I grew up in the late 70s early 80s being taken to Crewe after Sunday dinner for the afternoon.Sitting in the old parcel wagons.Not knowing what would come next.The constant activity of the DMD.The possiblility of getting a ride in the coaching stock as the shunter shunt released the 33 that had just arrived from Cardiff, if the guard would let you so you could take the numbers of the locos on the DMD

God I loved them days. I wish id kept my notebooks and Ian Allan Loco books

Not kidding Robdog wish I had kept my books too, especially that of the 50's. I used to be about in Lincoln Central and St Marks every day as I went to school from Market Rasen to Lincoln and I can still smell and hear the sounds of Central Station in particular. They were good days and many a happy hour spent taking numbers and cabbing!
Does anyone have any pictures from that era as I would love to see them.
Cheers
Phil

I've still got my combines (Platform 5 and Ian Allen) but my first wife threw all my notebooks out and lots of other stuff including me which is wht she is my first wife

I am at present trying to piece together everything that I have had chance to see over the years in a series of Excel workbooks

but Stations in the 60's when I was a lad were places where you tried to get out of the way of staff and sit on the Brutes near the platform ends with the smell of steam and diesel mixing. The sounds of different diesels turning over of safety valves lifting the echo's from train shed roofs


Anyone with a working Tardis???????????????

Tardis? good one mate dont we all wish we had one of those!!!
Regards
Phil

I agree.......

Station atmospheres went when steam did.

Hot sunny days at Harwich Town station in the late 1950's.
Mainly N2 and N7 tanks simmering quietly at the head of a four rake maroon sets of carriages. No water column so if the tanks wanted topping up it was done by a hosepipe from a tap. In the afternoon sunlight it was also possible to see the letters LNER on the tank sides under the BR black paint.
Three wheel Scammel custard and cream liveried delivery wagons loading at the goods yard.
Everything was laid back and relaxed and there was a unique smell that, sadly, I can't describe but can still recall around the whole station.
Gosh - I'm waxing lyrical but sadly sights and sounds that have gone forever.
Peter4447

Not in the minds of those who were around in those days. We know well what you are describing.
mickey

I agree with DaveJ re Gotherington Halt. On a sunny late afternoon in July 2010 I arrived there from Toddington with my bike pushed by 7903. I sat down for a few minutes to soak in the surroundings. It was uplifting.
Occasionally my mother would come to meet me at York and she was amazed at the silence. She remembered staion as noisy and dirty places with steam engines blowing off and large crowds struggling to get on the trains with heavy luggage. That atmosphere of travel has largely gone due to diesels and electrics. I think I would go for Waterloo at rush hour to get the buzz.

It was the train of course which was pushed not my bike which was had been on the train!