who remembers the football trrain specials from the 1970's?

[Never to the dark side]

https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/nostalgia/gallery/onboard-disco-train-transported-burnley-23680766

[adamski]

My memories are of very old rolling stock, beer cans and quarter bottles of scotch, smashed windows coming out of Cardiff, overflowing bogs, lads in luggage racks, running through stations and laughter. A great adventure when you were a teenager, not so sure I'd enjoy the experience so much now.

Never saw a disco on any special I went on, or dancing!

[1960maaan]

Only went on a couple. 
A very cold evening game at Crystal Palace . Train delayed as someone killed themselves by jumping in front of a train earlier. Put in the enclosure as the end was frozen, and we got battered, possibly 3-0.
After the game the head Officer was pulling rank and showing off. Made sure he was head of the escort, until he walked out of a tunnel into a hail of milk bottles. On the train they had the blinds pulled down due to worries about home fans, City fans were throwing a lot more out of the train than Palace threw at it. 

And

Carlisle 1981 FA Cup 1-1, locals turned up at the station still in a Punky Rupert the bear style. Police were vicious in their bit. Running some fans down the terrace backwards into a wall. Certainly slowed them down a bit.

Never saw a disco or anything other than boring old carriages .

[weepywall]

I remember one to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, train broke down, sure it took about 5 hours, it was snowing, some City fans got off the train and were on the tracks, think it was warmer outside and obviously we lost, they weren't the best way to travel.

[myol'man]

Went on quite a few, they usually started from Taunton stopping at Bridgwater and WsM before the mass pick up at Bristol Temple Meads.

Old corridor style carriages were standard. Masses of booze on board including barrels of rough cider!!!

Wolves and Sheffield United in the FA Cup  early 70s, carnage as soon as you emerged from the station into hoards of local skinheads.

Swindon, smashed windows leaving the station. Plymouth, windows smashed by gas coming through WsM (I've still got the scars!)

Any trip to a London ground, the special to nearest overground station and escort to ground, BUT, the return trip would leave from Ealing Broadway and you had to make your own way there across London. It was like being in the Warriors film! 

I seem to remember that the team travelled on one with us once

As said above great fun for a teenager in the 70s

[Lanterne Rouge]

11 minutes ago, weepywall said:

I remember one to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, train broke down, sure it took about 5 hours, it was snowing, some City fans got off the train and were on the tracks, think it was warmer outside and obviously we lost, they weren't the best way to travel.

I think it was in the league. We were stuck somewhere in Wiltshire for hours and got to Brisbane Road about half time - we won 1-0 and scored in the second half so not all bad!

IIRC , those of us that were on it got a free trip to Gills as compensation.

[weepywall]

5 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I think it was in the league. We were stuck somewhere in Wiltshire for hours and got to Brisbane Road about half time - we won 1-0 and scored in the second half so not all bad!

IIRC , those of us that were on it got a free trip to Gills as compensation.

Yes you are right, memory playing tricks

[Red Exile]

33 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Carlisle 1981 FA Cup 1-1, locals turned up at the station still in a Punky Rupert the bear style. Police were vicious in their bit. Running some fans down the terrace backwards into a wall. Certainly slowed them down a bit..

Spent my first wage packet on that trip to Carlisle...a very long journey! They had a young Peter Beardsley playing for them as I recall. 

[1960maaan]

6 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Spent my first wage packet on that trip to Carlisle...a very long journey! They had a young Peter Beardsley playing for them as I recall. 

Don't remember that, but just looked and you're right. 

and it was a long, long journey.

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

Certainly went to Plymouth on one once, but it was a dismal match and we lost.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Went on quite a few.

Luton and Blackpool in the mid 70's and York in div.4 about 10 years later particularly memorable.

Always a great feeling getting off the train at the other end with hundreds of others, 'BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRISSSSSSSSSTOLLLLLLLLLLL' 

[slartibartfast]

52 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Only went on a couple. 
A very cold evening game at Crystal Palace . Train delayed as someone killed themselves by jumping in front of a train earlier. Put in the enclosure as the end was frozen, and we got battered, possibly 3-0.
After the game the head Officer was pulling rank and showing off. Made sure he was head of the escort, until he walked out of a tunnel into a hail of milk bottles. On the train they had the blinds pulled down due to worries about home fans, City fans were throwing a lot more out of the train than Palace threw at it. 

And

Carlisle 1981 FA Cup 1-1, locals turned up at the station still in a Punky Rupert the bear style. Police were vicious in their bit. Running some fans down the terrace backwards into a wall. Certainly slowed them down a bit.

Never saw a disco or anything other than boring old carriages .

On both those. The Carlisle one I remember Archie Gooch was on the train doing the rounds (was he chairman then, or later ?) .

[Fodbarmyarmy]

Man city and Stoke are two i recall...

[1960maaan]

14 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

On both those. The Carlisle one I remember Archie Gooch was on the train doing the rounds (was he chairman then, or later ?) .

I think he was there up to the takeover in 82.

[22A]

The British Transport Police have called for their reintroduction to keep football fans off "normal" trains.

For the history buffs, for the 1909 Cup Final, in addition to normal trains, the GWR ran eighteen excursions.

When City had Leeds away in a 60's cup match, BR ran several excursions. In addition Harry Doman chartered the Blue Pullman, named it "The Director's Special" and charged extra to travel in it, but he still filled it.

1971/72 I went on one to Charlton. I'm still intrigued as to how the train bypassed Paddington and took us to Charlton station in South East London.

Earlier that season went to Swindon. For that one my Mum prepared some food to take including a jelly in a glass jar. I ate that shortly before kick off and then had a problem; Standing on a terrace at Swindon, how should I dispose of this glass jar?

The excursions I travelled on were normal compartment stock and neither had any broken toilets, smashed windows or unruly passengers.

That Disco Train some have mentioned was "The League Liner". BR & The Football League got together and converted one set of carriages into a dedicated football fan's train. There was only the one though and clubs had to book it in advance.

Ipswich had "The Blue Arrow" taking their fans to every away game for several seasons. On it youl'd hear interviews with the Manager and players etc piped through to each compartment.

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by 22A

[1960maaan]

Forgot about the York one. 
Handing around tickets to mates that had gone on a pirate coach that broke down. Train was a lot busier on the way back 

[Norn Iron]

1 hour ago, slartibartfast said:

On both those. The Carlisle one I remember Archie Gooch was on the train doing the rounds (was he chairman then, or later ?) .

You beat me to it Slarti.

I remember getting off at Carlisle Station to be greeted by the  temperature. To say it was cold compared to Temple Meads was an understatement!

Then there was the walk to the ground and the muddy slope we had to run up to get to the away end turnstile.

[slartibartfast]

16 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

You beat me to it Slarti.

I remember getting off at Carlisle Station to be greeted by the  temperature. To say it was cold compared to Temple Meads was an understatement!

Then there was the walk to the ground and the muddy slope we had to run up to get to the away end turnstile.

We went in the covered side, rude not to ! 

[slartibartfast]

1 hour ago, 22A said:

The British Transport Police have called for their reintroduction to keep football fans off "normal" trains.

For the history buffs, for the 1909 Cup Final, in addition to normal trains, the GWR ran eighteen excursions.

When City had Leeds away in a 60's cup match, BR ran several excursions. In addition Harry Doman chartered the Blue Pullman, named it "The Director's Special" and charged extra to travel in it, but he still filled it.

1971/72 I went on one to Charlton. I'm still intrigued as to how the train bypassed Paddington and took us to Charlton station in South East London.

Earlier that season went to Swindon. For that one my Mum prepared some food to take including a jelly in a glass jar. I ate that shortly before kick off and then had a problem; Standing on a terrace at Swindon, how should I dispose of this glass jar?

The excursions I travelled on were normal compartment stock and neither had any broken toilets, smashed windows or unruly passengers.

That Disco Train some have mentioned was "The League Liner". BR & The Football League got together and converted one set of carriages into a dedicated football fan's train. There was only the one though and clubs had to book it in advance.

Ipswich had "The Blue Arrow" taking their fans to every away game for several seasons. On it youl'd hear interviews with the Manager and players etc piped through to each compartment.

 

 

 

Jimmy Hill ran the "Sky Blue Express"  complete with disco before the league liners were born .

Leeds in 68, we ran seven or eight specials ( the same as to Spurs the previous season ).

[ralphindevon]

I can remember one that started in Taunton to Manchester which iirc was for the game we won 1-3 at united and Mabbutt got a hatrick.

I was desperate to go, I think it was a fiver but I was only 13 and had nobody to go with and wasn’t allowed. Still fed up I missed out now.

[ralphindevon]

I’m sure I can remember a few times going up on a normal service but then being forced on to a football special for the return, as others have said usually the old corridor with small carriage rooms off it. Swindon and Cardiff spring to mind as two of the games.

It really was great fun and often a bit manic when we were at a station with fans of other clubs.

[Nogbad the Bad]

2 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Forgot about the York one. 
Handing around tickets to mates that had gone on a pirate coach that broke down. Train was a lot busier on the way back 

One of my favourites, along with Blackpool. Pretty sure Tom Ritchie scored in both games, although probably 9/10 years apart?

On the subject of football specials to York my mother in law - far from being a football fan - apparently once went there on a Rovers' special, buying a ticket late on when they announced - surprise, surprise - they hadn't sold out. She saw it as an opportunity to do some knitting, visit York on the cheap, and spend the afternoon shopping there before returning to the station.

All of which she did but she said they were very badly behaved and would never do it again!

[basshead]

4 hours ago, weepywall said:

I remember one to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup, train broke down, sure it took about 5 hours, it was snowing, some City fans got off the train and were on the tracks, think it was warmer outside and obviously we lost, they weren't the best way to travel.

Yes was also on that one

[Sleepy1968]

I remember seeing pictures of some of them being smashed up.

[Bedred31]

Ran into the 80’s - remember one to York in about 84? Rarely stopped in the actual station. Can recall climbing out onto remote freight sidings and clambering over tracks, flanked by police, to get out. Getting back onto train without the height of a platform could be iffy too. Generally good fun, though- they used to go for hours without stopping.

[TV Tom]

Blackpool in our promotion year ‘76, lost 2-1 I have no idea why I remember that Rag Trade won the National that day and Man Utd beat Derby 2-0 in the FA cup semi final, it was also the day of the boat race and the Eurovision Song Contest!!! Probably because it was my first ever away match other than Eastville & Swindon

 The Dunkirk Special” to a stoke in the late ‘70s was lively, Gillingham in the mid ‘80s as well, Bobby Hutch’ scored for us in a 3-1 win

[Sheltons Army]

7 hours ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I think it was in the league. We were stuck somewhere in Wiltshire for hours and got to Brisbane Road about half time - we won 1-0 and scored in the second half so not all bad!

IIRC , those of us that were on it got a free trip to Gills as compensation.

And a snowball fight with the Met

The Gillingham train was ? after Millwall had rioted at Luton?  and definitely in the middle of our ‘ hot times ‘ with them , and it was rumoured that Millwall we’re going to be at Gillingham , but we’re few in number when it came to it

[Sheltons Army]

And the Plymouth one where D&C Plod we’re trying to convince us the game had been called off as we were held outside Plymouth Station

Cue the great escape , head to Home Park ......just in time to see a late Plymouth winner !

[archie andrews]

5 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

One of my favourites, along with Blackpool. Pretty sure Tom Ritchie scored in both games, although probably 9/10 years apart?

On the subject of football specials to York my mother in law - far from being a football fan - apparently once went there on a Rovers' special, buying a ticket late on when they announced - surprise, surprise - they hadn't sold out. She saw it as an opportunity to do some knitting, visit York on the cheap, and spend the afternoon shopping there before returning to the station.

All of which she did but she said they were very badly behaved and would never do it again!

trev morgan on his debut scored at york noggers if you mean the york games..i was there

[Nogbad the Bad]

55 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

trev morgan on his debut scored at york noggers if you mean the york games..i was there

You could well be right archie, but I'm sure I remember Tom Ritchie scoring right in front of us at York.

I've looked it up and we played York away twice in just over 6 months in '84, in the March in div.4, and in the October after both clubs were promoted to div. 3.

The train excursion I went on was the 1-1 draw in the March, although I probably went to the October 2-0 City win too. 

Maybe Tom scored 1 of the goals in the win instead - quite possible as he didn't leave to sign for Gerry Gow at Yeovil until the December.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nogbad the Bad