[Albion] Seagull Special Train

[Official Old Man]

The 'First away game' thread had me searching through history. I went to many games on the special trains but
When did they first run?
When was the last trip?
Do you have many memories of sitting in the sidings in north London waiting for another diesel engine or driver. The Buffet Car with sausages and mash. Players on the train coming back, where they on going up though?

 

[POSKETT AT THE VALLEY]

Stavros. Chris Tilley.

 

[Pickles]

I was on the train that broke down on the way to Forest.
We got a refund obviously, but also train & ticket to Charlton away, plus a showing of the game at Hove Town Hall, along with the match programme ( in Black & white ).
Loved the Seagull specials as a kid.

 

[POSKETT AT THE VALLEY]

Me too. Ended up listening to the match on the radio. Charlton 0 Poskett 3

 

[Hastings gull]

The 'First away game' thread had me searching through history. I went to many games on the special trains but
When did they first run?
When was the last trip?
Do you have many memories of sitting in the sidings in north London waiting for another diesel engine or driver. The Buffet Car with sausages and mash. Players on the train coming back, where they on going up though?

Yes, stuck for ages on the train!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Think we did the snowy Peterborough FA Cup game on a Special.

One that we definitely did have a Special for was Hull City, in the 4th round of the FA Cup in January 1986. Boothferry Park had its own railway siding, so we were literally walked off the train into the ground.

It was a freezing day - the Albion won a thriller 3-2 (a couple from Connor maybe?). The train (they seemed to give football fans the oldest and least reliable rolling stock, as a rule) broke down on the way home. We got shunted into a siding somewhere near Nottingham and genuinely I think they forgot about us. The power went off - no lights or heating, in sub-zero temperatures for hours. We got back to Hove at about 3am I think.

 

[POSKETT AT THE VALLEY]

Sometimes Stavros used to walk up and down the train after the match asking for the blinds to be pulled down as we would be going through some dodgy areas. He was right at Maine road as the bricks came through the window shortly after!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Did two or three of these up to Liverpool back in the 80's. On one trip we got stuck at Rugby for a while because of a brake fire in one of the back carriages.

I think the last one I went on was to the 4-0 defeat at Anfield in the League Cup in around 1985

 

[timbha]

Ipswich away August 1976. 0-0. League Cup

 

[Poyningsgull]

I was on the train that broke down on the way to Forest.
We got a refund obviously, but also train & ticket to Charlton away, plus a showing of the game at Hove Town Hall, along with the match programme ( in Black & white ).
Loved the Seagull specials as a kid.

I was on that train. Probably listening to the same radio that was being held aloft by somebody.

 

[Justice]

Anyone remember the mail train leaving Selhurst?

 

[Giraffe]

Imagine if they ran one to Ajax. Wow.

 

[Official Old Man]

We had a promotion party at the Hassocks Hotel in '79 and guest of honour was Stavros. We contacted the club and that's who they sent! Poured champagne all over his suit. I was a regular on the train with a bunch of mates who sneaked the cans on board.
Working backwards I know I was on the Lincoln train in '77 and have a few progs before that, I always purchased a program back then, but did I use the train?

 

[Official Old Man]

Imagine if they ran one to Ajax. Wow.

Eurostar £298 return 8th to 10th November. Cheaper trains available at stupid times as well.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The last one I went on was from Hove to Cardiff for the Play Off game. It was meant to be dry but was awash with bottles from the off licence when returning home. Unfortunately, we passed through Bristol Temple Meads on the way home, held up by a signal with Bristol fans lobbing cans at the train windows.

 

[drew]

The first Seagull special I remember was to Sunderland (1/10/77).

I was also on one of the two ill fated specials to Forest. Believe there were 3 trains and only one got through.

 

[VAL1850]

Many trips on Seagull Special, must have got lucky never suffered any breakdowns.... Happy days...

 

[kevo]

Never travelled on one, but if I could go back in time and have one Albion-related experience it would be to travel on the train back from Newcastle to Brighton after we won promotion there in 1979!

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

My mate and I were standing on the platform at Brighton station when Chris Cattlin came over and had a chat with us. We were on our way to Ipswich I think. Remember walking past the players sitting in their carriages.

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I remember being on the Special to Bristol Rovers away in the 77/78 season that never got to Bristol. It was an evening game and when we reached Bristol Parkway we were told that the match had been postponed due to bad weather and the train was turned around and we headed back to Brighton.