Station Atmospheres.
 

Who remembers going on to a station platform years ago ?
The atmosphere, the smells and wondering what was going to appear next.

Fish was a main smell at the bigger stations, and mail bags, even they had a certain smell about them, but today there is virtually nothing, not long ago I went on to the platform at Milton Keynes station, just being nosey really, and there was no atmophere at all.....all rather boring really, no "short and long Toms" around to sit on, platform benches were nearly always second choice to a barrow I know times change but sadly it is not the same.

48111

Station Smells
 

"yeah", it is just not the same.

Still never mind, thank goodness for preserved railways in this case.

48111

Gotherington Halt on the Gloucester and Warwickshire is wonderful.You can sit there undisturbed,surrounded by the beautiful Cotswold hills,listening to the wildlife,with the lingering smell of the last train that passed (hopefully hauled by a Midland loco,of course !!!).
Sat there recently,on a proper wooden bench thinking how wonderful it all was,compared to the sterile modern "train stations",and had a quiet smoke without anyone complaining or getting upset that I hadn't signed in.
Times change,but not necessarily for the better.

I find Weybourne station on the North Norfolk Railway a very good place to wile away a few hours on a sunny day.

Only downside is finding a parking place.

Got to agree on this one. It was great when the whole area was open during the Gala in May. Spent a very pleasant 2 hours there wandering around.

Best wishes,

John H-T

Edinburgh Waverley always had a great atmosphere in the 70s and 80s with the strong smell of diesel coming from spluttering class 27s and on warm summer days there seemed to be a permanent blue haze under the massive glass roof. All that sadly disappeared in the 90s with units, electrics and non loco hauled trains. I'm just old enough to have some memories of Deltics moving light-engine to and from Haymarket depot through Princes St gardens to the west of the station.

I think one of the best smells in the world is a steam engine just arrived from a long run.the steam hot oil and smoke
Had a great time at Victoria when Tornado pulled in from its evening tour round Kent

One thing that really annoys me at stations these days is seeing young people sat on the back rest of a bench,with their feet on the actual seat.
I don't know why they do it but I've seen it in a lot of places.

My days were of steam in the 50's with just a hint of the wave of diesels about to surge past! 60's were a mix bag of both and I spent many a happy hour on Grantham station or Newark just to hear and smell the power of the locomotives. Our highlight was a trip out to Derby or Nottingham and to look at these now, they are not the same stations. Like 4811 said Thank god for the preserved railways!
Regards
Phil

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!