rarest class 303 blue train photos ever

[darrel]

something really special these photos were originally from British

rail and were destined for the bin till they were rescued not by me. Both of these

have never before been made public

first one is an artists impression of the blue trains

http://darrel817.fotopic.net/p68004811.html

back in the late 50s a wooden mock up of the blue train was made as far as I am

aware the mock up was never put on public display. members of the BR design panel

came up from London to view it I believe the photo was taken at Linwood at pressed

steels factory

you will see the mock up differed from the final version in that it didn't have

an jumper cables or brake pipes on the front end. there is an additional cab window

and the drivers door was behind the eventual position and swung inwards i am not

sure if the cab was bigger or if there was a gangway behind the cab like a class 305

and 308.

the second passenger window behind the driving cab is also smaller

also of interest is the destination in the destination screen. somewhat ironic

considering where the only complete class 303 is now preserved. this is the only

photo i have ever seen of the mock up

http://darrel817.fotopic.net/p68004810.html

 

it does not get any more rare than this. special thanks to the two Bobs

to mark the 50th anniversary of the Glasgow Electrics there is a exhibition in the

Kelvingrove museum starting 5 november 2010 covering the start of the blue trains right up to

the A2B project lots of rare memorabilia and photos the exhibition runs till

February.

[Southernman46]

Despite being a Southern man - I find the 303's really appealing

 

Does anyone remember a railtour way back in 1986ish ??? with a pair out of Euston in and around the Manchester area - I certainly remember clocking these on the non-stop return run back to London at 88mph on the south end of the WCML - excellent !!

[Oldddudders]

Sometime in the mid-60s someone produced a rather nice commercial OO model of the Blue Trains. Railway Modeller got a review sample, and gave it the thumbs up - except for a carp that the inner ends of the cars were disappointingly plain. In an early subsequent edition, RM apologised, having been gently told that the inner ends of the cars ARE plain! They admitted "You cannot put in detail that isn't there."

[flubrush]

it does not get any more rare than this. special thanks to the two Bobs

to mark the 50th anniversary of the Glasgow Electrics there is a exhibition in the

Kelvingrove museum starting 5 november 2010 covering the start of the blue trains right up to

the A2B project lots of rare memorabilia and photos the exhibition runs till

February.

 

I wonder if a set of drawings of the 303 units might just turn up - or at least a pointer to where they might be.

 

 

Jim.

[westie7]

I see from Electra Railways site that a set of sides and resin ends are on the cards for the future. 3 Farish mk1 donors required.

I will be interested to see how this turns out.

 

Mark

[steven156]

something really special these photos were originally from British

rail and were destined for the bin till they were rescued not by me. Both of these

aware the mock up was never put on public display. members of the BR design panel

came up from London to view it I believe the photo was taken at Linwood at pressed

steels factory

you will see the mock up differed from the final version in that it didn't have

an jumper cables or brake pipes on the front end. there is an additional cab window

and the drivers door was behind the eventual position and swung inwards i am not

sure if the cab was bigger or if there was a gangway behind the cab like a class 305

and 308.

the second passenger window behind the driving cab is also smaller

also of interest is the destination in the destination screen. somewhat ironic

considering where the only complete class 303 is now preserved. this is the only

photo i have ever seen of the mock up

http://darrel817.fot.../p68004810.html

 

it does not get any more rare than this. special thanks to the two Bobs

to mark the 50th anniversary of the Glasgow Electrics there is a exhibition in the

Kelvingrove museum starting 5 november 2010 covering the start of the blue trains right up to

the A2B project lots of rare memorabilia and photos the exhibition runs till

February.

 

 

 

the class 303 set at Bo Ness- in some mess on the outside but internally been told its in reasonably good nick.

 

Ive got soooo many good memories of the class 303's, and its a bit of a shame to see the set in this shabby condition when i snapped it a few months ago, but as they said to me on the depot tour Bo Ness have too much on their plate just now and they will get around to the 303, and knowing Bo Ness they will do a 100% job. Will definetly go to Kelvingrove tomorrow- rather keen to see the exhibition!

[Guest Max Stafford]

Boness on the mock-up, East Kilbride on the preserved set. Who's going to be the first to model one with Stranraer on the blind...?

 

Dave.

[The Evil Bus Driver]

Well, at least if Bachmann get up there with their laser scanner they'll be able to come up with a decent model. No need for drawings then.

[flubrush]

I'll throw this shot in as a possible rarity - taken by me about 45 years ago, just outside Dumbarton East heading for Glasgow.

 

 

Not a great quality scan - must get a proper film scanner

 

Jim.

[Trevor H]

I may be mistaken, but isn't that the Royal train working from Helensburgh to Dalmuir in 65, could that be the Queen sat at the first window.

 

Trevor.

[Gwiwer]

Headcode 1X suggests you may be on the money Trevor. The Royal train operates as 1X01 (or 5X01 when running e.c.s.) which of course cannot be shown on a 303.

 

The survival of the old images is fortuitous and fascinating. I would call myself a "Southern man" with less interest in overhead wires than in juice rails but there was always "something" about those units. Whether it was the wrap-round cab windows (which they later lost), the distinctive original livery, the smell and the traction motor whine or perhaps it was the disappointing ride quality after seeing such a stylish unit arrive. In common with the 306's they had heavyweight bogies and always seemed to ride rough compared with the Bil, Hal and Cor stock I was more accustomed to in the 60's.

[darrel]

I may be mistaken, but isn't that the Royal train working from Helensburgh to Dalmuir in 65, could that be the Queen sat at the first window.

 

Trevor.

it definitely is I have a black and white photo of the unit before it left Hyndland depot and it was 303008 same as the photo above with the same headcode. of interest was it was the first time the Queen had travelled second class on a train. the queen was presented with a model of a 3 car 303 at Helensburgh central before departure.

if your reading this your maj any change of a loan of the model if you still have it??

[black and decker boy]

Great pics, nice to see some history behind these units. I always enjoyed the 303, 304 and 305 units around Manchester - the bouncy seats, lively ride and nice sauna like heating in the winter to thaw you out after an afternoons spotting at Crewe.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[flubrush]

I may be mistaken, but isn't that the Royal train working from Helensburgh to Dalmuir in 65, could that be the Queen sat at the first window.

 

Trevor.

 

Yes. I staked out the place knowing when the train would be passing. The appearance of the Cuneo style boy on the fence was purely fortuitous - he appeared just before I pressed the shutter.

 

This was a regular viewing place for me when I took the dogs for a walk on the Clyde shore. My morning visits were normally timed to co-incide with the goods workings into Denny Shipyard sidings and the gasworks.

 

Have you ever seen a cleaner 303 - especially the wheels?

 

Jim.

[AngusDe]

Well, at least if Bachmann get up there with their laser scanner they'll be able to come up with a decent model. No need for drawings then.

 

Funnily enough on a recent night shift I was daydreaming away over a coffee, winning big bucks on the lotto and commissioning my own model railway range and my first commission to Heljan/Bachmann/whoever was going to be a class 303, followed by a Caley 0-4-4T, Cathcart Circle through the ages.....

 

Hope I'm not starting the New Year Wish List frothing too early, lol!....

 

Angus

[luckymucklebackit]

Despite being a Southern man - I find the 303's really appealing

 

Does anyone remember a railtour way back in 1986ish ??? with a pair out of Euston in and around the Manchester area - I certainly remember clocking these on the non-stop return run back to London at 88mph on the south end of the WCML - excellent !!

 

303066 and 303067 on Hertfordshire Railtours' "Blue Train Railtour" on 04th September 1982, full details on six bells junction (where else).. These units were part of the contingent transferred to Crewe in January 1981 as temporary replacements for Class 310s which were having braking problems

Units 303041/9/50/9/66/7 went down first, followed by a further seven in 1983, duties later involved taking over the Hatfield/GLossop service when that went over to 25kVA, with the units being transferred to Longsight. 303048 & 303060 become first 25kV AC units to work to Hadfield and Glossop.

 

Full timeline My 303 tribute page

 

Jim

[Arpleymodeller]

The 303s were a stylish design of EMU and to passengers in the 1960s would have been a great improvement over steam hauled trains that they replaced. Its good to see one unit preserved, I wonder if its owners will repaint it into original blue livery?

[Trevor H]

it definitely is I have a black and white photo of the unit before it left Hyndland depot and it was 303008 same as the photo above with the same headcode. of interest was it was the first time the Queen had travelled second class on a train. the queen was presented with a model of a 3 car 303 at Helensburgh central before departure.

if your reading this your maj any change of a loan of the model if you still have it??

Found this link if anyone not seen it before.

http://www.anbrico.c...ass_303_Emu.htm

[luckymucklebackit]

Found this link if anyone not seen it before.

http://www.anbrico.c...ass_303_Emu.htm

 

From when the Blue trains were introduced until Queen Street was modernised around 1967 I vividly remember there being a model Blue Train that ran round the Xmas tree, you put in a penny and it did a couple of circuits with the money going to a good cause. My memory is propbably flawed but I seem to remember it being bigger than my Hormy Dublo set at home, so it could have been O gauge. Anyone else remember this??

 

Jim

 

JIm

[Bob Reid]

From when the Blue trains were introduced until Queen Street was modernised around 1967 I vividly remember there being a model Blue Train that ran round the Xmas tree, you put in a penny and it did a couple of circuits with the money going to a good cause. My memory is propbably flawed but I seem to remember it being bigger than my Hormy Dublo set at home, so it could have been O gauge. Anyone else remember this??

 

Jim

 

JIm

 

 

I certainly remember it Jim - along with those at Buchanan Street and St.Enochs - cash went to (amongst others) the Railway Mission, Railway Benevolent fund etc.

[pH]

From when the Blue trains were introduced until Queen Street was modernised around 1967 I vividly remember there being a model Blue Train that ran round the Xmas tree, you put in a penny and it did a couple of circuits with the money going to a good cause. My memory is propbably flawed but I seem to remember it being bigger than my Hormy Dublo set at home, so it could have been O gauge. Anyone else remember this??

JIm

I certainly remember it Jim - along with those at Buchanan Street and St.Enochs - cash went to (amongst others) the Railway Mission, Railway Benevolent fund etc.

And the one in Central, which IIRC used to run round 'The Shell' when it was out in the middle of the concourse.

[darrel]

here is a nice slide I picked up om ebay http://darrel817.fotopic.net/p68832547.html