A Stock Farewell Tour

Methinks there may be more than one 'vocal lady' being bandied about...!

I was always careful when I was a member of platform staff not to refer to 'my platform' because it makes you sound like a total nonce. The other cheap gag in response was to ask the guys from Covent Garden 'how much for one of your platforms?'

Things like that stand, on a day like Saturday, need to be planned by someone who understands Aspergers Syndrome (disproportionately common and usually undiagnosed in railway enthusiasts), and the fact that for certain of the people in that scrum, making sure that they got themselves the purchase upon which they were fixated was going to remain at the top of their hierarchy of needs until they got it, at any cost! I believe it is the same logic that caused some people to decide to break rules because they really really had to have have that (absolutely average) shot of the train at Chesham or else their lives were not going to be complete.

A smaller range and insisting on cash only would have seen more people served. I pitched up, having reserved our large rack, with £125 in cash, ready. Rack one way, cash the other, done. NEXT!

I understand from the museum, incidentally, that luggage racks will be in plentiful supply at the weekend. They are out of 'full price' (ultrasonically cleaned and twice the price) ones at the moment, but the 'raw' ones are apparently not a problem. Don't all rush at once!

I must say alongside all the annoyance at Amersham, how touched I was to see one of the operating staff offer their spare wristband to a young lad just before we left Moorgate. For various reasons I think he elected to photograph the train instead (I think a few of us were willing him to see sense and take it!) but I was moved by the kind gesture. More than a few railway careers are owed to railwaymen who did a youngster a good turn!

Travelling on the Met yesterday I saw what I presume was our set 'over the back' at Neasden. Still hard to believe that no matter how long I wait at Harrow, I won't get a proper train into the city.

I saw pictures and videos from the tour and last workings in passenger service. The A stock for me is THE best train in LU history. I think that it is a great shame that no museum can give one a home to do rail tours as these fantastic units have shone as work horses.

Being from Liverpool, I missed both the last working and tour, in fact the last time I went on an A stock was 13th July. I would like to compliment LU on the organisation of the tour. I certainly doubt that Merseyrail would organise such a send off for our 507/508's.

Well done all

I travelled in car A on the farewell tour, it was good to meet and chat with the lads sitting towards the rear of the car during the afternoon, sat next to fellow forum member tubelightonline (he of the D78 blind in homemade blind box !)

Very apt for me that the tour started at Moorgate as I used to work there and use the A Stock to and from home every day. Glad to have been on this tour, shall always remember it and like others am finding it hard to believe the A Stock is no more, felt quite subdued and reflective when the tour was over.

Well done to all who helped organise it, it was a great day.

So did anybody buy anything during the tour, depite the very long waiting line?
I only bought a small luggage rack and a line diagram due to the large crowds. I will buy other things at action this weekend.

Yeah I was looking them as well but couldn't find them, so i will have to see if they have any at acton this weekend.

Here are a couple more photos taken from the bridge at Amersham last Saturday





XF

The pleasure really was all mine, I was genuinely proud to have been able to facilitate that happening. At the end of the day, just before the train stabled, the official Cameraman spoke to me and said that he had no idea that there was an industry left that still behaved like a family. He hit the nail on the head, retired or not - we are all Railwaymen.

No that was not me, it was a colleague who was also a driver at Baker Street. We were talking about it in the office today actually.

I had a spare one and thought he might like it, as you say it doesn't harm to do a good turn. I think his Gran was the lady who had trainers made out of old 'A' Stock Moquette!!
As it happens I was able to give the wristband to 'Detonator Dave' later in the day so it all worked out alright in the end.

See post #493.

Without the 74mph run at the end and if there were no detonators at Wembley, it wouldn't have been anywhere near as emotional as it was. The high speed run showed to everyone the old girl still had it in her and also the last minute decision on using detonators showed that the staff put in the effort to give a good send off.

That's the one. I can't thank you enough for helping him back.

It was one of those awkward situations. We both left the train at Chesham and split up. I saw the queue for the toilets and I did think at the time that it would be difficult for everybody to make a visit and return in time. I walked down the south end of the platform and back up to the north end before returning to coach B in good time thinking that he would be waiting for me but unfortunately that was of course not the case.

When we got to Chesham our car steward asked us all to alight as he too needed to visit the facilities. After the Acme Thunderer blew (an inspired decision whoever brought that) we all queued outside our car door with the steward nowhere in sight. A worried looking prjb appeared, and as I gestured towards the butterfly cock I was given a nod. Am I the last passenger to molest an A Stock in such a manner?

At the risk of repeating myself: