Childhood travel memories

[whole diary]

[bradshaw]

As far as I can recall it was Brighton, Fareham, Southampton, Salisbury, Exeter, Okehampton, Plymouth. Used to see it through Crewkerne in the early 1960s

[hoover50]

Can somebody remind me of the route of the Brighton to Plymouth? Went to Plymouth a couple of times on it, I presume I would have got on at Havant (?).

I remember this running through the 1980's on Saturdays only. The route was Brighton - Chichester - Havant - Fareham - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids

The usual traction was a single class 33 "Crompton" diesel locomotive but on Summer Saturdays it was often double-headed as extra coaching stock was added to the formation. On a few odd occasions there was even a relief train which ran a few minutes before it.

[grahame]

Can somebody remind me of the route of the Brighton to Plymouth? Went to Plymouth a couple of times on it, I presume I would have got on at Havant (?).

I remember this running through the 1980's on Saturdays only. The route was Brighton - Chichester - Havant - Fareham - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids

The usual traction was a single class 33 "Crompton" diesel locomotive but on Summer Saturdays it was often double-headed as extra coaching stock was added to the formation. On a few odd occasions there was even a relief train which ran a few minutes before it.

Didn't it run with Hastings Diesel units at one time, when they were spare on Saturdays from commuter duties?

[PhilWakely]

Can somebody remind me of the route of the Brighton to Plymouth? Went to Plymouth a couple of times on it, I presume I would have got on at Havant (?).

I remember this running through the 1980's on Saturdays only. The route was Brighton - Chichester - Havant - Fareham - Southampton - Salisbury - Exeter St Davids

The usual traction was a single class 33 "Crompton" diesel locomotive but on Summer Saturdays it was often double-headed as extra coaching stock was added to the formation. On a few odd occasions there was even a relief train which ran a few minutes before it.

Didn't it run with Hastings Diesel units at one time, when they were spare on Saturdays from commuter duties?

Yes, it did, in the early 70's. I recall one year (1971 IIRC^▸ (if I recall/remember/read correctly)) when mum and dad took us on a camping holiday in the New Forest. I was in my mid-teens and wanted to get back to Exeter early to play cricket. I pleaded with dad that I could travel back to Exeter on the train from Brockenhurst, changing trains just once - at Southampton. To my great surprise, he agreed and I was able to travel on this service.

My earliest memories of the 'Brighton' were in the mid-60s when Warships ruled the Mule services. The Summer Saturdays Only 'Brighton' saw the introduction of double-headed Cromptons and I remember spending number of Summer Saturday lunchtimes in Exwick Playing Fields (opposite Exeter St Davids) waiting for the pair of D65xx on the 'Brighton' to appear out of the tunnel and come down the bank from Central

[Bmblbzzz]

As the expression goes.... Hindsight is a wonderful thing'.

I have two major regrets in life...........

I posted way back at reply #2 about hindsight and regrets.

However, I have no regrets about being led on by my older brother and both of us being naughty little schoolboys! I am not entirely certain of the year, but it was either 1963 or 1964. We lived a couple of miles from Exmouth Junction shed and on several occasions, I recollect cycling over to the shed and leaving our bikes unchained at the entrance. Then, walking in and sneaking passed the manager's office to spot whatever was on shed at the time before sneaking out again and cycling home.

On one such occasion, 34026 'Yes Tor' was in steam on one of the shed roads, complete with driver and fireman. My brother caught the attention of the driver and naturally asked 'Can we get on the footplate please?'. The answer was 'Yes' and we were duly helped up onto the (rather warm) footplate. Much of the conversation has been lost in the mists of time, but I can remember being asked if we wanted to stay on the footplate for a ride to Exeter Central as 34026 was just about to be sent there. Two very excited youngsters eagerly said 'Yes', oblivious to the consequences of being dropped at Exeter Central and having to make our own way home. Thankfully, brother - being four years older than me - had enough money (and sense!) for us to get the train back to Polsloe Bridge Halt and walk the few hundred yards to our bikes at Exmouth Junction.

Not sure how the driver and fireman fared, but nobody seemed to bat an eyelid at Central when we got off the footplate.

It certainly doesn't sound like something that could happen now. But there is an Ian McEwan novel, written and set in the 1990s, in which the hero hitches a lift in the cab of a goods train (but is set down at or very near a level crossing rather than a station). And in real life, I have a friend who was given a lift in the cab of a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Voyager because the driver spotted her stowing her unusual bike away (I think she must have boarded during a driver changeover at BHM).

[bradshaw]

In the time before the closure of the Bridport branch a prospective teacher was travelling to Bridport for an interview at Colfox School. When the guard found out he arranged to drop him off at Bradpole Crossing, as it was nearer the school.
Unbeknown to him the head teacher had driven to the station to pick him up; however he still got the job and told me the story some years later when I was working there