Intercity trains in the nineties

[Trestrol]

Found this on another forum, worth a look to see how it was just before privatisasion wrecked it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUFlV7TCUI8

[Mickey]

I guess some people will find this film interesting and probably in 10 or 20 years time it will be considered a 'period piece' nodoubt but wot i'd like to see is something simular from about 1969 or 70.

I don't take any interest in railways of the last 30 years and only watched the first 2 minutes of the above film (before i got bored) but i noticed that the 'train conductor' as they appear to call them nowadays (didn't they use to be known as 'the guard'?) had an 'American' look about him in his uniform?.

Thanks all the same for posting it TRESTROL.

[PGBerrie]

I thought that pullmans have always had conductors, but maybe I'm wrong,
Peter

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I remember the change of uniform in the very late 80's early 90's, the uniform was quite good looking except for the 'Hat' it reminded me of a Victorian Admirals hat, and vowed never to wear one, but at that time, all the inspectors were running around making everyone wear there hats.......except me mine was always to big, or to small or this or that, when I left the railway in 1991, I didn't even Have a hat, it got lost somewhere in the system

manna

[Mickey]

I thought that pullmans have always had conductors, but maybe I'm wrong,
Peter

You may well be correct Peter but i was making a more general observation about railways rather then just Pullman trains, i should have been clearer.

[hq1hitchin]

I thought that pullmans have always had conductors, but maybe I'm wrong,
Peter

You may well be correct Peter but i was making a more general observation about railways rather then just Pullman trains, i should have been clearer.

Think you'll find that Pullman trains in this country always used to have guards, who were in charge of the overall running of the train. Pullman conductors looked after the passengers comfort and the serving of food etc. Unless it has changed, the Rule Book still refers to the guard as opposed to senior conductor, train manager or whatever other 1990s trendy title Beardie and his mates come up with.

[hq1hitchin]

Try this one, young Michael:

http://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/video/ ... =11apll5dj

Guard Penn of Euston and a few of my old chums from Crewe. The ASM seen is Cyril Breeze, a good friend of mine whose first supervisory post was that of Stationmaster, Garsdale. After his death, we made a little crocodile crossing the bridge from The Junction to the church in Conwy for his funeral service.

[StevieG]

" Try this one, young Michael:

http://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/video/ ... =11apll5dj

Guard Penn of Euston .... "

Excellent film, hq1. The 'cuckoo' system, the 'lift and twist' Signal Post Telephones, Rugby signal box route-setting shown accurately - and looking if it was being done past a pair of long-gone loops; Heyford perhaps, and Rugby station's 'grander' form. Great stuff!
Although liking old methods very much (mechanical signalling et al), I much enjoyed the film's period on the WCML as well; but for different reasons.
Odd to think that although then very modern, so much therein has now changed again.

Do you happen to know which of the 'Penn's the guard was, hq1?
We had (very competent) signalman Cyril in Euston box during my '72 -'74 spell there, and I once met his apparently elder (& retired I think) and still union-linked brother George during that time.
The voice sounds like it could be right for George, but as the film could've been only 10 years earlier at most, the required ageing and change of appearance for it to be the same person could be too great.

[Mickey]

Try this one, young Michael:

Yeah good one hq1hitchin thats wot the job was like 40 odd years ago when i first started on it leaving aside the 'staged delays' in the film.

Nowadays some of those guy's would be on 'poor performance'.

[hq1hitchin]

Do you happen to know which of the 'Penn's the guard was, hq1?
We had (very competent) signalman Cyril in Euston box during my '72 -'74 spell there, and I once met his apparently elder (& retired I think) and still union-linked brother George during that time.
The voice sounds like it could be right for George, but as the film could've been only 10 years earlier at most, the required ageing and change of appearance for it to be the same person could be too great.

It was George Penn, Stevie, and he was still going when I got to Crewe in 1978 but retired not long afterwards. Cyril lived near Southend, I think. As you say, today's equipment quickly becomes tomorrows museum piece. I can remember Corkhead (Frank Hewer RIP) arranging a visit to Rugby PSB in the late 1960s and we GN types were really impressed with what we saw. Hot axle box detectors - whatever next?

[hq1hitchin]

Nowadays some of those guy's would be on 'poor performance'.

To be honest, some of them should have been even then.

[Mickey]

Did they say that the S&T linesman wasted 30 seconds before he answered the phone then he attended the fault in a couple of minutes??.

Blimey, if that was the case then that fella deservse a GOLD MEDAL.

I once faulted a S&T fault in a s/box at the end of my shift as i was at going on one weeks leave only to come back and find the S&T show up at the box 5 minutes behind me after arriving back off a weeks leave asking me "Whats wrong with the equipment that i had faulted?" (one week after it had been faulted by me!!).