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Train Spotting


southside

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Hello,

Some help required. On a couple of occations during the six week holidays (1959) I cycled with a school pal who was into train spotting to somewhere near the top of Duke Street? a journey he made most days to spot the engine that had hauled a certain Train in to Sheffield.

Can any one shed any light as to what was special about this Train..

Regards Southside

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It was almost certainly an LMS train either going into or coming out of Midland Station. There were 3 well known named trains - The Devonian ( Bradford - Paignton), The Thames Clyde Express ( St Pancras to Glasgow) & The Waverley ( St Pancras to Edinburgh). The Devonian to Paington left Sheffield at 11.19 am. The Thames Clyde Express going to London left Sheffield at 3.47 pm. & The Waverley at 4.45 pm. I don't have the data for when the correspionding "down" trains ran.

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Thanks Johnm, I think it was the Bernard Road area and not Duke Street as i stated. He would say he was off to see the Boat Train.

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Thanks Johnm, I think it was the Bernard Road area and not Duke Street as i stated. He would say he was off to see the Boat Train.

If you were on Bernard Rd, it is more likely you were overlooking the Old LNER/GC lines into Victoria.

You mention the Boat Train, this could possible be "The European" from Harwich Parkestone Quay to Glasgow, which at that time I believe still followed the old LNER route through Victoria.

After Victoria and Woodhead closed it was rerouted via the Midland line into Sheffield Midland, then reversed and took the Hope Valley route to Manchester.

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Thanks Johnm, I think it was the Bernard Road area and not Duke Street as i stated. He would say he was off to see the Boat Train.

I think, southside, that in 1959 the 'North Country Continental' was referred to as the boat train which ran from Parkeston Quay to Liverpool Central via Sheffield Victoria. It was usually hauled from PQ by a March Sandy B17 loco which was the attraction and the engine would be changed for an electric EM2 at Victoria. I believe that the train was cut back to Manchester Piccadilly sometime later.

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There's a comprehensive and interesting thread on the 'Continental' here guys

http://www.lner.info...rain-t2182.html

I'm araid I've never heard of 'The European' Stuart

Having said that Stuart, I have noticed a post on the above link that refers to 'The European' as follows, so there you go!

It turns out that in May '83 the Boat Train (now Harwich to Glasgow/Edinburgh) gained an official title - "The European", so end of the North Country Continental ... 1885 to 1983, not a bad run! I've just checked available trains and there's now no apparent direct connection from Harwich to Glasgow, the minimum number of changes required being 3 so, presumably, "The European" is no longer either.

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Having said that Stuart, I have noticed a post on the above link that refers to 'The European' as follows, so there you go!

It turns out that in May '83 the Boat Train (now Harwich to Glasgow/Edinburgh) gained an official title - "The European", so end of the North Country Continental ... 1885 to 1983, not a bad run! I've just checked available trains and there's now no apparent direct connection from Harwich to Glasgow, the minimum number of changes required being 3 so, presumably, "The European" is no longer either.

Thanks Old Rowley

I remember the "European" from the mid Eighties, which fits in with your posts.

Are there still any "Boat Trains"

I suppose Ferry travel by foot and rail is a diminishing market.

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I have been a follower of Sheffield History for many years but this topic caught my eye. For many years in my teens, I sat on the wall at Bernard Road after cycling from Brightside Sheds to overlook the Victoria Station. I am talking about the years from about 1958 to 1965 and the main centre of attraction was the Master Cutler with a Brittania Pacific hauling it. I have never heard of the "European", after my time?

It is amazing that so much interest has been stirred with the visit of the Tornado to Sheffield; every Saturday morning a pal and I cycled from Firth Park to Doncaster and back and we saw the majority of the Pacifics at one time or another. Spoilt? Great days.

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I just found this old thread. Here are a couple of photos that will bring back memories for any former Bernard Road trainspotters!

Bernard Road 1.jpg

Bernard Road 3.jpg

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Those who were Train Spotting in the 1960's and 1970's might find the Northern Counties Transport Society website of interest.   The club ran mainly road coach excursions  for train spotters, picking up at Sheffield, throughout the 1970s.   Quite a lot of nostagia about Train Spotting in the website.

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