Birmingham New Street

In 1986 my journey with following trains began again, my father was always into trains but when he passed when I was 8 years old, I was too young really to be going to locations on my own. at 14 years old I began to venture out on my own. My saturdays consisted of catching the bus into Birmingham and spending my day on the platforms of New Street station. Normally at the south end of platform 6/7. A trip to Duddeston and a walk down the hill to Saltley, then back up the hill to get the train to Bescot and back again to New Street. A few trips to Wolverhampton or Birmingham International to ride behind different varieties of traction. In those days there was such a variety, Class 31, 45, 47, 50, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87 and later on 90's. Along with locomotives a big variety of units too, first generation DMU's a plenty, EMU's, Class 304, 310, 312 then later 317's and 321's.

The station has gone through a huge transition to the edifice it is now, some love it some hate it, but in the end, things change, to some for the worse and others for the best. New Street now is clean, well lit and is almost like a shopping mall. A long way away from the dirty smelly, dingy dark place it used to be. However that being said, it was the best days of my life spent with hundreds of others waiting for the next train to arrive at the platform.

I have not spent any time at New Street recently, so I will go one of these days to see whats on offer now. Pendolinos, Voyagers and units I expect.

Below is a list of some of the trains that were seen and at the bottom a gallery of photos.

New paragraph

New paragraph

Visit date 20/02/1987

31 - 31287 31414 31418 31435

47 - 47479

58 - 58004

81 - 81020

86 - 86103 86217 86247

87 - 87010 87034

101 - 59114

105 - 53813

115 - 51851 51853 59375

116 - 53052 53055 53064 53070 53071 53075 53078 53095 53098 53103 53109 53111 53116 53833 53880 53903 53913 53914

118 - 51323 59475

121 - 54281

127 - 59611 59621 59626 59643 59647

150 - 150112

Plus many coaches