its final guise where the remaining DMBS was paired up with a NSE DMBS but still retained the 117305 set number.
Around that time we had a few NSE 117s turn up, must have been around 1995-1997, there was an NSE class 101 based at Longrock then too, L842 which had North Downs branding, definitely my "happy place" in my mind, sunny days, St Ives branch, DMU's.....

 

[GPT]

Although D400s /class 50s emerged just before the end of steam, for WCML express passenger work it was the older EE Type 4s later known as Class 40 which took over from steam, then some 47s then single class 50s before an accelerated timetable in 1970 required the double heading on many of the daytime expresses which would certainly have made an impression.

Although gone from the main express workings steam did linger on until the end for some reliefs and summer holiday trains, and on some freight and the famed Manchester - Heysham Boat Train and no doubt other passenger workings just as the single class 50s were taking over. You were certainly in right part of the world for the twilight years of steam, and to then soon be impressed by the double headed train roaring past.

Annual summer holidays from London Euston to Heysham on "The Ulster Express" in the sixties. At one stage around 1965, prior to electrification at Euston, the train was hauled by diesel, electric and steam engines all on the one journey.

 

[Glorious_NSE]

Class 37s on Kings Lynn/Cambridge to Liverpool Street trains in the 60s - always seemed to be the same few split headcode examples, D6712, D6726, D6751 amongst them. When I started travelling around the WR and discovered the delights of named diesel hydraulics, the local offering seemed so dull. In the ealy 80's had a cab ride from Mallaig to Fort William on 37 012, by then named 'Loch Rannoch' - a world away from the Great Eastern.

M

 

[Non Multi]

**Track roar**
**Approaching rumble**
**SCREAMING Valenta**
**Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh of passenger coaches at high velocity**
**SCREAMING Valenta**
**Decreasing rumble**
**Track roar**

Rinse & repeat

 

[pitdiver]

Any train taking my Mum and Dad and me to either Weymouth or Portsmouth Harbour from Waterloo taking us on our Summer holidays in the late 50s early 60s

 

[Bikeman78]

Essentially the same here, except for the nature of the journey (my grandparents lived a mile up the road). CIG/BIG/VEP stock in blue/grey livery with blue/green checkered upholstery and lightbulbs plugged into the ceiling. Long gone.

Same for me. Blue and Grey units with old school light bulbs. I used to go to the Netherlands quite a lot in my early years. The Mat '64 trains that ran throughout their network seemed amazingly modern by comparison.

 

[D365]

"Toothpaste" Class 365.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Class 456s in faded NSE livery-would always wind up my mum when one of these truned up with their mere two coaches.

Connex Class 319s- I remember fondly my mum and I would always point out the "Rugby train" when I was little. Not sure how we always could tell but we could. Can't remember why we liked it so much. Also remember the 319s in the "creche" livery, we used to like that too-although we never used the creche at Victoria, I think I liked the jazzy colours. Also remember the Brighton Express 319s, with the little sailing boat motifs on the side of the doors. Always reminded me of my first trip to Brighton in 1999 when I saw them.

And how can I forget "fag-packet" 125s? Spent many hours on them going to my cousins house in Cardiff when I was little.

 

[Bikeman78]

Class 456s in faded NSE livery-would always wind up my mum when one of these truned up with their mere two coaches.

Connex Class 319s- I remember fondly my mum and I would always point out the "Rugby train" when I was little. Not sure how we always could tell but we could. Can't remember why we liked it so much. Also remember the 319s in the "creche" livery, we used to like that too-although we never used the creche at Victoria, I think I liked the jazzy colours. Also remember the Brighton Express 319s, with the little sailing boat motifs on the side of the doors. Always reminded me of my first trip to Brighton in 1999 when I saw them.

And how can I forget "fag-packet" 125s? Spent many hours on them going to my cousins house in Cardiff when I was little.

Those seven refurbished 319s were one of the few things that Connex did right.

 

[John Luxton]

A "bubble car", sometimes with a trailer operating on the St Ives Branch during the 1960s and holiday trips with my parents to St Erth "just for the ride" despite living in Liverpool this is my fondest childhood memory. Confirmed me as a GW branch line and first generation DMU fan for life!

 

[FR510]

EPBs for me in blue & grey livery - rattling along the North Kent. I remember whacking the great big thick seat cushions and watching clouds of dust fill the compartment!

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Southern slammers in NSE/Connex livery and Gatex 73s.

 

[PeterY]

Has a young child (late 60's) , it was the 38 underground stock in red livery. Also the AC electric locos in BR blue.

 

[AJS90]

Mine would be Centro liveried Class 150’s on the Chase Line in the mid 1990’s, back in the days when they used to be xx53 from Hednesford.

I remember on the 10:53 from Hednesford on Saturdays you’d try to sit as close to the front of the train as possible. As it was full of Saturday shoppers, the conductor was never able to collect fares from the full length of the train as they had to keep rushing back to the rear cab at each station to control the doors.

 

[41E-to-40A]

Memories from age 8 or 9 would have been of DC electrics rattling steel and coal trains around the electrified ex GC tracks in Sheffield.

 

[StewLane]

Sub and Epb principally and one trip on a Nelson.

 

[Sprinter107]

Mine would be Centro liveried Class 150’s on the Chase Line in the mid 1990’s, back in the days when they used to be xx53 from Hednesford.

I remember on the 10:53 from Hednesford on Saturdays you’d try to sit as close to the front of the train as possible. As it was full of Saturday shoppers, the conductor was never able to collect fares from the full length of the train as they had to keep rushing back to the rear cab at each station to control the doors.

Yes, it was always fun to start tickets from the front of the train instead of the back, and see the looks on their faces.

 

[Bacon_BMW]

Any of the Washington DC Metro stock. I vividly remember the brake dust smell whenever one came in to the station. Also, peering out the back if the fabric covering the window on the cab door had peeled back enough.

As for UK stock, it's the 8GATs, purely because that's the only one I got to ride.