A love of all things trains, a beginning.

Hello there

Having been born in the mid-seventies, the Railway has always been an integral part of my life. I remember at an early age one of my cousins Leslie, having a model railway at his home. When I saw this as a young boy I was instantly hooked. All things railways and trains. I remember my first Hornby train set a class 58 freight set and I had a little black steam engine, nope cannot remember exactly what is was.. When living in Porchester, Hampshire I became really intrigued about the real thing. At the bottom of the estate in which we lived, the Portsmouth to Southampton line was situated there. I could always hear the trains as they passed along the bottom of the estate. Even from inside our house. The wheels almost hopping along the tracks, almost thudding on the rails and sleepers. I loved to head down to the grass bank and watch the trains go by. I could lay down for hours on the raised grass bank as the trains thundered along. They were fondly called Doodlebugs back then. Certainly, in my family anyway. My Grandma lived in St Deny’s, Southampton and so when we visited her, we nearly always took the train from Portchester station to St Denys station. The trains always had the same smell, then I thought it was normal, but now not so much. Of course, then you could smoke on trains, so there was always that dank smell. I remember the discarded cigarette butts pressed into the small metal extinguishing pots, attached to the seats or the arm rests. The smell of human waste, deposited from the trains on to the tracks. You could even see the waste on the ballast between the sleepers. The ‘no flushing in the station’ notices in the toilets on the train, largely ignored. Despite this I loved travelling on trains, I still do today. Then I loved that you could push or pull down the window and look out to see the train travelling along the meandering tracks. Obviously then you could, you weren’t meant to, but you just had to mind your head, looking out for trackside furnishing, bridges and tunnels whooshing by. That unique feel of the wind on your face. Never mind about ‘mind the gap’ more ‘mind your head’ Thinking about the sounds and smells brings back so many memories. The slamming of the train doors, they weren’t electronic like they are today. The gradual roar of the diesel engine and the smell of the fuel, from the exhaust pipes. The conductor and his calls to those on the platform, waiting for other trains. His whistles to get the attention of the waiting public. Then, I do not remember female staff working on the railway, but now thankfully our society is so much more diverse and embracing when it comes to employment. I just always associated men to the role of conductor and driver back then. The blowing of the whistle and the sound of the trains audible warning, again that sound was so unique. The sound of the station announcer, which you could mimic by squeezing your nose. ‘The train now standing at Platform One is the 9 o’clock to Southampton Central, calling at’ I knew the stations from Portsmouth Harbour to St Deny’s off by heart, even then as a young boy 3 or 4 years old. Sitting in the carriage, be it open class or being lucky enough to sit in a closed compartment, like that you see in the Harry Potter films on the Hogwarts Express. We were a family of 6, so we just about fitted in. Our cases or bags above our heads on the metal racks. The feel of the seats, like soft suede, but often quite dirty. The sliding vestibule door pulled shut to give us privacy, these areas were always on a first come first served basis, but it felt special, like first class to be in this part of the train. The trains were mostly 2 or 3 carriage DMU’s. Diesel Multiple Units and in time with upgrades to third rail power came the introduction of EMU’S. Electric Multiple Units. Yeah, I loved the trains and would always record the numbers, eventually by my early teens considering myself a trainspotter. I would spend free time at weekends and in school holidays, stood on St Deny’s station. I would walk there from home, which was in Shirley, Southampton then. Sometimes I would even hop on the train to Eastleigh, trying to catch a glimpse of any locomotives in the depot and storage yard. I had a friend called Matthew, we met through Church and went to secondary school together playing in a brass band together. When Matthew had learned to drive, we would go to Eastleigh and we could get a bit closer to the storage yard and maintenance area, sneaking down those numbers. Yes, I was a trainspotter and Matthew and his brother Andrew were the first friends I had with the same love. They also had a model railway at home, so I would alway enjoy a visit to their house. Their parents were always so kind and welcoming. We would travel together to other places around the country. Spending days travelling on the then Network South East trains in and around London. The travel card day out, bombing about on the London Underground. Fond memories of travelling on the then very bouncy and wobbly Waterloo and City Line. Using other lines to the main stations or depots to secure the numbers from passenger and freight trains. Passing the main yards in London. Pocketbooks full of numbers. My absolute favourite locomotive has always been the Class 55, Deltics. I was fortunate enough to have seen them then, mostly used on Special Charter Trains. My favourite operational locomotive was always the Class 47 Brush, Matthew, Andrew, and I often called them spoons. I don't know why. I also really liked the Class 33's Cromptons, they were well associated with the Hampshire area, though at that time, sadly they were mostly withdrawn, but you would still see them working in yards or stored off the main lines. You had to be on your toes to see stuff. It was always great fun to be hauled by the Class 47, still is today. A work horse really of the UK rail network. I was fortunate enough to have travelled on the intercity trains, Class 43 (125 HST hauled or the Class 47. We travelled to open days around the country, I remember visiting Crewe Depot, taking an early morning intercity train, Class 47, Southampton to Birmingham New Street, via Reading turn around. I became quite fond of the then British Rail Bacon and Tomato Breakfast roll. The smell of the bacon from the buffet car filled the carriages. In fact, it was always a traditional start to any day out on the trains. We would often travel to Wales, Cardiff from Southampton. Travelling on the ‘Sprinters’ and ‘Super Sprinters when they weep introduced to service. We would bounce about locally in Wales on the trains, and we would also go to Bristol Temple Meads, to catch sight of the intercity trains, travelling to London and beyond on the West Coast Line. They were good old days them. By my later teens, I was working, and I had other interests, which took me away from Trainspotting, but I have always remained fond of the railway and travelling on trains.

Today in my late 40’s my passion for trains is re invigorated. What with recent events and big changes in personal circumstances, I have found more time to enjoy the railway again. I have found it to be a real help with my mental health, an escape. Travelling on trains and photographing my adventures, some with my family and some just on my own. I have also begun to collect model railway again. I hear this story quite often, but I sold all mine or passed stuff off to my siblings for their children, when I was younger and no longer needed it. Wish I had kept it all. Unfortunately, due to our current living situation, I am not able to put together a model lay out, so my bits and pieces are all boxed up, for when I can start the big build. (Hopefully coming Soon) Plans afoot.

I’ve have created this website and my FACEBOOK page, to make a record of my adventures and experiences on the Railway today. To share photographs, I’ve taken and document journeys I have made. This is a hobby for me, something that helps me mentally and indeed physically, something I love. I do not consider myself to be an expert or even an enthusiast, this is just me (Bungle is my nickname) sharing my love of all thing’s trains.

So this is my first blog, an introduction. I hope you enjoy my website as it develops and feel free to give me a follow, like on my Facebook page, Bungle’s All Things Trains. https://www.facebook.com/bunglestrainadventures.

Thank you.

Ben

(Bungle)