The screeching brakes carried me right back to riding these all over the South East. They had a smell of old sofa, grease, floor polish and hot metal about them.
sliding the window down to open the door from the outside. The eerie silence in the train when stopping at the station (no air conditioning like on modern trains etc.) and the only sound is the doors slamming.
@@johnbell3621 Yes the silence, I remember it. Waiting to set off at a terminus was more of an event. Then there was a huge lurch and squeak as you got going.
DETAILS OF LINE VOLTAGES & EMU OFFICIAL SPEED MAXIMUMS. There is a lot of confusion over the line voltages of the Southern Railway/Region electrification schemes. The first 3rd rail trains introduced by the LSWR in 1914 (from Waterloo) used 600v DC. All electrification schemes until 1933 were all suburban routes and designed to use 600v. In 1931 with the invention of the Mercury Arc Rectifier, which allowed substations to become fully automatic, (prior to this at least 2 staff were needed in each), this reduced the cost of electrification in staff numbers which encouraged mainline electrification. The Worlds first 3rd rail mainline (London-Brighton) was converted from steam to electric in 1933. As many of the new express units had Pullmans or Restaurant cars (needing electric power) the line voltage for all new schemes was raised to 660v from this time. Previous 600v substations in the suburban areas were slowly upgraded to 660v between 1933-46. Mainlines to Portsmouth/Littlehampton/Bognor Regis/Reading/Maidstone and Gillingham were added before WW2 began. With the formation of British Railway in 1948, there were few changes in the network or inherited stock until 1951. The first BR designed EMU's were the 4EPB's. They introduced a new coupling to the EMU fleet (the buckeye), a new control system, and carbon brush pick up shoes instead of metal skates. This also meant they could NOT couple with any older types. It wasn't until 1955 that the Government had cleared most of the wartime debt, so BR was given little money until this time. But the 1955 "Modernisation plan" included electrification of the Kent lines beyond Maidstone & Gillingham to the Kent coast, implemented in two stages in 1958/61. This introduced the first 750v DC lines beyond the suburban areas, as the Maidstone & Gillingham lines were upgraded to 750v along with the extensions to Dover & Ramsgate. The problem was that all the older Southern Railway types could not take 750v. The South Eastern Division was the first to be fully upgraded to 750v when it became possible to swap their Bulleid type 4SUB units with EPB's from the Central/South Western Divisions around 1972. Their 2HAL/2BIL units went to the other Divisions, replaced by the first batch of (Bulleid style) 1951 type 2HAP's. The Central Division had to wait until 1972 when it got rid of its pre-war mainline units including the Brighton Belle sets, which allowed the lines beyond Coulsdon & Dorking to then be upgrade to 750v. The Central Suburban area had to wait until 1982ish when the last 4SUB's were scrapped. (The 1951 EPB's could of course take 750v as they had been introduced with this increase in mind). The South Western Division was also upgraded to 750v in stages. The mainline to Portsmouth (beyond Guildford) & the Reading line (beyond Staines) were upgraded by 1973/4 once the remaining 2BIL/2HAL/4COR types had gone for scrap. Again the suburban area couldn't be upgraded until about 1982, when the last 4SUB's were scrapped. The Bournemouth line electrification of 1966/7 was an exception dealt with in the "Speed" section below. SPEED ! All EMU designs from 1914 to 1956 were designed with a maximum speed of 75mph, including express stock such as the 3 x Brighton Belle units. In 1956 the first (prototype) 4CEPs x4 and 4BEP's x2 were introduced on the Central Division based on the Mk1 coach body. These units were the first to have a 90mph gear ratio. Testing to gain experience with the higher speeds and reveal any design faults in the stock went hand in hand with upgrading of certain lines to accept the higher speeds, such as some bridge strengthening. So from 1958 the large fleets of 4CEP's/4BEP's & 2HAP's were the first 90mph fleets. (4EPB's were of course a suburban 75mph type). The follow on Brighton line 4CIG's & 4BIG's were also geared for 90mph, as were the further CIG's & BIG's for the Portsmouth line. The Bournemouth line electrification of 1966/67 beyond Brookwood/Pirbright Junction was however the next step in both voltage & line speed changes ! The new substations of the "Container" or "Clasp concrete" type actually supply 800v DC (not commonly known as only electrification engineers documents refer to this fact.) There was a reason of course -Speed. As the steam locomotives the new stock was to replace were known to frequently reach 100mph+ on certain sections of this route the new 3,200hp 4REP "Power Packs" were intended for 100mph. However a row broke out between the CM&EE's department and the Civil Engineer over the raising of the line speed to 100mph. In the end the REP/TC stock was officially limited to 90mph. The long intended 100mph was not introduced until the arrival of the 5WES units around 1990. The 5WES units inherited the 4REP motors and part of their EP brake equipment. The first 20x 4VEP (7701-20) units also built for this scheme were unaffected and designed for 90mph, as "Semi-Fast" stock. The 4REP's were incidentally officially classed as "Locomotives" NOT EMU's ! The reason being that each of the two motor coaches in these sets, had the electrical equipment, bogies & motors of a Class 73 Electro-Diesel, so 2 x 1600hp. This increased the 4REP weight considerably over any EMU. So as "Locomotives" the 4REP's were limited to 60mph when running "Light". In principle if they went faster when running light they would have insufficient brake force to stop within the allowed braking distances based on the Signal spacings. Weight was also the main reason the Civil Engineer wouldn't agree to the sets being permitted to run at 100mph. UNIQUE TRAINS !!! Electric & Diesel trains coupled together in normal timetable service - Probably unique. The 17.30 & 18.30hrs departures from Waterloo during the period 1985-95 were formed 8VEP/4TC/Class 33/1, with the diesel loco normally at the London end. Total horsepower 3,550hp. The VEP's had a maximum of 90mph but the Class 33/1 was supposedly limited to 85mph. The 4VEPs provided a semi-fast service to Southampton, while the 4TC & Class 33/1, uncoupled at Basingstoke and went on to Salisbury all stations. This train was quite fun to drive, as it behaved oddly. Leaving Waterloo the maximum speed through the pointwork is 15mph. It was normal on these EMU's to wack the power handle wide open when starting. So the ammeter in the EMU cab would shoot up to 3,200 amps, and the EMU's would start wheel spinning, because the Diesel loco at the rear has a 5-7 second run-up delay. 2,000hp of EMU was however enough to start dragging the TC & Diesel loco, so a gentle start seemed in order. But then suddenly just as you reach about 5mph, the Diesel at the rear suddenly kicks in, and you find yourself rocketing forward at 25mph. Ooops, better close the power handle. Once out on the line the VEPs, would by themselves reach 95mph on level track without trouble. With the Diesel loco on the rear, maximum speed was dependant on whether the Diesel loco "overrider" was working. This would shut the diesel loco down to tick over at about 87-90mph. So the VEP's wouldn't exceed this speed towing the extra weight. However if the diesel loco over rider was isolated, then speeds of 100mph were possible. So Woking (first stop) in 20 mins. As an ex BR Top Link Driver I drove at various times all EMU types from the 4SUB ("Old Mary's") to the 4REP's & 5WES units, in addition to various Diesels & Electric locos.
Anyone know the name of the announcer heard in the Clapham Junction footage? Sounds like the recorded voice I remember from the South Western stations from the late 80s onwards. In my memory this is the same chap who pronounced Vauxhall in a very posh way, something like 'Vorks Hall'.
Gotta love them signals at Amberley lol Train passes through the platform entry... stays up... train passes well past the platform starter... hmm stays up not a very good sign someone is paying attention if the treadle isn't working O.o
Amberley signal box was often locked out at the time this video was made - so the block section was between Pulborough signal box and Arundel signal box. When the box was locked out the signals remained showing off (up).
Always a misty eye seeing Waterloo. Us naughty boys in the depths and dungeons of the lamp arch to fend off boredom got into a lot of trouble with the angry Welsh Area Manager, like pulling up the uniform records of the signalmen at London Bridge and Victoria boxes and issuing them with ancient and pretty hoary "Weskit" uniforms which prompted a fiery response from the signalmen and a threat of walking out over it (signalmen pointedly refused to wear uniforms) to sending YTS trainees up to measure the gap between hydraulic buffer and train buffer and if over 3 feet they were to tell the driver off (I got to sweep the whole concourse on my own with a yard broom for a week for being the architect of that wheeze) plus the usual chestnuts of "long weights", "tartan paint", "left handed screwdrivers" and the AM forbade any trainees coming within 100 metres of us lot. Was a funny place to work for and just a shame I committed career suicide when I pranked Eastleigh's TOPs to order in all class 99's for brakes and pipes, full clean and certification I still remember that fateful phone call from Eastleigh AM office requiring my presence with union rep post haste and boy was the chap mad as hell after the chaos of the works setting up to service... SeaLink ferries and so I was royally tin tacked never to darken BR's doors again /sad face
Very, now they just chop and ironing board in half and call it a seat. fire proof, dirt proof, graffiti proof and comfort proof! Maybe the next gen of Emus will take a leaf from Black Adder and just give us a spike to sit on. Please give up your spike to a person who needs it more!
These old slam door EMUs are long gone. A few preservation groups are working to bring some older stock for mainline excursions and the like, but if you're quick you can still experience Slam-Doors in service on the Liverpool Street to Norwich Intercity services, but do be quick, Greater Anglia are aiming for the entirety of their Mk3s to be replaced in a few months. Aside from that I'm not so sure if you can reliably find and ride on a slam-door mainline service anywhere else.
Tyler Grey Greater Anglia 90s are gone now. I think the only slam door stock still in service are the EMR HSTs out of St. Pancras, the peak time 68 hauled trains on the fife circle in Scotland, and I believe Chiltern still have 1 set of slam door Mk3s that they use on peak time trains between Banbury/Bicester and Marylebone
Now we have family names to traina, Aventra, Electrostar but what were these units called, CIG? VEP and why the styling that almost was devoid of a headlamp?
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong but [4]CIG etc. are more like the class numbers, they’re descriptive too* [e.g. 4-car Corridor brIGton for the 421s]. Specific family names I think were more recent with Pacers/Sprinters and the PEP family (313-5 and 507-8) * en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Railway_multiple_unit_numbering_and_classification
Originally when these units were built they only had the roller blind headcodes, the small headlights were an addition much later which I presume was to do with safety as these lights were also added to all sorts of things, Locomotives, DMUs and EMUs... Also these units never really had a family name, the closest thing to that would be ‘BR MK1 EMUs’ the CIG and VEP were like the TOPS class system we use today.
Names such as "Aventura, Electrostar" were introduced after BR was replaced by the micky mouse Franchise era in 1995. All previous BR Southern Region stock had Southern designation codes such as CIG= Corridor Brighton stock. BIG = Buffet Brighton stock The IG in both those codes was actually an old Brighton telegraphic code, contrary to many modern explanations. VEP = Vestibule Electro Pneumatic brake. CEP = Corridor Electro Pneumatic brake. REP = Restaurant Electro Pneumatic brake. There is a page on Wikipedia explaining the many others ! The Computer Tops codes such as "Class 423" was an imposition by British Rail HQ for computer Logistics purposes. Southern Region staff rarely ever used those computer codes as we still referred to the stock by their Southern codes which were a darn sight easier to remember. Only the ghastly 455's were referred too by there computer code number, as they had no Southern name. Nobody wanted these dangerous bits of junk ! Headlights were another daft idea supposedly on safety grounds introduced in the late 1980's. In reality you can't see a dam thing at night except the patch of track the headlight illuminates. So for example you couldn't see if a car had fallen off a bridge onto the track ahead until just before you hit it, and of course far to late to brake. As the law in Britain insists on all railway lines being fenced, this is why trains in Britain never had headlights for the first 150 years of railways in Britain !!! Headcodes were another Southern Speciality. The Southern used initially letter headcodes followed from 1933 by two digit headcodes on Multiple units. These headcodes revealed the trains route and its stopping pattern. Railway Staff and even Regular passengers could identify the correct train by its Headcode. Steam locomotives in Britain used oil lamps or white discs, in one or more of FOUR possible positions to describe the Class of train on all Regions EXCEPT the Southern. Because of the complex density of routes south of London the Southern used a SIX position system which described not the class of train but its route. British Railways began using the steam era headlamp or white disc system on early diesel locos. This was however replaced from around 1964, with a four digit headcode system such as 1A16. The first digit indicates the class of train in this case "1" meaning express. The second digit was a letter (example "A") to designate the route. The last two digits ("16") indicates this is the 16th train path on that route for that day, beginning from 02.00hrs each day. In the Post BR era Headcode confirmation that the platform displays are correct has been dispensed with in most cases !
4VEP 3436, one of only two to get big single-pane windows as a refurb proposal. 4CEP 1547, reformed after vandals set fire to its original Trailer Brake, using the TBC from prototype refurbished 4 CEP 7153, later 1500. This unit still had the older EE co controllers in the cabs, both DMS cars latterly used back to back as "Tractor Unit" 080 still in "jaffa cake" paint scheme. Trailer second still crumbling away at an "museum" in Coventry, others scrapped. Amazing the junk this old Motorman recalls.
I worked out of St Leonards Depot, a small one on the South Coast near Hastings, covering Central Division routes to Brighton and Seaford, also Victoria, as well as up via Tunbridge Wells on the DEMUs at first, then the "1066 Electrics" in Jaffa Cake livery, to Charing Cross/Cannon St, also Hastings to Ashford on the old 2 and 3 car DEMUs. Glad you like all the info ! Originally the Southern Railway Brighton Line Electrication Scheme of the 30's brought the EMUs to Hastings, the depot was at Ore, one stop northwards on the Ashford line. The St Leonards men covered the ex-SECR route to Tunbridge Wells and Charing Cross/Cannon St, as well as Hastings to Ashford. When the line via T Wells was juiced in 1986, Ore was closed and the two depots amalgamated at St Leonards, where the inspection Sheds were for the DEMUs and the old Steam Motive Power one. For a few years repairs to the 1066 units were effected there too. All closed now and just a shadow of its former self, a cleaning shed.
There are a couple of brief clips of DEMU 207-001 taken at Reading on 21 May 1992 when it arrived from Basingstoke in my video "British Rail Vignettes May 1992 #1 Reading Station" at 17:40 and 19:15 see th-cam.com/video/8pLUH8b8548/w-d-xo.html Also 207-017 is seen at 7:45 and 205-033 at 10:15. I do remember seeing the Jaffa Cake units although that was before I got a video camera!
The screeching brakes carried me right back to riding these all over the South East. They had a smell of old sofa, grease, floor polish and hot metal about them.
Yes, and the slamming doors. So much character.
@@ianjones3568 There was always some jerk wound just walk off and leave the door open.
Thanks for uploading, wow those old train's were a big part of my traveling life
Grew up with these. Very nostalgic seeing them again.
Good acceleration, extremely comfortable seats and reliable
Brings back old memories the smells the bouncy seats the 40watt light bulbs especially in winter on the way home from school very eerie 😊😊😊
Things I miss. The motor whine. The compressor sound. The clicketty-clack. The slamming doors.
sliding the window down to open the door from the outside. The eerie silence in the train when stopping at the station (no air conditioning like on modern trains etc.) and the only sound is the doors slamming.
@@johnbell3621 Yes the silence, I remember it. Waiting to set off at a terminus was more of an event. Then there was a huge lurch and squeak as you got going.
I loved the sound of the heater motor running when they were in the station - was that the compressor?. Almost all the emus did that I think 😊
The Old announcer at charing cross with the deep voice
DETAILS OF LINE VOLTAGES & EMU OFFICIAL SPEED MAXIMUMS.
There is a lot of confusion over the line voltages of the Southern Railway/Region electrification schemes. The first 3rd rail trains introduced by the LSWR in 1914 (from Waterloo) used 600v DC. All electrification schemes until 1933 were all suburban routes and designed to use 600v. In 1931 with the invention of the Mercury Arc Rectifier, which allowed substations to become fully automatic, (prior to this at least 2 staff were needed in each), this reduced the cost of electrification in staff numbers which encouraged mainline electrification.
The Worlds first 3rd rail mainline (London-Brighton) was converted from steam to electric in 1933. As many of the new express units had Pullmans or Restaurant cars (needing electric power) the line voltage for all new schemes was raised to 660v from this time. Previous 600v substations in the suburban areas were slowly upgraded to 660v between 1933-46. Mainlines to Portsmouth/Littlehampton/Bognor Regis/Reading/Maidstone and Gillingham were added before WW2 began.
With the formation of British Railway in 1948, there were few changes in the network or inherited stock until 1951. The first BR designed EMU's were the 4EPB's. They introduced a new coupling to the EMU fleet (the buckeye), a new control system, and carbon brush pick up shoes instead of metal skates. This also meant they could NOT couple with any older types.
It wasn't until 1955 that the Government had cleared most of the wartime debt, so BR was given little money until this time. But the 1955 "Modernisation plan" included electrification of the Kent lines beyond Maidstone & Gillingham to the Kent coast, implemented in two stages in 1958/61. This introduced the first 750v DC lines beyond the suburban areas, as the Maidstone & Gillingham lines were upgraded to 750v along with the extensions to Dover & Ramsgate. The problem was that all the older Southern Railway types could not take 750v.
The South Eastern Division was the first to be fully upgraded to 750v when it became possible to swap their Bulleid type 4SUB units with EPB's from the Central/South Western Divisions around 1972. Their 2HAL/2BIL units went to the other Divisions, replaced by the first batch of (Bulleid style) 1951 type 2HAP's.
The Central Division had to wait until 1972 when it got rid of its pre-war mainline units including the Brighton Belle sets, which allowed the lines beyond Coulsdon & Dorking to then be upgrade to 750v. The Central Suburban area had to wait until 1982ish when the last 4SUB's were scrapped. (The 1951 EPB's could of course take 750v as they had been introduced with this increase in mind).
The South Western Division was also upgraded to 750v in stages. The mainline to Portsmouth (beyond Guildford) & the Reading line (beyond Staines) were upgraded by 1973/4 once the remaining 2BIL/2HAL/4COR types had gone for scrap. Again the suburban area couldn't be upgraded until about 1982, when the last 4SUB's were scrapped. The Bournemouth line electrification of 1966/7 was an exception dealt with in the "Speed" section below.
SPEED !
All EMU designs from 1914 to 1956 were designed with a maximum speed of 75mph, including express stock such as the 3 x Brighton Belle units. In 1956 the first (prototype) 4CEPs x4 and 4BEP's x2 were introduced on the Central Division based on the Mk1 coach body. These units were the first to have a 90mph gear ratio. Testing to gain experience with the higher speeds and reveal any design faults in the stock went hand in hand with upgrading of certain lines to accept the higher speeds, such as some bridge strengthening.
So from 1958 the large fleets of 4CEP's/4BEP's & 2HAP's were the first 90mph fleets. (4EPB's were of course a suburban 75mph type). The follow on Brighton line 4CIG's & 4BIG's were also geared for 90mph, as were the further CIG's & BIG's for the Portsmouth line.
The Bournemouth line electrification of 1966/67 beyond Brookwood/Pirbright Junction was however the next step in both voltage & line speed changes ! The new substations of the "Container" or "Clasp concrete" type actually supply 800v DC (not commonly known as only electrification engineers documents refer to this fact.) There was a reason of course -Speed. As the steam locomotives the new stock was to replace were known to frequently reach 100mph+ on certain sections of this route the new 3,200hp 4REP "Power Packs" were intended for 100mph. However a row broke out between the CM&EE's department and the Civil Engineer over the raising of the line speed to 100mph. In the end the REP/TC stock was officially limited to 90mph. The long intended 100mph was not introduced until the arrival of the 5WES units around 1990. The 5WES units inherited the 4REP motors and part of their EP brake equipment.
The first 20x 4VEP (7701-20) units also built for this scheme were unaffected and designed for 90mph, as "Semi-Fast" stock.
The 4REP's were incidentally officially classed as "Locomotives" NOT EMU's ! The reason being that each of the two motor coaches in these sets, had the electrical equipment, bogies & motors of a Class 73 Electro-Diesel, so 2 x 1600hp. This increased the 4REP weight considerably over any EMU. So as "Locomotives" the 4REP's were limited to 60mph when running "Light". In principle if they went faster when running light they would have insufficient brake force to stop within the allowed braking distances based on the Signal spacings. Weight was also the main reason the Civil Engineer wouldn't agree to the sets being permitted to run at 100mph.
UNIQUE TRAINS !!!
Electric & Diesel trains coupled together in normal timetable service - Probably unique.
The 17.30 & 18.30hrs departures from Waterloo during the period 1985-95 were formed 8VEP/4TC/Class 33/1, with the diesel loco normally at the London end. Total horsepower 3,550hp. The VEP's had a maximum of 90mph but the Class 33/1 was supposedly limited to 85mph. The 4VEPs provided a semi-fast service to Southampton, while the 4TC & Class 33/1, uncoupled at Basingstoke and went on to Salisbury all stations.
This train was quite fun to drive, as it behaved oddly. Leaving Waterloo the maximum speed through the pointwork is 15mph. It was normal on these EMU's to wack the power handle wide open when starting. So the ammeter in the EMU cab would shoot up to 3,200 amps, and the EMU's would start wheel spinning, because the Diesel loco at the rear has a 5-7 second run-up delay. 2,000hp of EMU was however enough to start dragging the TC & Diesel loco, so a gentle start seemed in order. But then suddenly just as you reach about 5mph, the Diesel at the rear suddenly kicks in, and you find yourself rocketing forward at 25mph. Ooops, better close the power handle.
Once out on the line the VEPs, would by themselves reach 95mph on level track without trouble. With the Diesel loco on the rear, maximum speed was dependant on whether the Diesel loco "overrider" was working. This would shut the diesel loco down to tick over at about 87-90mph. So the VEP's wouldn't exceed this speed towing the extra weight. However if the diesel loco over rider was isolated, then speeds of 100mph were possible. So Woking (first stop) in 20 mins.
As an ex BR Top Link Driver I drove at various times all EMU types from the 4SUB ("Old Mary's") to the 4REP's & 5WES units, in addition to various Diesels & Electric locos.
I love these trains more than today's trains
Awesome collection
Anyone know the name of the announcer heard in the Clapham Junction footage? Sounds like the recorded voice I remember from the South Western stations from the late 80s onwards. In my memory this is the same chap who pronounced Vauxhall in a very posh way, something like 'Vorks Hall'.
"Stone Leigh"
"Clepham Janction? This is Clepham Janction!"...I remember him well @8:08
17:33 Ah, the days of Charing Cross services and trains on the Sydenham corridor that ran fast to intermediate stations... nice
Gotta love them signals at Amberley lol Train passes through the platform entry... stays up... train passes well past the platform starter... hmm stays up not a very good sign someone is paying attention if the treadle isn't working O.o
Amberley signal box was often locked out at the time this video was made - so the block section was between Pulborough signal box and Arundel signal box. When the box was locked out the signals remained showing off (up).
Can’t beat a slam door
Always a misty eye seeing Waterloo. Us naughty boys in the depths and dungeons of the lamp arch to fend off boredom got into a lot of trouble with the angry Welsh Area Manager, like pulling up the uniform records of the signalmen at London Bridge and Victoria boxes and issuing them with ancient and pretty hoary "Weskit" uniforms which prompted a fiery response from the signalmen and a threat of walking out over it (signalmen pointedly refused to wear uniforms) to sending YTS trainees up to measure the gap between hydraulic buffer and train buffer and if over 3 feet they were to tell the driver off (I got to sweep the whole concourse on my own with a yard broom for a week for being the architect of that wheeze) plus the usual chestnuts of "long weights", "tartan paint", "left handed screwdrivers" and the AM forbade any trainees coming within 100 metres of us lot. Was a funny place to work for and just a shame I committed career suicide when I pranked Eastleigh's TOPs to order in all class 99's for brakes and pipes, full clean and certification I still remember that fateful phone call from Eastleigh AM office requiring my presence with union rep post haste and boy was the chap mad as hell after the chaos of the works setting up to service... SeaLink ferries and so I was royally tin tacked never to darken BR's doors again /sad face
How comfortable those seats were in the Series 1 CIGs (4:36).
Very, now they just chop and ironing board in half and call it a seat. fire proof, dirt proof, graffiti proof and comfort proof! Maybe the next gen of Emus will take a leaf from Black Adder and just give us a spike to sit on. Please give up your spike to a person who needs it more!
Hi, I loved these old trains, I miss them. Do any still run anywhere in the UK?
These old slam door EMUs are long gone. A few preservation groups are working to bring some older stock for mainline excursions and the like, but if you're quick you can still experience Slam-Doors in service on the Liverpool Street to Norwich Intercity services, but do be quick, Greater Anglia are aiming for the entirety of their Mk3s to be replaced in a few months. Aside from that I'm not so sure if you can reliably find and ride on a slam-door mainline service anywhere else.
Tyler Grey Greater Anglia 90s are gone now. I think the only slam door stock still in service are the EMR HSTs out of St. Pancras, the peak time 68 hauled trains on the fife circle in Scotland, and I believe Chiltern still have 1 set of slam door Mk3s that they use on peak time trains between Banbury/Bicester and Marylebone
Connex South Central is now Southern Railway
I remember these.
I like that train
2:43 semaphore still!
WHEN QAS THESE CLASS 142S MADE ?
Now we have family names to traina, Aventra, Electrostar but what were these units called, CIG? VEP and why the styling that almost was devoid of a headlamp?
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong but [4]CIG etc. are more like the class numbers, they’re descriptive too* [e.g. 4-car Corridor brIGton for the 421s]. Specific family names I think were more recent with Pacers/Sprinters and the PEP family (313-5 and 507-8)
* en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Railway_multiple_unit_numbering_and_classification
Originally when these units were built they only had the roller blind headcodes, the small headlights were an addition much later which I presume was to do with safety as these lights were also added to all sorts of things, Locomotives, DMUs and EMUs... Also these units never really had a family name, the closest thing to that would be ‘BR MK1 EMUs’ the CIG and VEP were like the TOPS class system we use today.
Names such as "Aventura, Electrostar" were introduced after BR was replaced by the micky mouse Franchise era in 1995. All previous BR Southern Region stock had Southern designation codes such as CIG= Corridor Brighton stock. BIG = Buffet Brighton stock The IG in both those codes was actually an old Brighton telegraphic code, contrary to many modern explanations. VEP = Vestibule Electro Pneumatic brake. CEP = Corridor Electro Pneumatic brake. REP = Restaurant Electro Pneumatic brake. There is a page on Wikipedia explaining the many others !
The Computer Tops codes such as "Class 423" was an imposition by British Rail HQ for computer Logistics purposes. Southern Region staff rarely ever used those computer codes as we still referred to the stock by their Southern codes which were a darn sight easier to remember. Only the ghastly 455's were referred too by there computer code number, as they had no Southern name. Nobody wanted these dangerous bits of junk !
Headlights were another daft idea supposedly on safety grounds introduced in the late 1980's. In reality you can't see a dam thing at night except the patch of track the headlight illuminates. So for example you couldn't see if a car had fallen off a bridge onto the track ahead until just before you hit it, and of course far to late to brake. As the law in Britain insists on all railway lines being fenced, this is why trains in Britain never had headlights for the first 150 years of railways in Britain !!!
Headcodes were another Southern Speciality. The Southern used initially letter headcodes followed from 1933 by two digit headcodes on Multiple units. These headcodes revealed the trains route and its stopping pattern. Railway Staff and even Regular passengers could identify the correct train by its Headcode.
Steam locomotives in Britain used oil lamps or white discs, in one or more of FOUR possible positions to describe the Class of train on all Regions EXCEPT the Southern. Because of the complex density of routes south of London the Southern used a SIX position system which described not the class of train but its route.
British Railways began using the steam era headlamp or white disc system on early diesel locos. This was however replaced from around 1964, with a four digit headcode system such as 1A16. The first digit indicates the class of train in this case "1" meaning express. The second digit was a letter (example "A") to designate the route. The last two digits ("16") indicates this is the 16th train path on that route for that day, beginning from 02.00hrs each day.
In the Post BR era Headcode confirmation that the platform displays are correct has been dispensed with in most cases !
The slam door trains had more yellow at the front, because they whooshed.
What?
4VEP 3436, one of only two to get big single-pane windows as a refurb proposal. 4CEP 1547, reformed after vandals set fire to its original Trailer Brake, using the TBC from prototype refurbished 4 CEP 7153, later 1500. This unit still had the older EE co controllers in the cabs, both DMS cars latterly used back to back as "Tractor Unit" 080 still in "jaffa cake" paint scheme. Trailer second still crumbling away at an "museum" in Coventry, others scrapped. Amazing the junk this old Motorman recalls.
Thanks so much for all this extra information. What part of the south of England were you a motorman?
I worked out of St Leonards Depot, a small one on the South Coast near Hastings, covering Central Division routes to Brighton and Seaford, also Victoria, as well as up via Tunbridge Wells on the DEMUs at first, then the "1066 Electrics" in Jaffa Cake livery, to Charing Cross/Cannon St, also Hastings to Ashford on the old 2 and 3 car DEMUs. Glad you like all the info ! Originally the Southern Railway Brighton Line Electrication Scheme of the 30's brought the EMUs to Hastings, the depot was at Ore, one stop northwards on the Ashford line. The St Leonards men covered the ex-SECR route to Tunbridge Wells and Charing Cross/Cannon St, as well as Hastings to Ashford. When the line via T Wells was juiced in 1986, Ore was closed and the two depots amalgamated at St Leonards, where the inspection Sheds were for the DEMUs and the old Steam Motive Power one. For a few years repairs to the 1066 units were effected there too. All closed now and just a shadow of its former self, a cleaning shed.
There are a couple of brief clips of DEMU 207-001 taken at Reading on 21 May 1992 when it arrived from Basingstoke in my video "British Rail Vignettes May 1992 #1 Reading Station" at 17:40 and 19:15 see th-cam.com/video/8pLUH8b8548/w-d-xo.html Also 207-017 is seen at 7:45 and 205-033 at 10:15.
I do remember seeing the Jaffa Cake units although that was before I got a video camera!
3:07, absolutely filthy!
Very obliging guard 6:43.