Third-Rail EMU Photos

[EmporiaSub]

On 17/07/2021 at 14:42, Nearholmer said:

Thing I notice on the rare occasions that I go back to the SR is how much tree growth has encroached everywhere, which combined with the sales of surplus lands, has effectively down-sized the railway infrastructure - the entire feel of many lines is completely different from even 30 years ago.

Although diesel land, the same location but about 40 years apart.....

[Nearholmer]

Ruddy heck!

 

The back end of Jarvis Brook, with what certainly used to be a very good pub just up a steep hill to your left.

 

Without the photo of the proper train, there is no way I would have recognised it.

 

I peered over the London side of Palesgate Lane Bridge last week, and that’s even more unrecognisable, due to single track. Long gone is the catch point and sign on the down road.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I have just had some trees cut down. Most, but not all, probably planted 100 years ago when the house was built. A very expensive but necessary exercise - and five more still to do.

 

The railways, not just in the UK, are setting themselves up for a huge budget in years to come if they don't get on top of this while the trees are still of a reasonable size.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A rather sad moment earlier this evening, as 2415 is coupled to 2420 for their journey to "the great beyond". This is certainly the last time 442s will be coupled together at BM Depot; maybe the last time EVER that 442s are joined as a pair.

[adb968008]

On 18/07/2021 at 18:47, Joseph_Pestell said:

I have just had some trees cut down. Most, but not all, probably planted 100 years ago when the house was built. A very expensive but necessary exercise - and five more still to do.

 

The railways, not just in the UK, are setting themselves up for a huge budget in years to come if they don't get on top of this while the trees are still of a reasonable size.

Thats the least if their problems, nationwide the collection of bridges isnt getting any younger, I see many where rust is taking hold, bird guano is very corrosive to, and whilst not serious now, there will be a point where a large quantity expire at a similar age.

 

I reported a bridge to NR just before covid, where the platform has been extended  over the parapet, and wooden fencing was added to protect passengers, probably back in the 90’s… the posts are totally rotten and you can move the whole panelling back/for at least 12 inches each way, with 1 hand. Someone someday will lean on it and find themselves 40’ lower on the main road below… its apparently “on their list of works”, so not serious enough yet.

Edited July 29, 2021 by adb968008

[John M Upton]

Forgot to post this one, just parked her up for the night down Bognor Regis the other night:

 

Good little runner this one (Okay, I have only driven three of them so far so not really much of a comparison!) but the cab hopper window kept falling open every time I went over a bump.  You can see my Instructor had given up shutting the thing by the end of the evening...

Edited July 29, 2021 by John M Upton

[Claude_Dreyfus]

377448 heads the 1B50 17:35 London Victoria - Bognor Regis towards Hardham - 29th July 2021. The unit has recently been refurbished (as part of the overall class 377 refurbishment program), the small light on the lower left-hand cowling being the immediate give-away

[iands]

31 minutes ago, Claude_Dreyfus said:

377448 heads the 1B50 17:35 London Victoria - Bognor Regis towards Hardham - 29th July 2021. The unit has recently been refurbished (as part of the overall class 377 refurbishment program), the small light on the lower left-hand cowling being the immediate give-away

Nice photo. Any idea on the purpose of the additional small light?

[John M Upton]

There is a forward facing camera that is used for recording the track (debris etc) which is fitted new to later Class 377's (Basically the five car /6 and /7 series plus the 387's) and now are being retrofitted to the other older Southern 377's too, the light is for that.

 

Also at the same time, USB and plug sockets at every seat, new PIS displays, screen advertising in the saloons and some upgrades under the err bonnet as it were.

 

On the subject of 387's, if anyone got a shot of Gatwick Express Class 387/2 387225 sneaking off along the Coastway West towards Southampton Central this morning, I would appreciate a copy, especially if it is between Brighton and Barnham as I was driving it!  (The 377 broke....)

Edited July 30, 2021 by John M Upton

[iands]

7 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

There is a forward facing camera that is used for recording the track (debris etc) which is fitted new to later Class 377's (Basically the five car /6 and /7 series plus the 387's) and now are being retrofitted to the other older Southern 377's too, the light is for that.

 

Also at the same time, USB and plug sockets at every seat, new PIS displays, screen advertising in the saloons and some upgrades under the err bonnet as it were.

 

On the subject of 387's, if anyone got a shot of Gatwick Express Class 387/2 387225 sneaking off along the Coastway West towards Southampton Central this morning, I would appreciate a copy, especially if it is between Brighton and Barnham as I was driving it!  (The 377 broke....)

Thanks for the explanation John, very informative.

[Artless Bodger]

On 23/05/2017 at 20:17, grahame said:

 

I was hoping to bash an N gauge 4COR from the Maunsell coaches that Dapol released but having purchased a few samples couldn't find any that were suitable as a starting point. Another project idea that bit the dust.

 

G

Dipping into this thread at intervals (and being left handed I flip through books backwards, from end to start), I've twice made pseudo 4COR in N from the old Poole Farish mainline coaches - not accurate as they are too short, but they've got the look close enough to my eyes and recall trips from Hastings to Brighton on them in the early 70s. Posted the latest risible effort on here somewhere.

 

One recollection was that someone had relieved the doors in the comparments of the instruction labels for opening the windows, and foreign visitors trying to open the doors from inside by waggling the little brass handle back and forth, the only result being the droplight falling open with a bang. You could flip up the rubber mat in the gangway connections to see the track rushing past below through the metal floor grid.

[BernardTPM]

I'd say the Dapol Maunsells would be a better starting point than the old Farish Mainline coaches primarily because the roof is a much better shape and there are proper Composite and Thirds available. The driving cars would need new sides though and the end result won't be 100%, though still a big step up from anything you could bash from the old Farish equivalent. Might work better for the earlier generation 6-PUL, etc. rather than 4-COR etc.

At mid £20s each the Dapol are pretty good value in contemporary terms.

[Nearholmer]

If they don’t do them already, Worsley Works would, I’m sure, etch COR sides in 2mm/ft to order.

[Re6/6]

http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/2mm/2mm_EMUs.htm

[mpb56125]

3502 on Fratton Depot,  31st March 1990

 

Mark

Edited August 2, 2021 by mpb56125

[mpb56125]

8001 at Eastleigh Depot on 31st March 1990

 

Mark

[mpb56125]

485 043 at Sandown on 19th April 1990

Mark

Edited August 2, 2021 by mpb56125

[mpb56125]

001 at Ryde Pier Head on 19th April 1990

 

Mark

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by mpb56125

[mpb56125]

508 109 at Rock Ferry on 7th April 1990

Mark

[mpb56125]

65461 at Bury Depot on 18th April 1990

 

Mark

[Nearholmer]

Worsley Works …… took a bit of finding, but he does the 4-COR in 3mm/ft, and says he’s happy to produce it in 2mm/ft also.

[Gwiwer]

3 minutes ago, mpb56125 said:

8001 at Eastleigh Depot on 31st March 1990

That still looks wrong to my eyes.  Eyes which knew 8001 as the unique hybrid 8-VAB unit formed from vehicles out of 4-VEPs 7739/41/42 plus an SR-wired Mk1 buffet car.  Formed as a stopgap when insufficient 4-REP units were available and in order to provide the advertised catering service on Bournemouth - Waterloo semi-fasts it had enough power from three motor coaches out of eight to pace a 4-REP.  Often rostered coupled to a 4-VEP it also ran coupled to a 4-TC and sometimes solo.  On one occasion only the five-car portion was fit for traffic; when I saw it at Southampton the formation was 5-VAB+4VEP+3TC   Such was the SR 27-way control system flexibility.  

 

8001was carried more recently by the first of the "Juniper" units, now 458501 but introduced as 458001 and (as with the entire class at the time) not displaying the 45.

[Gwiwer]

7 minutes ago, mpb56125 said:

001 at Ryde Pier Head on 19th April 1990

I was never a fan of that livery on main line stock but it looked oddly superb on the classic lines of 1938 tube stock.  

[mpb56125]

501 137 at Willesden Depot on 2nd June 1990

 

Mark

[Artless Bodger]

On 31/07/2021 at 12:31, BernardTPM said:

I'd say the Dapol Maunsells would be a better starting point than the old Farish Mainline coaches primarily because the roof is a much better shape and there are proper Composite and Thirds available. The driving cars would need new sides though and the end result won't be 100%, though still a big step up from anything you could bash from the old Farish equivalent. Might work better for the earlier generation 6-PUL, etc. rather than 4-COR etc.

At mid £20s each the Dapol are pretty good value in contemporary terms.

True, in my defence, I use what I've got (money not being one of them), and the old Roco chassis I had fitted the Farish coaches I'd picked up over the years. Accuracy has never been a strong point of mine. The Dapol coaches are just too nice for me to take tools too - the outcome would be debateable! The window layout in the emus (2Bils too) are not door window door window etc on the corridor side from what I can see.