Third-Rail EMU Photos

[griffgriff]

Down to the detail like the wonky track circuit indicator and the footbridge which still has the steam exhaust deflectors fitted...

They were still needed to catch the ‘clag’ from all those ‘spoons’ passing by in need of shopping!

 

Griff

[Rivercider]

I have found another EMU photo from one of my rare trips to the Southern.

 

Approaching Chichester is class 413 4-CAP set 3304, the set was formed in 1982 by combining sets 2-HAP sets 6084 and 6085 according to my Platform 5 booklet. 10/11/83 

 

cheers

[talisman56]

I have found another EMU photo from one of my rare trips to the Southern.

 

Chichester EMU 3304 a.jpg

Approaching Chichester is class 413 4-CAP set 3304, the set was formed in 1982 by combining sets 2-HAP sets 6084 and 6085 according to my Platform 5 booklet. 10/11/83 

 

cheers

 

3304 was one of the five hybrid livery CAPs, with one of the consituent units being in Blue/Grey and the other still in all-Blue at the time of formation. 3304 achieved consistent livery when it was overhauled at the end of 1983.

Edited January 15, 2019 by talisman56

[Northmoor]

I have found another EMU photo from one of my rare trips to the Southern.

 

Approaching Chichester is class 413 4-CAP set 3304, the set was formed in 1982 by combining sets 2-HAP sets 6084 and 6085 according to my Platform 5 booklet. 10/11/83 

Prototype for everything moment: a location with two level crossings about 4 coach-lengths apart.

 

Didn't the 4-CAPs have the inner driving cabs painted blue?

[eastwestdivide]

...Didn't the 4-CAPs have the inner driving cabs painted blue?

Maybe later, but not with 3304 (again!) in summer 1985, as witness this event at Rochester:

It apparently ran through the trap points, and they divided the two former HAP units for recovery.

You can see the yellow ends on the centre cars, with unit number removed.

Edited January 15, 2019 by eastwestdivide

[keefer]

I think it was just the unit numbers and the BR arrows that were removed.

The blue-painted cab ends were on the ex-DTC centre cars in the cl.204 DEMUs

[talisman56]

Prototype for everything moment: a location with two level crossings about 4 coach-lengths apart.

 

Didn't the 4-CAPs have the inner driving cabs painted blue?

 

Most of them did, some had their MBSO ends painted black and a couple were repainted yellow again. 3304 was overhauled as a unit very early in its life as a CAP (December 1983), and it looks from the 1985 pictures that the only painting done at that overhaul was to paint the Grey panel on the all-blue unit.

Edited January 15, 2019 by talisman56

[The Pilotman]

Maybe later, but not with 3304 (again!) in summer 1985, as witness this event at Rochester:

It apparently ran through the trap points, and they divided the two former HAP units for recovery.

You can see the yellow ends on the centre cars, with unit number removed.

I don’t suppose you managed to get a shot of the Class 33/2 hauled train seen in the second picture, did you? It looks like it could be the Sittingbourne to Burngullow empty china clay slurry tanks.

[John M Upton]

Prototype for everything moment: a location with two level crossings about 4 coach-lengths apart.

 

Didn't the 4-CAPs have the inner driving cabs painted blue?

With another gap in the conductor rail over the station subway about two coach lengths from Stockbridge Road level crossing which meant that gapping of two car EMUs back in the day was not unheard of.

[eastwestdivide]

I don’t suppose you managed to get a shot of the Class 33/2 hauled train seen in the second picture, did you? It looks like it could be the Sittingbourne to Burngullow empty china clay slurry tanks.

It definitely is that train, and I've a bunch of pics of it in Kent. I think I've posted some on here, but google can't locate them at the moment. Any requests?

[The Pilotman]

It definitely is that train, and I've a bunch of pics of it in Kent. I think I've posted some on here, but google can't locate them at the moment. Any requests?

I'll have a search around to see if I can locate any you’ve already posted. Otherwise, any photos of the train would be welcome. I think there’s a thread on Southern Region 1980s photos so that would be a good place (assuming you took them on the SR in the 80s!). No rush whatsoever, of course. Cheers.

[Mike Storey]

It definitely is that train, and I've a bunch of pics of it in Kent. I think I've posted some on here, but google can't locate them at the moment. Any requests?

 

I second (third?) that - there are few pics of those STS tanks on the web, when in formation. Paul B's site has quite a few, of course, but largely of individual wagons. It was my flipping duty when the usual shunter was deployed elsewhere, or off sick honour, to have to shunt the things, usually in the dark and the pouring rain. They were usually in rakes of 19 I think, and we had to split them on the loop at Sittingbourne, into two rakes, so they would fit into the Bowater shed. Due to the reverse curve either side of the road bridge, it needed two of us to relay the shunt orders to the driver lounging in his nice warm, dry cab diligently looking out of the window for our handsignals.

[SED Freightman]

Most of them did, some had their MBSO ends painted black and a couple were repainted yellow again. 3304 was overhauled as a unit very early in its life as a CAP (December 1983), and it looks from the 1985 pictures that the only painting done at that overhaul was to paint the Grey panel on the all-blue unit.

 

The painting of intermediate cab ends black may have been initiated on the South Eastern following an unfortunate incident during an evening rush hour at Cannon Street.  Empty stock had arrived from Slade Green, however when the outgoing driver entered the country end cab there were no controls as someone had inadvertantly split a 4CAP to make up the 6 or 10 car train.

[jonny777]

Here is a class 460 at Clapham Junction in 2004. 

 

It is hard to believe this photo was taken 15 years ago. 

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

It's hard to think that rolling stock that looked so modern, has come and gone. 

[John M Upton]

And indeed their completely unsuitable replacement have been and gone to, right back to where they started*.

 

[* Subject to SWR pulling their fingers out. Remind me, which December was it supposed to be?]

[eastwestdivide]

On 16/01/2019 at 20:44, Western Aviator said:

I'll have a search around to see if I can locate any you’ve already posted. Otherwise, any photos of the train would be welcome. I think there’s a thread on Southern Region 1980s photos so that would be a good place (assuming you took them on the SR in the 80s!). No rush whatsoever, of course. Cheers.

Fill yer boots!

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/544-southern-region-photos-1980s/?p=3438193

much later edit: new forum software only takes you to the first pageof that thread now. It’s page 21 hou want

Edited November 2, 2020 by eastwestdivide
Link info

[Gwiwer]

And indeed their completely unsuitable replacement have been and gone to, right back to where they started*.

 

[* Subject to SWR pulling their fingers out. Remind me, which December was it supposed to be?]

Yes it was but that was based upon the proposed new timetable commencing which would have required the additional units.

 

That did not happen nor is it likely to happen to the extent proposed. The contentious Portsmouth - Weymouth stopping service has been dropped in favour of the status quo. The suburban changes which would have particularly affected the Windsor Lines have also been shelved; the additional off-peak trains are really not required based upon current slightly falling patronage and the intention to cease calling at Queenstown Road by all but a few trains in order to free up extra paths has been caped following vociferous local protests. And probably the realisation that, at best, two additional trains per hour might have been squeezed through.

 

The good folk of Datchet have successfully campaigned against four trains per hour to Windsor closing their level crossing and bisecting their village for around 40 minutes of every hour. The former international platforms at Waterloo are not all ready for service yet which would have been a requirement had the timetable change gone ahead

 

The 442s will return soon. They will release 450s to strengthen other services from 4 to 8 or 8 to 12 cars while offering about as many seats in the more comfortable 2+2 configuration as an 8-car 450 with 3+2 seating. There will remain some 12-car 450 duties in peak hours. Ultimately there will be a couple of additional trips once the 442s are available.

 

The decision to persist with 442 re-activation might appear strange given the expected arrival of class 701 trains from later this year which will release the 450s from their Reading, Windsor, Hounslow and Alton duties thereby creating a pool of additional spare stock. And that is before we wonder what might become of the 458 and 707 units.

[lmsforever]

I second (third?) that - there are few pics of those STS tanks on the web, when in formation. Paul B's site has quite a few, of course, but largely of individual wagons. It was my flipping duty when the usual shunter was deployed elsewhere, or off sick honour, to have to shunt the things, usually in the dark and the pouring rain. They were usually in rakes of 19 I think, and we had to split them on the loop at Sittingbourne, into two rakes, so they would fit into the Bowater shed. Due to the reverse curve either side of the road bridge, it needed two of us to relay the shunt orders to the driver lounging in his nice warm, dry cab diligently looking out of the window for our handsignals.

 

Bet you had your work cut out in that job did the prescence of the third rail ever cause problems to you?

[lmsforever]

New trains are the in thing for franchises at the moment wether they need them or not also daft like it so we have to face up to perfectly usable trains being sent for scrap.

[Budgie]

New trains are the in thing for franchises at the moment wether they need them or not also daft like it so we have to face up to perfectly usable trains being sent for scrap.

As they did at the end of steam.

[jonny777]

New trains are the in thing for franchises at the moment wether they need them or not also daft like it so we have to face up to perfectly usable trains being sent for scrap.

 

 

Although having waited for a Blackpool to Liverpool service to pass the Leyland webcam, only for it to be formed of something suspiciously like a class 319; I am not sure all the franchises have been to the 'new trains' party. 

 

(Sorry, have gone somewhat O/T here).

Edited January 18, 2019 by jonny777

[Mike Storey]

Bet you had your work cut out in that job did the prescence of the third rail ever cause problems to you?

 

Oh yes.....we were still being issued with the old, long, rubberised black BR macintoshes for wet work, in those days. You wore your yellow bib vest over that. One evening, whilst doing the shunt in filthy weather, I felt a whack across the top of my back. Swinging around, there was no-one there, and I thought one of the team was playing silly bu88ers, but had to continue the shunt. It happened again, twice, and still no-one to be seen. When I was getting undressed that night for bed, by wife screamed. Most of my back had gone black and blue, like I had been beaten with a rubber hose or something. Turns out my coat had drifted over the juice rail, and I had had three electric shocks. The vulcanisation of the mac had not stopped the flow of electricity, perhaps because there was so much water and grease combined. It didn't actually hurt afterwards, and the marks just went away after several days. But we all stopped using those coats, and brought our own until new shorter ones arrived, and then of course the new orange, nylon anoraks and over-trousers (which, quite rightly, went to train crew and real shunters first), which were brilliant, but made you sweat like a pig. (They solved that with later versions).

[Owd Bob]

Best i can do for now are these few from Folkstone taken in June '93.

 

 

[SED Freightman]

Oh yes.....we were still being issued with the old, long, rubberised black BR macintoshes for wet work, in those days. You wore your yellow bib vest over that. One evening, whilst doing the shunt in filthy weather, I felt a whack across the top of my back. Swinging around, there was no-one there, and I thought one of the team was playing silly bu88ers, but had to continue the shunt. It happened again, twice, and still no-one to be seen. When I was getting undressed that night for bed, by wife screamed. Most of my back had gone black and blue, like I had been beaten with a rubber hose or something. Turns out my coat had drifted over the juice rail, and I had had three electric shocks. The vulcanisation of the mac had not stopped the flow of electricity, perhaps because there was so much water and grease combined. It didn't actually hurt afterwards, and the marks just went away after several days. But we all stopped using those coats, and brought our own until new shorter ones arrived, and then of course the new orange, nylon anoraks and over-trousers (which, quite rightly, went to train crew and real shunters first), which were brilliant, but made you sweat like a pig. (They solved that with later versions).

 

I remember the SED Loads Inspector N. (Ron) Aylen complaining about his new BR issue macintosh, it had a hanging loop made of fine metal chain which had jolted him in the neck as his coat tails brushed over the juice rail during damp weather !