During the 1980s, I spent a lot of my time riding around the British Rail network, mainly chasing Class 40s and then Class 50s, but also seeing and riding behind a number of other classes. I made a number of tape recordings at the time - many from the front window, some from the platform - using my trusty 'ghetto-blaster' or 'boom box' - and now these recordings can finally be heard :)

Here we have a short medley of the Sulzer Class 25s, familiarly termed 'Rats' back in the day :) These were recorded from the platform at Preston & Stafford in August & October 1986. In the first track, recorded on 9th Aug we hear 25201 arriving at Preston station on a southbound Red Star parcels train - the cab door shuts (perhaps a crew change) before the loco continues its journey. This is followed by 25323, also at Preston but on 15th Oct, passing through again southbound but this time light diesel (L.D.) on its way to pick up the ECS from 1P19 (according to my original log book :) And in the final track, we hear 25035 as it potters through Stafford on 16th Oct at the head of a permanent way (P.W.) train.

327 Class 25s, also known as the Sulzer Type 2s, were built by BR at Darlington Works, Derby Works and by Beyer, Peacock and Company of Manchester between 1961 and 1967. They performed countless unsung duties on the BR network until their final withdrawal in Mar 1987.

'Rats' from the platform - Class 25s 25201 & 25323 at Preston, 25035 at Stafford - Aug/Oct 1986

During the 1980s, I spent a lot of my time riding around the British Rail network, mainly chasing Class 40s and then Class 50s, but also seeing and riding behind a number of other classes. I made a number of tape recordings at the time - many from the front window, some from the platform - using my trusty 'ghetto-blaster' or 'boom box' - and now these recordings can finally be heard :)

Here we have a fabulous rendition of the sound of the Sulzer Class 25, familiarly known as 'Rats' back in the day :) These two tracks were recorded from the platform under the acoustic Victorian station roof at Preston on 15th October 1986. In the first track, 25908 arrives from the north on a southbound train of loose-coupled 4-wheel oil tanks, and we hear the brakes being applied as the driver slows the train to a crawl (perhaps for a crew change). In the second track, the train is brought to a halt at the signal, and we hear the atmospheric sound of clanging buffers under the station roof :)

327 Class 25s, also known as the Sulzer Type 2s, were built by BR at Darlington Works, Derby Works and by Beyer, Peacock and Company of Manchester between 1961 and 1967. They performed countless unsung duties on the BR network until their final withdrawal in Mar 1987.

'Rats' from the platform - Class 25 25908 at Preston on 4-wheel oil tanks - 15Oct1986

BR Type 1s and Type 2s ‘Up North’ (1984 - 1985)
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During the 1980s, I spent a lot of my time riding around the British Rail network, mainly chasing Class 40s and then Class 50s, but also seeing and riding behind a variety of other classes. I made a number of tape recordings at the time - many from the front window, some from the platform - using my trusty 'ghetto-blaster' or 'boom box' - and now these recordings can finally be heard :)

For this venture back into the 80s, we are going to hear some of the ‘unsung heroes’ of the BR fleet - namely the Type 1s and Type 2s that took on such a variety of work, even when they were reaching the end of their working lives.

The recordings date from the period 1983-85 and have survived in pretty good shape, having been made using a quality TDK SA90 metal tape. For over 20 minutes, you can immerse yourself in reliving the experience of hearing and riding behind these classic locos. Hope you enjoy these sounds of the 80s 😎)

Track list:
1)	Start - 1m 50s		20190 + 20159 leaving Boston on a summer Saturday Skegness working - 31 Jul 1983
2)	1m 55s - 4m 20s		A rare sight in the early spring of 1985 as 26038 + 26041 depart Inverness for the Far North in lieu of a Class 37! The released loco ( a Class 37) follows up behind - 25 Mar 1985
3)	4m 25s - 5m 30s		Another Type 2 substitution, with 25213 + 25054 departing Skipton on 1E23 Carlisle - Leeds, which was booked a Type 4 - 16 Aug 1984

Tracks 4-11 cover The Silver Hammer railtour which ran on 3rd August 1985 and involved Class 20s on the Settle & Carlisle and Class 25 ‘Rats’ on the Dumfries & Galloway line:
4)	5m 35s - 6m 45s		The 20s (20104 + 20090) running through pw works on the S&C.
5)	6m 50s - 9m 30s		The 20s at Colgate Crossing.
6 & 7)	9m 35s - 13m 00s	The 20s approaching Carlisle.
8)	13m 05s - 16m 05s	The ‘Rats’ (25200 + 25286) departing Carlisle.
9)	16m 10s - 18m 25s	The ‘Rats’ (25s) taking Gretna Jnct. for Dumfries.
10)	18m 30s - 19m 10s	The 20s (20090 + 20104) approaching Preston.
11)	19m 15s - 25m 00s	The 20s departing Preston under the roof!

More info on the Class 20s here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_20

On the 25s (Rats) here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_25

And on the 26s here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_26

Hope you enjoy this short piece of time travel back to the 80s 😍

BR Type 1s & Type 2s on passenger workings 😎 featuring Class 20s, 25s & 26s

Been into rock and indie music since the 1970s. Went to many gigs in the 1980s when a student. Fewer in recent years - highlights include The Smiths at Kingston Poly in 1983 (for 50p!), Iggy Pop + Suicide at Hammersmith in 2010, Iggy Pop again at the Royal Albert Hall in 2016. Long-time fan of John Peel (some original recordings on SoundCloud 😎) Also interested in railways and aviation with some unique recordings from the 70s & 80s also up on SoundCloud 😃

New tracks tagged #Class 25