Lots and lots of folk get misty-eyed about steam trains (that’ll be the soot) and that’s all well and good. What I’m referring to here is diesel-electric traction - socking big V8/ V12/ V16 two-stroke or four-stroke diesel engines that provide power to the traction motors.
When I was but a youngster, it seemed Mum and Dad usually lived near a railway line (I was born in Pompey but leave that aside): Helensburgh, Liskeard, Worthing, Langport. When I was at secondary school in Liskeard in the 70s, I was often distracted by the noise of 37s on china clay (ECCQ) going over the Moorswater viaduct. A decade and a bit later, Langport: we lived a couple of doors away from the Paddington - Bristol (Temple Meads) line and 37s, HST125s (Paxman Valenta) and for all I know 40s. Before all that were “Westerns” …
Once upon a time not that long ago (certainly in my memory), we were really very good at inventing and testing and running and fixing big heavy stuff that lasted.
I drive the vast majority of BR locomotives, EMU’s, DMU’s from BR class 08 Gronk’s through class 31.40,43,47, 52 Westerns & everything in between from the commuter branch lines to the Deutsche Bahn & to the Rockies driving the big CSX freight locos…all in the virtual world of course in TSW5 train simulator.
In game screenshots.
Used to bunk off school regular and hang about near Bolton station. When they used to run HSTs on cross country routes through there.
I’m still as sad now lol. Summers day, box of beer and a joint sat watching the East Lancs Railway… perfect
As a 16 year old lad I bought an all line 7 day rail rover and on day 1 travelled from Hull to York to Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street, then Glasgow Central to London Euston then London KX to Hull, around 800 miles. Day 2 stayed in bed exhausted, day 3 Hull to Torquay to Hull, day 4 stayed in bed exhausted, day 5 Hull to Portsmouth to Hull day 6 stayed in bed exhausted, day 7 Hull to London KX to Hull, Deltic both ways. All this for the bargain price of £50!
Yeah, I did my fair share of skipping school to go train spotting around Bolton, Atherton goods yard & Wigan North western & Wallgate stations. All steam back in those days though.
I used to do a bit of train spotting too.
Got to stand on the footplate of a steam engine for a minute or two at Soton Central Station. Yeah, health’n’safety today etc.
Back in 2007 went to Cuba for holiday. Booked an excursion trip round sugar cane fields etc on a steam train.
Got to platform everyone got on the carriages open top saloon car things
Me and my old man were looking at the steam engine next thing driver said want have a closer look .
we got on then basically train set off me and dad in the cab had go at shoving coal pulled the whistle.
Then out of oof noware all some coconuts appeared holes in top with a straw filled with rum . Me and dad stood in this old steam engine watching the scenery go by shoving bit of coal pulling the whistle trip lasted couple of hours got off n did same again on return trip.
O happy times