Preserved SR EMUs

[Paul2410]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have just joined RMWeb.  I am a member of Twickenham & District Model Railway Club and I am its current Chairmaan.  My main interests are London Underground and SR EMUs, model and prototype.  I am also a member of London Underground Railway Society.

 

The closure of the Electric Railway Museum near Coventry in 2017 was well publicised at the time, with the removal of all EMU vehicles (as well as several coach bodies) to other locations.  Among those was the only surviving 4SUB 4732 and a 4EPB Trailer 15354 which are now safely stored at the Locomotive Storage Ltd site in the former Hornby Warehouse in Margate, along with the only surviving LMS 1938 "Wirral & Mersey" EMU.

 

Less well publicised was the closure and clearance of the former GCR Finmere Station site in North Oxfordshire earlier this year, as it was in the path of HS2, which took over the site, which had to be cleared out.  I was interested to find out what happened to all of the railway vehicles on that site, which was owned by the Coulsdon Old Vehicle Engineering Society [COVES], at which the Network SouthEast Railway Society was based, who own a former SR Class 421 4CIG unit 1753 and a 4BIG Buffet Car 69339.  There were also a Class 73 73130 (in 'Eurostar' two-tone grey), various Class 416 2EPB DMBSOs, 2 LMR Class 501 vehicles (a DMBSO & DTBSO), a former 4SUB 'Augmentation' Trailer (converted to a Deicing Coach); and an SNCF/Nord Corridor 2nd 7122 (once owned by the NRM).  There were also 4 ex-Northen Line 1959 Tube Stock cars, which are privately owned.

 

I was particularly interested in the fate of the four 1959 Tube Stock cars that were moved there some years ago, as I was preparing an article on "Preserved London Underground Vehicles" for a future issue of the London Underground Railway Society's monthly "Underground News" magazine.  I had been able to trace the location of all extant complete vehicles, but could not ascertain to where these four cars had been moved, following the closure and clearance of the Finmere site.

 

After making enquiries with the 'Network SouthEast Railway Society', 'The Railway Heritage Register Partnership - Carriage Survey', 'Southern Railway E-Mail Group' and the 'LURS', it transpires that the N.S.E.R.S. Class 421/4CIG EMU 1753 with Class 422/4BIG TRSB 69339 were moved to Nemesis Rail Depot, Burton on Trent, for continued restoration, hopefully to main line condition for haulage. 

 

All but one of the remaining ex-BR vehicles there, Class 73 73130 (one of the two fitted with 'Eurostar' Dellner/Scharfenberg couplers), the ex-2EPB DMBSO Sandite units (4 vehicles), the two LMR Class 501 DMBSO & DTBSO vehicles, and the SNCF/Nord Corridor 2nd 7122 (previously owned by the NRM, but de-accessioned and sold a few years ago) were moved to storage on part of the Bicester Military Railway at MoD, Bicester.

 

The 1959 TS cars are DM 1018, T 1034, NDM 9305 and DM 1304, were all ex-Northern Line.  I was able to obtain confirmation through LURS that all four cars were moved south from Finmere and are now stored in the yard of Southern Transit bus depot at The Old Cement Works, Shoreham Road, Beeding, near Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex, on the route of the long-closed Shoreham to Christ's Hospital line.  There is no public access to this site.

 

The only ex-BR vehicle not to move to Bicester was the former 4SUB 'Augmentation' Trailer S10400, which was converted to a De-Icing Trailer in 1960 and renumbered DS 70087.  It was subsequently renumbered ADS70087 about 1970 and again in 1981 to ADB977364.  This vehicle was later repainted into NSE livery in the late 1980's and then into Railtrack brown grey and white, and after being allocated to Selhurst Depot, it was withdrawn in 2005, going to store at St. Leonard's Depot until 2010, when it was sold into so-called preservation.  It ended up at the "Finmere Station Museum" (along with various other ex-SR EMU vehicles) until early 2020, when the museum closed and the site was cleared, as it was on the route of the proposed HS2.  According to the Railway Heritage Register Partnership website - Carriage Survey - 'Finmere Station (scrapped)' shows ADB977364 as:

 

"From St Leonards to Finmere late 2009/early 2010.  By 02/12 reported as for sale - but still there 06/14, by which date had been repainted into the sand coloured Departmental livery.  N.B. Finmere disused GCR station between Brackley and Quainton Road is a private site: no unauthorised access. 02/20: broken up at James Watson, scrap merchant in Stafford."  It was apparently in very poor condition and, although it was offered for sale, there was no interest in it and was scrapped.

 

So this last surviving Southern Railway 1946 'Augmentation Trailer' no longer exists.  The only surviving 4SUB vehicles are those in Unit 4732 now located in store at the 1:1 Collection Building (the Hornby Warehouse) in Margate, having been moved there in May 2018 from the closed Electric Railway Museum.  It is rather a pity, as 10400 could have probably been a better spares donor vehicle than the ex-4EPB trailer 15354 (from Unit 5176) also currently at Margate.

 

This begs the question as to the future of the very last three remaining 4EPB vehicles of Unit 5176 (2 x Driving Motor Brake Second Opens and 1 x Trailer Second Open) currently at the Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway, which were in a reasonable external condition.  The pioneer Class 415/4EPB 5001 (known as "The Green Goddess" in its latter years before withdrawal), which clearly had great historical significance as the first of its class and the pioneer of all of the post-war EPB EMU classes, was unceremoniously scrapped at Long Marston in 2004, after being stored there for some time, but which really should have been preserved, either as a complete unit or at least one of the DMBSOs.  It's one of those which "got away"!

 

Paul Raven-Hill, TDMRC.

 

 

[602Squadron]

Thanks, Paul. It's sometimes been difficult to keep track of the movements of the stock from the former ERM at Baginton over the last 3 years, so your update is very welcome.

 

A shame about the scrapping of S10400S, although not entirely surprising given the extent to which it had been rebuilt for departmental use and it's likely condition after 10 years or so of open storage. Still, it's yet another loss to the field of electric traction preservation, which has been woefully neglected and undervalued, probably due to a) nervousness about the liabilities of mixing high voltage electricity with the public, and b) the fact that as most electric stock in the UK has always been multiple-unit, preservation requires the restoration and maintenance of 2-, 3- or 4 vehicles at a time, rather than a single loco or coach. With little, if any, prospect of recouping investment by running restored electric units under their own power, it's understandable why scarce resources would be targeted at steam or diesel traction and loco-hauled stock. Nevertheless, electric traction has a longer history than diesel, has played an important social role in the development of suburban networks, and deserves a far more prominent place in our history than it presently gets. Sorry, NRM, but single 4COR and 3SUB motor coaches without the rest of their units just don't cut it.

 

However much it might upset the purists, I hope the 5- (or 4-) BEL project is successful, as it might just ignite wider interest in EMU preservation. In the meantime, to the AC Locomotive and Southern Electric Groups - hang in there guys!

 

Bernard

Edited August 17, 2020 by 602Squadron
Spelling correction

[Nearholmer]

A very interesting summary, thank you.

 

At risk of being very cheeky, have you by any chance collated a list of SR/BR(S) EMU stock that is currently preserved in operational condition?

 

Given how many passenger-journeys these trains racked-up, they are definitely under-represented in preservation, although one can understand why, but it would be good to know that the unique experience is going to remain available somewhere, even if not with the proper motive power.

[jonhall]

If only some of the money used to buy some of these vehicles had actually been spent instead on a storage building, then a lot more coaches would survive, but what has tended to happen is a coach get bought, money is spent moving it, then rent is paid, then more money has been spent moving it somewhere else, then more rent is paid then the owners realise it has deteriorated so far that it can no longer be contemplated, and its scrapped for a fraction of the money that has been spent....

 

Jon 

[Nearholmer]

Indeed.

 

Which is what prompted my question really. I imagine a day not too far in the future when they’ve all dissolved, except the ones in the NRM and the items that LTM owns.

 

I’m not enthusiastic about the idea of preserving a 38TS from IoW for that reason.

[phil-b259]

5 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Indeed.

 

Which is what prompted my question really. I imagine a day not too far in the future when they’ve all dissolved, except the ones in the NRM and the items that LTM owns.

 

I’m not enthusiastic about the idea of preserving a 38TS from IoW for that reason.

 

I believe the IOWSR are interested in a unit - and potentially have a large dry exhibition shed where it can be conserved. I do agree though that having a unit in open storage for years significantly increases the chance of it rusting away to such an extent that scraping is the only option.

 

 

[Nearholmer]

10 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

that scraping is the only option

It’s when scraping ceases to be an option, and scrapping is necessary that I get worried ;-)

[roythebus]

Don't forget the 4DD car (not bra) that is in storage at Sellindge and the other one in Northampton, and the 4TC sets "preserved" by LTM for operational use.

[adb968008]

EMU preservation I think could have a good mainline future, once the wheels roll.

 

there are a good number of commuter lines around London, which have reduced services on a sunday... for example the Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, Caterham branches, a balloon trip from Clapham plat 16/7 around Tooting and Morden lines, or even to East Grinstead as a Bluebell shuttle with the MLV or an ED doing the last bit... rather than selling an “all lines” tour, it could run as a series of separately ticketed short tours, or shuttles, a bit like how LT sells the trips with the 1938 stock.

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by adb968008

[Nearholmer]

One can only hope so.

 

I particularly like the sound of a London to Sheffield Park trundle, although I'd be worried about an MLV's ability to schlepp four or five cars across the Wealden gradients without running-out of charge. An ED could do it very slowly, but a Crompton might be a safer bet.

 

One big difference, I think, between the national network and LT is that the LT Museum team are key players in London, and in a vertically integrated organisation, where the LTM is "part of the family", it is a lot simpler (still not trivial, of course) to deal with practical difficulties, and the sort of things that become perceived difficulties simply don't arise. It always helped when he was Commissioner for Transport that Sir Peter Hendy is a "proper enthusiast" - he clearly still is, but his position at NR doesn't quite give him the ability to inspire the whole combine, including key external stakeholders, that he had in London. As an example of focus, LU certainly had, not sure if they still do, very senior semi-retired personnel in formal roles as Head of Heritage Operations and Engineer (Heritage Fleet), so guys who were paid (part-time roles) to make it happen, and legions of staff gave their time for free to enable heritage ops. One of the things that 'sold' heritage ops to the LT Board was that it acts as a hugely powerful tool for staff motivation/pride/satisfaction.

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by Nearholmer

[602Squadron]

16 hours ago, adb968008 said:

EMU preservation I think could have a good mainline future, once the wheels roll.

 

there are a good number of commuter lines around London, which have reduced services on a sunday... for example the Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, Caterham branches, a balloon trip from Clapham plat 16/7 around Tooting and Morden lines, or even to East Grinstead as a Bluebell shuttle with the MLV or an ED doing the last bit... rather than selling an “all lines” tour, it could run as a series of separately ticketed short tours, or shuttles, a bit like how LT sells the trips with the 1938 stock.

 

 

 

 

A great idea and I'd love to see it, but a lot of work would be required to make it feasible. I think it's safe to say there would be no chance of obtaining permission for use of wood-framed stock such as the 4COR or 2BIL, and derogations would be needed for pre-1948 or Mark 1 all-steel stock, which does not meet current crashworthiness standards. Then there are all the add-ons now needed for operation on the national network - central door locking after 2023, toilet retention tanks, internal door handles and locking droplights, TPWS, event recorders, cab secure radio, high intensity headlights. Etc.

 

I'm not saying it couldn't be done, as the Brighton Belle project is proving, but don't underestimate what is needed. Still, neither should we underestimate what the preservation movement is capable of.

[adb968008]

5 hours ago, 602Squadron said:

 

A great idea and I'd love to see it, but a lot of work would be required to make it feasible. I think it's safe to say there would be no chance of obtaining permission for use of wood-framed stock such as the 4COR or 2BIL, and derogations would be needed for pre-1948 or Mark 1 all-steel stock, which does not meet current crashworthiness standards. Then there are all the add-ons now needed for operation on the national network - central door locking after 2023, toilet retention tanks, internal door handles and locking droplights, TPWS, event recorders, cab secure radio, high intensity headlights. Etc.

 

I'm not saying it couldn't be done, as the Brighton Belle project is proving, but don't underestimate what is needed. Still, neither should we underestimate what the preservation movement is capable of.

i think theres at least 2 if not three projects working towards this aim of Mainline (The VEP, NSE societies unit and i’m sure I read of another).

 

Things like crash worthiness (and empty barrier vehicle) is where the MLV could be useful, many of the commuter units already had internal door locks, headlights etc... theres some easyfruit too.. strange as it sounds a 455 is “classic” ex-BR dead man walking material, fits most of the above and will be on a one way trip from Wimbledon, Selhurst etc to Newport in the next few years.

 

 

[Paul2410]

Good Evening All,

 

Thanks for all your recent posts.  I seem to have opened up something here.  The comments were most interesting.  I would agree with virtually all of the points raised.  Most electric stock were 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 car units, so storing even a two car unit takes up quite a bit of space.  The longer the unit, the more space is needed.  There are very few preserved EMUs that would even get a snowflake in hell's chance of running anywhere on the main line network without all the gizmos that modern trains must have, which would compromise the historical value of the vehicle or unit.

 

"Nearholmer" asked if I had collated a list of preserved SR EMUs.  I didn't need to.  There is a very comprehensive list on Wikipedia at - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preserved_EMUs_of_Southern_Railway, which includes all preserved BR/SR EMUs.  I have updated various entries to reflect more recent changes, particularly as a result of the closures of the ERM at Baginton (Coventry) and Finmere Station.

 

The Railway Heritage Register Partnership - Carriage Survey contains a lot of information on virtually all preserved and 'not-so-preserved' scrapped carriages, whether EMU, DEMU, DMU, Loco-hauled, NPCCS, etc, as well as "All Vehicles" or those "At Risk", and their database can be searched, by location, design, builder, type, years, etc.

 

As far as I am aware, the only operational 'preserved' EMU is the LTM's 4TC set (which is comprised of vehicles from several units) and the 1938 TS unit.  The Bluebell Railway's Class 423/4VEP 3417 is under restoration by Southern Electric Traction Group at Strawberry Hill Depot to full main line standard, which will no doubt take quite a bit of time, as it has been out of regular use for some 15 years.  The NSERS 5BIG (4CIG 1753 & 4BIG TRSB) is now at Nemesis Rail, Burton-on-Trent, for continued restoration to at least main line haulage standard.  There is at least one 4VOP and various EMU vehicles at the East Kent Railway.  It will be interesting to see when the 5BEL Trust's 4BEL starts test running, although they have two further vehicles (a TPKF and a TPSO) which could make up a 6BEL (Yes, the SR did run one like that shortly after WW2).  It has cost them a fortune to rebuild, but good on them for doing it.  It just takes very deep pockets and a hell of a lot of engineering expertise!

 

The LTM's preserved vehicles at Acton Depot are mostly single examples, apart from the surviving "Standard Stock" (5 vehicles), the 1938 TS, and the Q Stock cars (2 x Q38, 1 x Q35 Trailer, and 1 x Q23).  I visited the Depot a couple of weeks ago, and two of the Q Stock cars (a Q38 DM 4417 and Q35 Trailer 08063) are being worked on by a volunteer restoration team on a fairly regular basis.  I know the Engineering Team leader quite well and I am in contact with him from time to time.   4 cars are stored outside (of which three are securely sheeted over) in the yard leading towards Ealing Common Depot, namely the other Q Stock cars, Q38 DM 4416 and Q23 DM 4184, and D Stock DM 7012, as well as a former "A60" Stock Trailer (ex-RAT) 6110, for use with the Q Stock Project.

 

The mention of MLV's as barrier / traction vehicles is interesting, as 8 out of the 10 built have been preserved, mostly by the EPG Preservation Group, and most of their preserved units are presently at WCRC Depot, Southall.

 

As you say, the NRM's sole 4COR DMBTO and 3SUB / '1285' Class DMBT doesn't really cut it, but they do have the 2BIL 2090 and a 2HAP at Shildon.  In fact, most of the SR EMUs are now at Shildon, rather than York.  It would seem that the NRM are giving scant regard to the preservation of various types of modern electric traction, the most recent being the NBL Class 84001 on loan to the SRPS at Bo'ness, and the SR Class 71 Bo-Bo electric 71001/E5001 (at Shildon) .  Class 91 91110 "Battle of Britain Memorial Flight" has been designated for preservation as and when withdrawn, as it is the electric loco world speed record holder at 162+ mph.  The NRM has a selection of various diesel locos, all of which are well-known, but which are now more or less "stuffed and mounted" as a result of it pulling out of heritage diesel operation, but only 2 DMUs, a Class 108 'Power Twin' and a Class 142 Pacer 142001.

 

What is worrying is the number of so-called 'preserved' vehicles which are at severe risk of being lost, due to lack of funds and volunteers to undertake restoration, and ultimate scrapping.  The large number of vehicles stored at Hope Farm, Sellinge, e.g. the 4DD DMBS, and elsewhere, are a case in point.  There is no guarantee of their survival beyond the next few years.

 

Thanks for all your input.  The debate goes on.

 

Paul Raven-Hill, Chairman, Twickenham & District MRC.

 

 

 

[Paul2410]

As a further supplement to my previous post, the NRM has the HST prototype Power Car 41001 and the first production Class 43 Power Car 43002 (which looks magnificent) and will eventually have 43102/43302, which is one of the two Class 43s (the other was 43159) which set the World Speed Record of 144 mph for a diesel powered train in September 1985, well above its design speed.

 

Paul Raven-Hill, Chairman, TDMRC.

 

[Nearholmer]

I wonder why things as quintessentially southern as a BIL and a HAP are not accommodated on one of the southern preserved lines?

 

They are both potentially useful people carriers, and the BIL particularly has plenty of Olde Worlde charm, so even being hauled it ought to be popular .......... the back platform at Horsted Keynes would be  a very suitable calling point.

[phil-b259]

3 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

I wonder why things as quintessentially southern as a BIL and a HAP are not accommodated on one of the southern preserved lines?

 

They are both potentially useful people carriers, and the BIL particularly has plenty of Olde Worlde charm, so even being hauled it ought to be popular .......... the back platform at Horsted Keynes would be  a very suitable calling point.

 

Brakes, heating and lighting!

 

The 2 BIL unit relies on 3rd rail for ALL its electrics (no back up batteries in those days - hence the need to carry an oil lit tail lamp at the back in case the juice went off and it got stranded on a running line) - so no good for lines with tunnels or operation after the sun sets. While in the height of summer no heating might not be an issue - running either side of it might - plus of course no chance to keep the unit from getting damp and mildewy when not used. I guess you could string up some sort of jumper cable and power it from a generator in a suitably modified BG tacked on the end  - but as everything was fed directly on the 2BIL (no motor generator stets on SR built EMUs) you might need to modify it as HSE are unlikely to like 750V jumper cables and will probably insist on a much safer 110V AC / 50V DC setup.

 

The HAP is a bit better in that it has batteries which can supply lighting, but that doesn't help with heating.

 

As with all EMUs they are both air braked - so any loco hauling it also has to have air brakes. That basically means a diesel (which the Bluebell doesn't have / want) or having an ex LBSCR* loco like Birch Grove in traffic.

 

* The LBSCR was an air braked railway so its locos were built to haul air braked coaching stock from the outset.

[SRman]

The thought occurs to me that the BIL's brake compartment could be used to house batteries and/or a motor generator for future use, seeing as it probably would have to be upgraded to more modern standards for use, particularly if main line usage is envisaged. 

As to the cost or practicality of my suggestion, I can't answer that. It may be prohibitive, but I would like to think such a unit could find its way back onto the main lines eventually.

[phil-b259]

On 05/09/2020 at 02:44, SRman said:

The thought occurs to me that the BIL's brake compartment could be used to house batteries and/or a motor generator for future use, seeing as it probably would have to be upgraded to more modern standards for use, particularly if main line usage is envisaged. 

As to the cost or practicality of my suggestion, I can't answer that. It may be prohibitive, but I would like to think such a unit could find its way back onto the main lines eventually.

The 2BIL has a wooden framed body and such vhicles will be forever prohibited from further mainline use due to the extremely poor crash worthyness of said design.

[Oldddudders]

On 05/09/2020 at 02:37, phil-b259 said:

(no motor generator sets on SR built EMUs)

Really? Only on Cit, Pul, Pan, Cor, Res, Buf.......

[adb968008]

As mentioned earlier...

 

the MLV could be a suitable power supply to a 2 car unit on a preserved line, isnt that what they did at East Kent ?

 

its restriction is the battery supply, i’m sure in 30+ years, the quality of battery cells to hold charge & capacity has increased, in the same space as would be occupied by current batteries, so as to increase range.

 

An MLV would surely be a useful source of power on steam railtours on 3rd rail routes instead of a diesel too.

 

the NSE MLV has been fantastically well restored, but its hidden from view at Southall.

 

Edited September 11, 2020 by adb968008

[Paul2410]

Hello everyone.

 

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.  RSSB, Railway Inspectorate, H&SE, will not permit any wooden bodied vehicles anywhere on the national network, because of crashworthiness issues.  However, trundling an EMU (wooden or steel bodied) along a heritage railway is another matter, as there is a blanket 25 mph speed limit as "a light railway".  Many heritage railways have wooden bodied rolling stock, including the Bluebell, Kent & East Sussex, Mid-Hants (their Bulleid carriages are wooden-framed bodies), IOWSR (all wooden-bodied compartment stock), and so on.  I doubt if the NRM would allow the 2BIL or the 2HAP to go out anywhere, as they have pulled out of all heritage steam and diesel operations, except for "Flying Scotsman".

 

Went on holiday to the IOW last week.  IOWSR was superb and really well worth a visit.  It is possible that they may get one of the IOW 1938 TS units for static display.  LT Traction Group is hoping to get another one to go to Epping - Ongar Railway.  However, last week, at least three of the units (004, 008, & 009) had been "hit" by mindless graffiti vandals over the weekend of 5th/6th September and they looked a very sorry sight at Ryde Depot, although 008 was back in service after it had been cleaned off, by the time I saw it.  I took a lot of photos.  It was so sad to see them like that and it must be very demoralising for the Ryde Depot staff and train crews, who have been doing a superb job of keeping these veteran EMUs running for over 30 years since they came to the island around 1990 to replace the "Standard Stock" VEC & TIS units.  I did have a return trip on 008 on 9th September and it felt a privilege to be able to ride in it.  The acceleration from station stops was rapid and they could still show a fair turn of speed.  To say that the ride was "very lively" is something of an understatement, as travelling at about 40+ mph between stations felt more like 80mph!  All very nostalgic - passing through Ryde Tunnel (quite slowly) felt like being on the Bakerloo, Northern, or Piccadilly lines once again, even if only for a few minutes.

 

Paul Raven-Hill, Chairman, TDMRC.

 

[Bucoops]

2 hours ago, Paul2410 said:

Hello everyone.

 

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.  RSSB, Railway Inspectorate, H&SE, will not permit any wooden bodied vehicles anywhere on the national network, because of crashworthiness issues. 

 

 

There are plans for the NYMR to run the LNERCA teak set to Whitby - http://www.lnerca.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/No.103-PAG.pdf I'm not sure how those plans are progressing but the will appears to be there, and it would seem Network Rail have standards for them to be at rather than outright ban, Obviously they would be at slow speed which would be one of the stipulations.

 

[Paul2410]

Thanks.  The NYMR has a limited Safety Case (or whatever it's called at the moment) to run between Battersby (where there is a run round loop) and Whitby via Grosmont (NR).  Trains can run up to relevant line speed limits if they are Mk1/2s, but any other stock (if approved) would probably be limited to the "heritage railway" limit of 25mph.  The Gresley teaks are also fitted with Pullman-style gangways and buckeye couplers, like BR stock, whereas LMS and GWR stock aren't.

 

All BR-built EMU vehicles from the mid-1950s onwards had buckeye couplers and rubbing plates throughout, so are equivalent to Mk1s and Mk2s.  Earlier EMUs were mainly screw-coupled between units or had single-buffer and three-link coupler within units, which would not prevent telescoping in the event of a collision (like Cannon Street involving an SR Bulleid-Design 4EPB unit).  All first generation DMU vehicles were screw-coupled.  It was only the SR DEMUs which had buckeyes throughout.

 

Paul Raven-Hill, Chairman, TDMRC.

 

[uax6]

Not entirely true that timber bodied vehicles are out right banned.... Ian Riley ran a timber bodied LMS Royal Scot car behind one of his black 5's (I think) during lockdown. It was at the head of the train of ECS, ran at line speed, but no-one was allowed to travel in it.....

Theres a photo in the Railway Magazine...

 

Andy G

 

Edit: Also the GWR steam railmotor has run mainline too with passengers, then there are the VSOE Pullmans, and most surprisingly the ex WCJS kitchen car that runs in that posh cruising train stock and is part of West Coasts fleet.....

Edited September 17, 2020 by uax6

[papagolfjuliet]

On 11/09/2020 at 23:25, adb968008 said:

As mentioned earlier...

 

the MLV could be a suitable power supply to a 2 car unit on a preserved line, isnt that what they did at East Kent ?

 

its restriction is the battery supply, i’m sure in 30+ years, the quality of battery cells to hold charge & capacity has increased, in the same space as would be occupied by current batteries, so as to increase range.

 

An MLV would surely be a useful source of power on steam railtours on 3rd rail routes instead of a diesel too.

 

the NSE MLV has been fantastically well restored, but its hidden from view at Southall.

 

 

The Eden Valley Railway uses - or has used - a pair of battery powered MLVs as motive power in conjunction with its 4-CEP. 

 

https://www.evr-cumbria.org.uk/motivepower.htm#MLV