Third-Rail EMU Photos

[montyburns56]

Class 504 Buckley Wells 1973 

 

 

[John M Upton]

The hourly Littlehampton/Bognor shuttle is the only 313 action west of Brighton on a Sunday:

Yours truly in charge of this one for one complete round trip this afternoon. 

[Siberian Snooper]

A couple of snaps at Pompey Harbour yesterday morning.

377 475 and 450 051

 

Whilst taking this one 444 032 turned up

 

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

A 701 had a trip to the seaside today. Here we see it returning to Staines from Poole, through Branksome Woods.

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Peter Kazmierczak

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

A 701 had a trip to the seaside today.

A few more units have been out and about this week.  I am seeking confirmation of who (test staff or SWR trainees) have been at the controls.  701014 left Clapham Yard yesterday via a reversal in the washer road and came haring through the Down Main Fast at the best speed it could build up in a short distance - close to the maximum 60mph.  That's unusual for a test trip.  

 

[Darius43]

Burgess Hill this afternoon.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[Darius43]

West Worthing this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off to the Swanage Railway today 😀

 

Cheers

 

Darius

[John M Upton]

You were lucky there, only two or three trains a day now booked to use the middle siding to reverse.

[Gwiwer]

4 hours ago, John M Upton said:

You were lucky there, only two or three trains a day now booked to use the middle siding to reverse.

But those of us who might like to make fewer stops along the coast and enjoy a bit more space (if not always a seat) still hope for the return of the West Worthing (or even Littlehampton) stoppers some day. 
 

After electrification through to Portsmouth the hourly pattern was two West Worthing and two Littlehampton stoppers per hour with one semi-fast and one stopper to Portsmouth and a direct London train every 2-3 hours. The latter took around 73-74 minutes from Worthing. 
 

Some time after WW2 the West Worthing and Littlehampton services were cut to hourly but the London service became hourly covering the stops beyond Worthing. 
 

What would be so wrong now in having that service pattern?  Half-hourly all stops to West Worthing, one extending to Littlehampton, two along the coast with perhaps the Portsmouth as semi-fast and Southampton as the stopper. Stations west of Barnham would retain an hourly semi-fast Southampton off the Arun Valley. 
 

And with the now half-hourly Londons is it too much to ask that something be done to reduce the journey time?  74 minutes has blown out to around 92. Slower than in steam days though making more stops. One an hour of those could turn back at West Worrhing too under this service pattern. 

[John M Upton]

December timetable change is being talked about for the return of the West Worthing's.  Not possible any sooner as 313's were banned from going in the middle siding except in emergency sometime last year and with them gone from May, there looks like no spare stock available until December.

[Northmoor]

On 14/03/2023 at 21:17, Gwiwer said:

A few more units have been out and about this week.  I am seeking confirmation of who (test staff or SWR trainees) have been at the controls.  701014 left Clapham Yard yesterday via a reversal in the washer road and came haring through the Down Main Fast at the best speed it could build up in a short distance - close to the maximum 60mph.  That's unusual for a test trip.  

 

701040 paused in Platform 5 at Woking about 1800 last night, disappointing those waiting for the late-running Alton service that this empty train wasn't theirs.

[Gwiwer]

20 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

701040 paused in Platform 5 at Woking about 1800 last night, disappointing those waiting for the late-running Alton service that this empty train wasn't theirs.

I'm sure they will find something to complain of when the 701s cover Alton duties in a year or so from now.  Whilst they are intended for suburban duties there has always been talk of them seeing use on the Alton, Guildford - Aldershot / Farnham - Ascot and Basingstoke stopping services at times.  I can imagine the absence of first class might be a gripe for a few; the "smaller" number of toilets would affect those fond of their after-work G&T's though.  Smaller being relative; the 701s have one toilet per 5-cars which is more than any most purely suburban units have ever had.  But the 450s have two per four-car unit and the 444s two per five- car. 

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, John M Upton said:

December timetable change is being talked about for the return of the West Worthing's.  Not possible any sooner as 313's were banned from going in the middle siding except in emergency sometime last year and with them gone from May, there looks like no spare stock available until December.

It would, of course, be far too complex to consider interworking.  For example 8 or 12-car 377 comes down from London and drops the back four at Hove for all stations to West Worthing.  It regains that unit on the way back up.  Not a direct Brighton service but a means of distributing capacity rather than having near-empty trains which are far longer than the platforms at many Coastway stops.  

 

Or even have the London train arrive Littlehampton and divide.  One unit returns all stations to Brighton and the other does the Bognor shuttle.  Not only a reinstated Brighton - Littlehampton stopper but a reason to accelerate the Londons by skipping one or two of the lightly-used stops.  Maybe only one an hour at Goring and Durrington with an alternate-stops pattern, and only one at Lancing.  Does Portslade really need all-day direct London trains?  I have never seen more than 1 or 2 people use them there.  

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

Class 455/8 5860 at Clapham Junction on 07/09/01 (my photo)

[John M Upton]

Just put 313220 to bed for the night. Won't be disturbed until Monday morning now.

 

[KeithHC]

John have you been seen on the Gaugemaster webcam yet.

 

Keith

[John M Upton]

48 minutes ago, KeithHC said:

John have you been seen on the Gaugemaster webcam yet.

 

Keith

 

My wife apparently watched me go past last night!!

[Rich_F]

Couple of Electrostar pics I stumbled across today while browsing some old photos. 

 

Southern 377 coming off the Cookspond viaduct in 2019 on approach to Dormans (on the Bellajio bridge at Dormans Park). 

 

 

Southeastern 375 travelling over the Stonegate (rebuilt) embankment late in 2022. 

 

[Ncarter2]

On 19/02/2023 at 16:50, Gwiwer said:

SWR still intends to introduce them onto the Windsor line later this year (but are not saying how much later) followed by the Reading and Weybridge-via-Hounslow services.  Then onto the Hounslow rounders and after that they will start appearing on main-line suburban duties.  Probably well into next year before they do so however.

November/December was suggested at the last meeting I was in. Will allow release of the remaining 707’s, free up some 450’s and by all accounts result in the 458’s being eradicated. 

[Northmoor]

2 minutes ago, Ncarter2 said:

November/December was suggested at the last meeting I was in. Will allow release of the remaining 707’s, free up some 450’s and by all accounts result in the 458’s being eradicated. 

Platforms would need to be extended to take 5-cars, but spruced up with a bit of carpet and these units would be excellent for an electrified Reading-Gatwick.  The 75pmh maximum wouldn't present an issue except between Redhill and Gatwick, where it might cost them seconds but the much quicker acceleration compared to the Turbos would cancel a lot of that out.

[John M Upton]

So I guess the 458 refurbishment and four car reform plan is binned?

[Gwiwer]

37 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

So I guess the 458 refurbishment and four car reform plan is binned?

That depends who you ask. One unit is reported as almost “ready for inspection” and at least one other has gone “for conversion”. 
 

Two differing opinions are currently coming from sources within suggesting either that the program is about to get going or that it is about to be scrapped. 
 

SWR were burned with the 442s having spent a lot on units which mostly never re-entered service. They would want to avoid a repeat. 

[franciswilliamwebb]

 

Class 423/1 4-VEP 3427 at Eastleigh on 01/09/01 (my photo)

[John M Upton]

In need of a good wash, 313213 was my charge on the last Littlehampton - Southsea all sheds this evening:

 

In a little less than seven weeks time, the 313's will disappear from Littlehampton, never to return.  What seems to have gone unremarked is that on the same weekend of the timetable change, the Thameslink Class 700 services (which thanks to Covid, crew shortages and being the first to be binned at the first sign of trouble up the BML or The Core probably were cancelled more than they actually ran) are also being binned, the first part of the Greater Thameslink or Thameslink 2000 expanded routes plan to be ditched, all be it quietly and without ceremony... 

[Rich_F]

Another weekend. Another Electrostar pic! 

 

377310 between Nutfield & Redhill at the foot crossing near Bray's Farm. Such a shame this once fairly major Channel Tunnel route is now reduced to an hourly 3 car shuttle with only a few freight flows a day!

Edited April 7, 2023 by Weeny Works