Tebay WCML 1984

TEBAY

(All Tebay 16.4.1984 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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One of those 'missed opportunity' sets of pictures, in my opinion anyway! I could have made more of this location, which I passed every five weeks, but this was the only time I ever bothered. These were taken on the scenic section of the West Coast Main Line which covered similar (if less rugged) ground to its neighbour, the Settle and Carlisle, which ran about twenty miles to the east. Most of the trains were loco hauled back then of course, and I'm sure if I'd sat around for a couple of hours I'd have got a lot more!

(Interestingly ten years to the day later and not that far away my son was born four months early!)

Beddington Lane 1984

BEDDINGTON LANE

(All 18.10.1984 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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A few shots around Beddington Lane station taken on 18 October 1984. Back in 1984 this was an odd little route in south London, single track and electrified with quaint stations and running rather against the flow of commuter traffic.

It has now all been swept away and replaced by Croydon Tramlink of course.

Aigle metre gauge in 1977

The station for the three metre gauge lines was very primitive. Nowadays trains arrive at modern platforms!

The AL's rack section seen from the street running section by Aigle Depot station.

Aigle Depot.

Leysin train street running in Aigle.

AL202 at Aigle.

AOMC train on the now closed street section in Aigle.

The now closed AOMC line at Aigle - AOMC trains now continue alongside the SBB main line before picking up the original route outside Aigle.

(All pics 15.2.1977 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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My first trip to the continent in winter was in February 1977. The first port of call was Aigle with its three street running metre gauge railways, these shots were all taken on the morning of 15 February.

Forty years on there are a few changes. The old 'station' at Aigle, in 1977 just a series of sidings with a few signs, has now been replaced by a modern platformed station alongside the main SBB station. The short street running section of the Aigle-Ollon-Monthey-Champery (AOMC) has now gone, the line now follows the main line for about a kilometre out of Aigle before picking up the old route. The vehicles have gradually been replaced by more modern units, though many of the older units survive, some in service, some used on specials and a few just hanging around.

In 2017 Aigle is still a great place for the rail enthusiast to visit. All three metre gauge lines are busier than ever, and there are still a few streets in Aigle where regular passenger trains pass every hour. The main line station is thriving with plenty of locomotive hauled passenger and freight trains.

Reading 1973

READING

(All 6.8.1973 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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This was Reading on my 17th birthday. I'd only been taking pictures for just over two years so was still very much a beginner (as the photos will prove!) 

This was pre-HST of course, so all the express trains were loco hauled, mainly by class 47s and 50s. This was also pre-TOPs so they just carry 4 digit numbers. I also managed to catch a Hymek running light engine. To me back then it was just another diesel of course!

I'll use this as yet another opportunity to encourage everyone to get out and photograph everything! The more ordinary and everyday the more it will be valued in the future ...

Crowborough 1977

CROWBOROUGH

AND

JARVIS BROOK

(All 4.7.1977 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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Back in 1977 Crowborough station was an impressive place, complete with a fine array of Southern Region signage. Services were provided by first generation DEMUs and the whole place was in a bit of a time warp even then!

The station had of course been on a secondary main line until 8 years before these pics, when the Uckfield to Lewes section was inexplicably closed, converting this useful diversionary route into a long branch line, and cutting off the tradd from the south coast. Nearly 50 years later we are STILL trying to get this short 8 mile section reopened!

Isle of Grain 1984

BELUNCLE

(All pics 9.5.1984 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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A line that rarely appears in photos or on the web is the long branch to Grain. Passenger trains vanished as long ago as 1961, but the line currently sees about one train an hour carrying freight only, a mix of Freightliner and ballast trains.

Back in 1984 most freight trains were for the oil refinery at Grain, these services finishing with the closure of the refinery in 1997. It was pure luck catching this 33 hauled one at Beluncle. I'd been driving a lorry which broke down in the area and the repair garage was just along the way from the line, so whilst I was waiting for it to be repaired I thought I'd grab a few pics, within seconds the train appeared!

Snowy Rye in 1979

RYE

(All; copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing 19.2.1979) 

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On a snowy 19 February 1979 I took a trip over to the Hastings-Ashford line which was still very much a classic railway - and had even been under closure (notices were issued and posted!!) a few years earlier.

Like other stations on this line the platforms were staggered, which was something you simply didn't see over me side of Sussex (Littlehampton). I think at this time the route was still double track throughout, which helped push up costs in the attempt to close the line! This probably is why the station buildings survived all along the line as well. All in all it meant that this was a line that was a pleasure to travel on, empty trains across an empty landscape, especially on bleak winter days like this!

It's all change now with the once threatened line a major artery feeding traffic from along the crowded south coast into Ashford International station, delivering thousands of travellers on to Eurostar to Paris, Brussels and beyond.