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Page contents © D Swan 2006
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These recordings are intended primarily as a
supplement to the photographs on this site. However, I hope that some of them do stand as works in their own right.
The recordings should, in any case, provide a bit of audible atmosphere to go along with the photographs. I hope also,
that with practice, the quality will continue to improve! Happy listening.
Instructions
The sound files are arranged in chronological
order with a listing at the top of the page summarising all the recordings. It is then just a matter of scrolling down
the page to find the date of the recording in which you are interested. After a short description is a box containing
a summary of the recording including time and size of the file and a thumbnail of the action if available. I`ve tried
to keep the files at a manageable size for all users to avoid major downloads but the trade off is a slight loss in quality.
All files are in mp3 format sampled at 64kbs.
In the summary box is a large CLICK TO PLAY link.
Click the link to launch the track in your default media player (ie Windows Media Player (WMP), the track should load and
play. Do ensure that your media player is configured to play mp3 files. In WMP go Tools/Options/File Types and
tick mp3. If that fails you can right click on the CLICK TO PLAY link, this will bring up a standard Windows dialogue
where you can select 'Save Target As' (Internet Explorer), 'Save Link As' (Firefox). Selecting this option will bring
up another standard Windows 'Save As' box. You can then choose where you want to save the file; you can then download
the file and play it in your chosen media player whenever you like!
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UPDATE 2011:
As stated above these recordings were originally intended just to add some atmosphere to the photographs. However, some
of them now appear of quite poor quality and have been removed.
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Index of Sound Recordings 2006
14 January 2006 34067 Tangmere Brookwood Station 01 April 2006 48151 &5690 Leander Beaconsfield and 'on
board'. 29 April 2006 60009 Union of South
Africa Woking Jct & 'Surrey Hills' 07
June 2006 45231 The Sherwood Forester nr Shoreham, Kent 24 June 2006 6024 King Edward I at Crofton, Wiltshire 09 July 2006 71000 Duke of Gloucester Winchfield Station 13 July 2006 45231 The Sherwood Forester Winchfield Station (2 runs) 02 August 2006 71000 Duke of Gloucester Basingstoke Station 11 October 2006 45231 The Sherwood Forester Salisbury &
The Test Valley (2 runs) 25 November 2006 71000
Duke of Gloucester Theale 05 December 2006
45231 The Sherwood Forester Salisbury and Westbury 21
December 2006 71000 Duke of Gloucester Winchfield
14 January 2006 Thoroughly miserable weather at a lunchtime visit to Worting Junction for this tour had
me hoping for a better trip to Brookwood Station for the return leg of this VSOE tour to Southampton E Docks. It had
eventually stopped raining for this booked stop, although Tangmere didn't take on any water. We hear plenty of
whistle as the loco gets underway and soon passes us. We can still hear the loco as the '66' passes on the rear
of the train, but then some service trains pass and we lose the sound from 34067. Not a great recording but
I hope adds to the photo.
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34067 Tangmere, Brookwood Station, 14 January 2006
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01 April 2006
On the centenary of Chiltern Railways, LMS locomotives 8F no 48151
and 5XP 'Jubilee' no 5690 Leander hauled a series of shuttles between High Wycombe and London Marylebone on April
1st and 2nd. Featuring 5690 and 48151 'top and tailing' this series of recordings has action from Beaconsfield on 1st
April and some 'on train' recordings from a journey along the route. On a day of blustery winds, heavy showers and crowded
platforms, conditions were challenging as usual, but I hope some of the atmosphere comes across.
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5690, again on the 12:15 gets underway from Gerrards
Cross setting off alarms and exciting the crowd. The blustery conditions and train speed eventually get the better of
my woefully inadequate wind shield.
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Leaving Beaconsfield on the 15:15 ex Marylebone
5690 gets underway before the 8F appears to give it a shove. Some onlookers seem oblivious to the delightful sound of
the distant train.
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48151 gets away from Beaconsfield on the 13.25
ex High Wycombe. In our position at the far end of the car park this powerful loco goes thundering past as the sound
echoes around the cutting. Compare the sound of the 8F to Leander as the latter heads by at the rear of
the train.
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On the last train of the day 48151 leads 5690 into
Beaconsfield with 16.25 ex High Wycombe.
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29 April 2006 A couple of recordings here as LNER A4 Class no 60009 Union of South Africa takes on
the Surrey Hills on this VSOE circular tour from London Victoria. The first track has 60009 heading through Woking Junction.
We get plenty of whistle as the A4 winds itself up before passing under the bridge where we are, heading for Worplesdon
and Guildford. Lots of people at this location but you get the idea. Secondly, following a Shalford water stop,
we join 60009 as it heads through the North Downs on the long climb towards Gomshall. Various aircraft are overhead as
we hear a distant whistle, but the noise fades away as 60009 comes by. With the sound carrying quite well we hear
the loco for some time as it continues to climb towards Gomshall including another distant whistle towards the end of
the recording.
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60009 Union of South Africa, Woking Junction, 29 April
2006
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60009 Union of South Africa, nr Albury, 29 April 2006
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07 June 2006 A visit to Kent finds us near Shoreham waiting for 45231 The Sherwood Forester. Although
climbing just before passing us, 45231 creeps up quietly and we hardly hear the feeble whistle as it approaches a crossing.
Sounding slightly muted the loco soon passes and we hear it heading away towards Otford for a moment. This was a Cathedrals
Express tour from London Victoria to Canterbury and return.
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45231 The Sherwood Forester nr Shoreham 07 June 2006
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24 June 2006 A lovely still and sunny morning in rural Wiltshire. We are in the shade by the Kennet
and Avon canal near to the Crofton Pumping Station. 6024 KEI is charging up the climb from Bedwyn with this Steamy
Affairs tour from Willesden to Bristol and return. As 6024 passes a shrill whistle distorts the sound briefly, but there is still some noise to hear and a good impression of the
power of this fine locomotive.
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6024 King Edward I at Crofton 24 June 2006
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09 July 2006 A trip to Winchfield enables us to catch up with No. 71000 Class 8P Duke of Gloucester.
71000 was at Winchfield for a water stop on the outward leg of this Cathedrals Express tour from Clapham Junction
to Exeter and return. 71000 whistles and makes a sprightly departure. This immensely powerful loco is fully
capable of hauling this train unaided but is perhaps getting some assistance from noisy Class 31 No. 31602
at the rear. We still pick up DofG again before it is lost in the ambient noise.
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71000 Duke of Gloucester Winchfield 09 July 2006
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13 July 2006 A rare chance to catch some midweek daytime action as 45231 The Sherwood Forester stops
for water at Winchfield with this Cathedrals Express tour from London Victoria to Bristol and return. Two tracks
here, the first has 45231 departing Winchfield following its stop. Plenty of whistle, now seemingly in full working
order, and lots of power as the loco heads past us and away towards Hook. We hear the loco for a short time before a
through down express passes and 45231 is lost to the drone of the nearby M3. Secondly, on a perfect summer evening, still at Winchfield, we catch a brief moment of the 'Black 5' cruising
along nicely as it heads back to London on the return leg.
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45231 The Sherwood Forester departs Winchfield
13 July 2006
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45231 The Sherwood Forester passes Winchfield
13 July 2006
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02 August 2006 From our position in the North Yard Car Park we can hear 71000 Duke of Gloucester
standing in Platform 4 at Basingstoke Station. The car park is an exposed location on a wet and windy summer
evening, and the breeze is evident as 71000 departs for Clapham Junction on the return leg of this Steam Dreams, 'Sunny
South Special' to Weymouth. At about 10.30pm and running nearly an hour late 71000 makes smooth progress through
the junction towards Hook. We can hear the locomotive getting up to speed for a short time after the train has passed.
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71000 Duke of Gloucester departs Basingstoke 02 August
2006
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11 October 2006 Following the run of 45231 to Minehead
on 30 September, this Cathedrals Express tour ran from Minehead to Salisbury. At Salisbury a Class 47
would take the tour back to Minehead with the 'Black 5' running 'light engine' to the Mid-Hants Railway.
The tour included a steam hauled loop from Salisbury via Romsey and Southampton. I happened to be free in the afternoon
and Steam Dreams confirmed there was space onboard for the loop for a reduced price. 45231 arrived at Platform
4, Salisbury, just a few minutes behind schedule and I managed to secure a window about four carriages back from the
loco. The first recording here is actually a compilation of four recordings identified by fades in the recording.
We hear 45231 get underway from Salisbury, then a trip through the city. Next, having cleared the city and Salisbury
Tunnel we head out on clear track as 45231 gets up to speed. Finally, the loco gives a stirring performance
as it climbs to Alderbury Junction.
The
second track here is taken on the return leg, up the Test Valley, just after passing Romsey. In this (all to) brief
clip nr Dunbridge, 45231 heads up towards Alderbury again.
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45231 The Sherwood Forester Salisbury
11 October 2006
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45231 The Sherwood Forester Test Valley
11 October 2006
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25 November 2006
The outward leg of this Cathedrals Express tour from
London Victoria to Bristol and return found us in a thunderstorm west of Reading. With 71000 off the power following
a service train I just had a recording of thunder. I was more hopeful for the return leg with 71000 getting away from
a water stop at Theale. 71000 arrived at Theale some two hours down due to brake failure on the Class 31 at the rear
of the train. A further delay was caused when the fire tender had to go for more water to replenish D of G. In
danger of losing its route back to Victoria due line closures at around 22.00, 71000 eventually gets underway some 2 1/4 hours
down at around 9.15pm, on what is by now a clear and cold evening. First we hear a car buzzing past on the wet road
before 71000 whistles its departure some half mile west of our location. Soon we hear another car speed by, this time
carrying an enthusiast rushing to take up his position. 71000 picks up speed but slips as it comes by, with I believe,
coal pusher in operation. The loco continues its run towards Reading passing under the M4 before we hear a final whistle
in the distance in this dramatic recording. The tour was eventually terminated at Staines before returning with the
ECS to Alton at around midnight.
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71000 Duke of Gloucester nr Theale 25 November 2006
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05 December 2006 With gale force winds sweeping the UK and just a bit of old cushion cover to wrap around
my microphone I didn't hold out much hope for some main line action behind 45231 The Sherwood Forester.
This was a Cathedrals Express tour that should have run from London Victoria to Bristol and return.
However, due to engineering work the trip only ran as far as Westbury. At Westbury the loco would return to Salisbury
tender first, climbing to Upton Scudamore. 45231 would then take the tour back to Westbury again before returning to
London via Salisbury. We join the trip on the first run from Salisbury to Westbury. 45231 has assistance available
from Class 73 Diesel no. 73107 running 'inside' (behind) 45231 to Westbury and banking at the rear of train on the
return to Salisbury. The first track has the departure from Salisbury, a slight slip but soon underway. Secondly,
getting upto speed on the climb to Wilton. The third track here includes a big slip from 45231 near Wilton. We
lose the loco as the track fades but the edit fades in again, very windswept now, but showing everything is okay, about a
minute after the slip, with 45231 working hard heading for Upton Scudamore and Westbury.
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45231 The Sherwood Forester departs Salisbury
05 December 2006
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45231 The Sherwood Forester West of Salisbury
05 December 2006
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45231 The Sherwood Forester nr Wilton
05 December 2006
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Next we join the trip on the first run back to Salisbury, attacking
the Upton Scudamore climb, tender first, with little or no help from banking loco 73107. We're just one coach back from
45231 here. The climb is divided into two tracks, the first has 45231 departing Westbury and getting upto speed.
The second track has 45231 making good progress right to the top of climb hauling about 10 coaches with perhaps the '73' pulling
its own weight. About halfway through the track a service train rushes past heading downhill towards Westbury.
At the top of the climb the loco is heard speeding up on the easier grade and lets out a short whistle. Considering
the conditions, which certainly do nothing to enhance this rather windswept recording, this is a reasonable record of 45231
on this climb.
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45231 The Sherwood Forester departs Westbury
05 December 2006
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45231 The Sherwood Forester nr Upton Scudamore
05 December 2006
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21 December 2006 In freezing temperatures and dense fog 71000 Duke of Gloucester called at Winchfield
for water on the return leg of this Cathedrals Express tour from London Victoria to Winchester and Eastleigh.
The loco was running about 25 minutes late and sandwiched between two service trains. The support crew worked like Trojans
in the dark and the freezing fog and did a fantastic job in 'turning' the loco around. We are just beyond
the end of the 'up' platform as the tender pump shuts off and crew call 'that's it'. After
a short edit about a minute we hear 71000 whistle (with slight distortion again) before making an effortless departure towards
Fleet. We hear the loco for a short time as the tender crew pack up their gear.
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71000 Duke of Gloucester Winchfield
21 December 2006
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