The first page of my 1971 “combined volume” must be typical of many with neatly underlined “Peaks” D1-77 (underlining meant spotted), plus a few “H” (haulage) and C (cabbed) entries against some of these fine engines.
“Cabbing” was a tradition prevalent amongst mainly young enthusiasts which lasted from the steam age until the early 80’s. At bigger stations back then like, for example Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New St or Crewe there were often 50-100 young enthusiasts camped out on mail trolleys all day long, simply recording the non stop loco movements.
When a Peak like D19 rumbled into New St we knew there would always be a few minutes standing time as hordes of passengers bailed or joined the inter regional train before the Peak “got the road”. In a scene repeated all across the country’s larger stations the loco’s driver would get a request from the boldest of a group of 15 or so youngsters of “can we cab it please, mister”. Driver’s responses varied from “sorry lads, no” to “bugger off” or most often a resigned sigh “come on then”. Then a whole gang of 15 -20 enthusiasts would pile aboard, some getting no further than the cab grab rails due to the crush!.
Sounds corny in 2025 i suppose, but the loco cab in 1972 was a sort of hallowed ground, the driver/secondman would sometimes ask us “what we’d seen”, “what else we’d cabbed today” or especially in Scotland a “where ye frae”. Each loco type obviously had very different cab’s, they all had an atmosphere of their own. After a few minutes taking in the cab scene and chatting to the driver, the signal would change and we’d be asked to leave and a mass bail followed! A “C” entry was recorded in your notebook and in your “combine” once you were home.
Locally the likes of Luton or Bletchley the locos tended to be off the platforms (and we tended to be in the station carparks anyway) restricting cabbing potential but at Aylesbury’s the freight traffic drivers were really good bets for cabbing.
Depot or Works open days also offered great “cabbing” potential with proper wooden steps to officially access the loco from ballast level. However “Open days” display locos cab’s were often silent and cold so lacked atmosphere. At one Derby Works “open day” we cheated in cabbing at speed the spare cabs of various 24/25’s (no locos just the cabs!) tucked round the back of the shops!
Thanks to RM web for this image of the spare cab of 25006 which no doubt a few claimed as “cabbed”
2 nostalgia rich images from Stratford depot on November 11th 1972. Baby Deltics 5905 and 5909 withdrawn in Feb/Mar 71 remained at Stratford until June 73 before leaving to Kettering for scrap. Thanks to teacher John Williams for this image of some of his Maidenhead schoolkids cabbing them Baby Deltics
2 more images from John Williams of his school party cabbing 25288 and a 31 at Tinsley in Feb 1976. Happy days for all concerned!
Old Oak Common Open day on Saturday September 2nd 1972 saw plenty of locos cabbed as per my log book image. But with steps up to the loco cabs Open day cabbing wasnt quite the same as say New St when the engines were ticking over not silent and immaculate even if Old Oak Common Open Day saw 820, 1071, 1654, 3965, 5655, 6997, 7011, 7677, 83010 and E6104 all cabbed…!
John Williams was also at Old Oak Common open day on September 2nd and took this classic image of spotters and others piling aboard to cab 820 “Grenville”
At Laira depot in August 1973 we walked in grim silence past a line of recently withdrawn “Westerns”. 1004, 1017, 1060, 1003, 1020 and 1032. Another one had been stripped of number and nameplates so couldnt be identified so we climbed into the cab, obviously silent and cold, to record D1042 from the internal cab display. We never saw D1042 “Western Princess” again, yet i can still remember that particular cab visit ………………….
More cabbing nostalgia from September 22nd 1973 where teacher John Williams records Crewe Works pilot 3861 getting the cabbing treatment again at the Works Open Day.
Barry Scrapyard in the 70’s allowed vast numbers of silent kettles to be cabbed but there were 2 historic long lost diesels (601/6122) there too which had to be cabbed.
6122 is duly cabbed at Barry Scrapyard on 300177
40001 is being cabbed by youngsters prior to her being removed from 1A56 1259SO Holyhead – Euston at Crewe on July 24th 1982.
A top logs contributor cabbing class 46 “Ixion” at Bedford Open day on 280588
“Cabbing” quickly died out on the big railway in the 80’s as the railway changed in all manner of ways, increasing officialdom and HSE overkill making it virtually impossible for drivers to allow anybody aboard. Plus the locos themselves were largely replaced by DMU’s/EMU’s which had zero “cabbing” interest!
On the sanitised privatised railway of today the driver on allowing an unauthorised cab visit at Stations with CCTV, jobsworths and worse could be in serious trouble but in 2004 i did smile on seeing a jubilant youngster leaping from the cab of 57301 on thunderbird blockade standby at Milton Keynes having “cabbed it”. That “Ronnie’s” driver was a top man keeping a railway tradition going.
Just to show that even on the big railway, on occasions, enthusiasts and interested passengers can still cab locos. After Les Ross’s 86259 had arrived at Carlisle in June 2024 with the Cumbrian Mountain Express, with the proud owner looking on, a good few were allowed to pile aboard 86259’s cab!
“Cabbing” remains prevelant on many preserved lines till the HSE “neds” find out. Its good as an adult to cab a “peak” on a preserved line or whatever.. But also you will have “normals” invited into the cab with you, plus excited siblings who thinks a “Clayton” is “Thomas the tank!”.
1948 built shunter 12049 which was Bletchley based from 1/69 – 10/71, a TMD star! Sold to DAYS of Brentford this fine machine shunted stone trains there for many years. 12049 was preserved at the Mid Hants and is seen at Ropley. Here on March 4th 2000 the old girl was doing cab rides up and down the platform for a pound! Sadly this old beast was destroyed by fire in July 2010
I could just imagine the reaction of most of today’s “professional” drivers if say at Leighton station you’d ask him to cab 350257!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Cabbing” virtually gone but not forgotten….
We are working on a cab rides feature, the premier league equivalent of cabbing, contributions welcome. As a taster heres a link to my 8568 feature, my most memorable cab ride!
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