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| Ancestor Gateway Forum - STAMFORD MEMORIES GATEWAY (Lincolnshire England) used as PRIDE and PREJUDICE FILM SET | New Topic | Search |
| Thread Topic: Seaton Flyer Topic Originator: Vic Post Date November 22, 2005 @ 8:59 AM |
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| Vic |
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I remember one cold January morning in the late 1950’s standing on Platform 3 of the town railway station waiting for the little train we called “The Seaton Flyer”. It was to take me away for two years while I trained to be a teacher. The train no longer draws up to Platform 3 although you can still clearly see where the track used to be.I think it stopped being used sometime in the late 60’s. This little train would shuttle backwards and forwards ( maybe twice a day ) to the station at Seaton for people to connect with trains going across country - in my case Rugby. As far as I can remember the train had one carriage.This was of the type that had separate compartments with no corridor - so once you were in the compartment,that was it until you reached your destination ! Kate: Thanks for that Vic. Anyone else remember "The Seaton Flyer"? Or do you have anecdotes about Stamford's two railway stations or the trains that ran? We would like to hear from you. |
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| Nigel Cross |
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I remember the Seaton Flyer. As a train spotter in those days, i used to frequent Stamford station, especially on a Sunday night to see the 'Britannia Class' engine come into the station. Kate: Thanks Nigel. Any other "retired" train spotters? If so, do you remember the Seaton Flyer or the 'Britannia Class' engine come into the station? I am a bit out of my depth on this one and just remembering asking where the train was going several times to make sure I got the right one. Once I sat there and watched the train I needed departing before I realised it was mine and the last one back from Peterborough to Stamford that evening. |
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| Kevin |
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Seaton Flyer, aka Seaton Rabbit, normally had two non-corridor coaches. Ran to Seaton to connnect with Peterborough-Rugby trains and also the small branch to Uppingham. Britannias turned up at Stamford very late in the steam era; they were displaced from the Liverpool Street - Norwich service and put out to grass at March. Commonest sighting at Stamford was on the 8 o'clock (or therabouts) morning service to Leicester and the return about 8 o'clock in the evening. Also seen on the occasional freight turn. Kate: Thanks for that Kevin. Adding knowledge to any item very welcome. |
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| John Tyers |
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This was in steam days what was called an "auto train". The driver actually controlled the train steam regulator and braking from the end compartment of the coach and was in contact with the fireman working the engine on the footplate. A fail safe system operated by tablet exchange between Luffenham Junction and Seaton signalbox ensured only one train was on the single line between those two points. When I was young the engines were ex LNWR Webb 2-4-2Ts and later ex LTS 4-4-2Ts and then British Rail standard 2-6-2Ts. Purely as an aside Uppingham station was repainted just three months before final closure of the branch! Kate: Hi John. Thanks so much for your contribution. |
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| Jim Hussey |
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I also remember the Seaton Flyer. It was a vital link in our Stamford to Holyhead leg on our visits to see my Gran in the Irish Republic. This was in the late fifties /early sixties. On one memorable occasion we even had a trip to Uppingham and back as part of the return journey. Happy Days. Jim Hussey |
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| Mike Laughton |
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Seeing the Seaton Flyer coming to and from Stamford Station is one of the vividest memories from my childhood. You used to get a terrific view of the train from Stamford Meadows (what we used to call the third meadow) near the iron footbridge. What made the Seaton Flyer so special was that it was a Puffing Billy "pull and push" train where the the engine actually travelled backwards as well as forwards with the carriages sometimes in front of the engine. It passed through Ketton station and Morcott Tunnel on its way to Seaton station where you could join a train going over the Welland Viaduct. Can anyone remember exactly when the Seaton Flyer stopped running? Was it around the time of the Beeching cuts in 1961? Anyone have any photos of the Seaton Flyer? |
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| Lynda |
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I too remember this train when I was a young girl, with my family on our way to Heysham to catch the boat to Belfast. The carriages were very dark and no corridors. I also remember the ladies toilet at Seaton station, the toilet bowl was of the willow pattern design. I often wonder if it was incorporated in the house after the station closed. |
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| Brian Pratt |
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The Seaton to Stamford shuttle changed from steam to diesel change from steam to diesel was 4/10/1965 with final closure on 6 June 1966.- for it's last week it was the last steam push and pull train in Britain. The steam engine used to be supplied by Leicester engine shed - most likely outstationed at Market Harborough. I can recall seeing tank engine no 84008 here in March 1965 whilst en-route to Derby. If you google 84008 and Stamford railways there should be a couple of photos. I visited Stamford for the first time in September - lovely old town and came back to NZ with some wonderful Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese! Kate: Thanks very much Brian - I'm hoping to try some of that cheese over Christmas. I will google that number and see if I can find those photos. |
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| Kenneth Tyker |
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I have five photographs of Ivatt Class 2-6-2T No. 41212 operating the push-n-pull service in August 1965. The photographs were taken at Luffenham Junction featuring the signal box, Stamford Station and Seaton Station. If anybody is interested they can contact me at email address tylerken@live.co.uk |
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| Roger Scholes |
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Our family moved to Harringworth when I was 14 and the steam-hauled "Seaton Flyer" was in full swing. It was usually 3 coaches and ran between Seaton and Stamford several times a day. I travelled on it many times (locos were usually 2-6-2T nos 41212, 41219, 84005 or 84008). One would come light engine from Mkt Harborough early in the morning (except Sundays) and return in the evening. Names I remember were: Seaton Station Master - Jack Marshall, Driver - Alf Parsons, Fireman - John Smith from Gt Bowden, and Seaton Signalman Bernard Pridmore from Harringworth. There were occasionally others whose names I don't know. The last 2 are still alive. Referring to previous letters, there was never a link from Seaton Station to Harringworth Viaduct. You would have had to take 3 trains to do that: Seaton - Luffenham, Luffenham - Manton and Manton - Harringworth. If you started in Uppingham it was 4 trains - all to cover 2 1/2 miles as the crow flies. When the lines closed I explored the remains and also saw the willow-pattern toilet bowl. There was another at Wakerley and Barrowden station. Would they be worth something today if still in existence? When the last steam train ran to Stamford and back (October 1965) with a chalked inscription saying "Last steam push and pull", there were 11 of us on the footplate. It left Seaton to an ear-splitting barrage of detonators and carried a wreath on the front. I took some cine film of the train some months before it finished and have had a digital copy made. There are views of it at all the stations on the line and also Morcott tunnel, How wonderful it would have been to have had an i-Phone or iPad. |
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| brodie |
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do you have a copy of the film taken on the wessie at the stations as my dad was station master at luffenham from 1960 to 1966 when it closed.thanks |
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| Roger Hardingham |
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Very much liked the description of the Seaton Flyer last days. Is there any chance of seeing the cine film of the last days please/ Roger |
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| Roger Scholes |
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Sorry about late reply. My film was taken from the train and includes a shot of the driver passing the single - line token over to the signalman as the train comes off the branch from Seaton into Luffenham station. |
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| Roger Scholes |
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Of course. Sorry about the late reply. My contact address is above and I live in Ryhall. |
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| RICHARD EAST |
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I worked at Stamford station and remember Alf Parsons and John had many a ride down the branch with them.When I was on days use to catch train from Kingscliffe to Seaton to pick up first train to Stamford.I left before branch closed to move to London |
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