Basingstoke 28.10.1983

BASINGSTOKE

(All 28.10.1983 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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Back in 1983 I was still managing to take a couple of weeks a year rail roving around the south. There was still plenty of variety and a lot of the trains were far from overcrowded (younger readers will find this odd!) My favourite three locations for variety and ease of photography were Southampton, Salisbury and Basingstoke. All had plenty of variety and it was easy to get from one to the other, following the sun if it was shining.

On October 28th 1983 Basingstoke produced a nice variety of electric and diesel trains, including loco hauled of course. 33s and 50s were commonplace, as were 47s. The bottom picture even saw a blue liveried Hampshire unit still up and running.

This scene quickly changed within a few years as BR vanished and more and more loco hauled trains were handed over to units. But all three locations are still interesting in 2016, and of course a lot busier than they were back in 1983.

Weymouth 25.10.1983

WEYMOUTH

(All pics 25.10.1983 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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Weymouth was always a fascinating rail destination back in the 70s and 80s, with its ancient wooden buildings, the remains of its suburban network down to Portland, the disused miniature railway at Radipole Lake and, of course, the famous Weymouth Tramway, which saw mainline trains being hauled through the streets of the town.

Not long after I took these shots of the wooden station at Weymouth it was demolished and a smart station put in its place. Soon after the Tramway would fall into gradual disuse, though of course the track remains and the line looks like it will soon be running again, albeit as a heritage line.

In 1983 the main line was still diesel worked with class 33s pulling 4-TC sets, which continued to Waterloo from Bournemouth behind electric units. It was a smooth operation, all swept away with electrification. This line had of course been the last steam main line in the UK, with steam lasting until 9 July 1967. Weymouth's other route was the winding and scenic line through Dorchester West, up through Yeovil and on to Castle Cary, on its uppers in 1983 but now getting busier year on year.

I seemed to always be tired at Weymouth, it being just about the furthest place I could visit on a Southern Rover or Runabout Rover ticket - but every time I had a ticket I always found my way there!

weymouth 1983

(All copyright Rail Thing. 25.10.1983)

This was Weymouth's old station back in 1983. Weymouth was all diesel back then and still had a lot of steam infrastructure - this was the country terminus of Britain's last steam worked main line of course, steam ending in 1967. There were trains from Waterloo running as diesel push pull from Bournemouth, and also a sparse service on the Castle Cary route. There was still at this time a service on the Weymouth Tramway. I never quite got used to the sight of a class 33 pulling a long train through the narrow streets - despite this being commonplace in Switzerland, my other main stamping ground back then.

salisbury 1983

(All 27.10.1983)

Salisbury was always a favourite photographic location for me. In the 80s, like today, it was exclusively diesel operated, but still had very much a steam and 60s atmosphere. Of course back then I regretted missing the steam period, but then I reckon we all feel we were born a few decades too late!

The point is - get down there and photograph everything that goes through NOW - it's even easier with digital photograpy. Nothing stays around long on the railways, or stays the same. One thing is for certain - in thirty years time there'll be no diesels at Salisbury. All trains will be electric or steam!

class 33s

Two shots of class 33s at Basingstoke on 28.10.1983. Top is 33 017, bottom is 33 048 on probably a Salisbury passenger train. This was (and no doubt still is) an excellent ocation for record shots, with a lot of traffic coming through.

80s weymouth

(All 25.10.1983)

This was Weymouth as it was in 1983. It was still unelectrified then of course, and most trains were locomotive hauled. There were (and are) lines to Bournemouth and Castle Cary, with a fairly sparse service back in the 80s. The station building wasn't very impressive back then, the town deserved much better.

The station is situated very well for the town and beach and this line has got much busier since the 80s. Sadly, for now at least, the Weymouth Tramway lies disused, but in situ. Restoration as a tramway has been mooted and this would be a huge asset for the town, especially if it was extended along the seafront

the atmosphere thing

(27.10.1983)

It doesn't always work, but sometimes an atmosphere shot works better than a straight record shot. The above was pretty radical for me in the days when every shot cost money! This was Littlehampton station before the big rebuild, a gloomy place made almost entirely of wood. I used it almost every day from 1967 to 1972 when I was at school in Worthing, and this out the window view was very familiar. I caught it on a foggy day in October 1983 and this is one of my favourite atmosphere shots.