70 mins approx.

Rare archive video material from two of the north’s most popular rail watching locations, from 1988 to 1992 where we see a variety of freight and passenger trains, involving locomotives and stock that are now, sadly, just part of history.

At Warrington we see and hear the distinctive sound of class 20s on coal and Speedlink freight trains, class 47s on coal, engineers, containers, chemical and parcels services; class 31s on local trip freights appear in all sorts of guises. The electrified side of things features classes 81, 85, 86 and 87 on various freight and passenger duties and even a rare shot of 89 001 on a test train hauling five of the then Derby-based International train coaches.

Over at Doncaster, we see two class 45/0s on freight, BR-blue liveried class 31s on passenger and freight, blue 56s on long trainloads of coal hoppers, split-box ‘tractors’ – again in blue, on speeedlink trip workings, green 20030 on a light engine move to and from Immingham and rather an oddly painted class 08 shunter going about its business.

The early days of class 91s are also witnessed as we see some of their first workings through this busy station – including one example on a train of blue/grey Mark 111 sleepers. Also seen are HSTs in their original colour scheme on ECML intercity services and a South Yorkshire PTE-liveried DMU, as well as a class 31/4 on passenger.

We witness class 47s in BR-blue and early railfreight colours going about their business, in this real blast from the past!