LT&SR Enthusiasts.myfreeforum.org

37427 · Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: My Memories

From the age of three (I believe), I have been visiting my grandparents who moved to Canvey Island, from North London.

My memories of the LT&SR were through frequent trips to Southend with my Grandma to have rides at Adventure Island, a ride on the Southend Pier Train, and to go shopping. Benfleet has always been the place I know well as we would always go by Bus to the station to catch a train to Southend Central, the train was nearly always a 312, and I remember my Dad and Grandma complaining that the trains were too old, and the line needed new ones. At the time I would agree as I hated the stiff handles on the doors when we had to get off.

In later years my Grandma desided to start using the Bus to get to Southend as she was sick of the stiff handles when trying to open the doors and was affaid she might injur herself or miss her stop because of this.

Only recently I have made a come back to use of the line, I remember having to persuade my Grandma to start using the train again as it cut her journey time of over a hour by bus, to just 15 minutes. I even had to teach her how the new Automatic buttons that open the doors work, and now she loves the train, using it every time she wants to go to Southend.

Due to family issues (which I do not wish to mension), my dad now lives alone at Leigh-on-sea. My main use for the line is to visit my Dad, and Grandparents, and visit Southend occasionally. Now I have a keener intrest in Railways, mainly due to my dad who works at Liverpool Street, I do miss the 312s and I am ashamed I missed the last-ever 312 Railtour.

admin · Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:07 am Post subject:

Depending on what your dad does at LST,plus how long he has been there, I MIGHT know him, but the name doesn't ring any bells to me?

You don't need to go into details about your family as that is your business, but I am pleased to see you helped your grandma get back on the trains. When I was your age, the Adventure Land wasn't there. We had Peter Pan on the Westcliff side of the Pier and a Boating Lake the other (Golden Hind side). Have you visited the Pier Museum and seen their older coaches from the Pier trains?
_________________
Once the misery line, but now passed on to another.

See www.bramleyline.org.uk where one day we just might see an Ex-LT&SR Standard 4 steaming along as a Guest loco.

37427 · Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:33 am Post subject:

admin · Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2006 7:31 pm Post subject:

[/quote]Yes I have visited the Pier Museum, it's very hard to actually come on a day when it's open. Also you may be interested to know that in a shop in "Old Leigh" there is an pier coach from the pier railway that has been preserved by a shop owner who has used it for storing shop items, It's in the middle of the shop Shocked

[/quote]

I have a very strong feeling I did some years ago. I will sort out my postcards and place them on here for you. In fact, I will create a thread for the Pier railway.
_________________
Once the misery line, but now passed on to another.

See www.bramleyline.org.uk where one day we just might see an Ex-LT&SR Standard 4 steaming along as a Guest loco.

37427 · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

Cheers

I've already posted a link to the photos I took of one of the trains in the new livery Wink