Class 205 2-H Thumper in the 1970's ?

[Nearholmer]

A deeply unpleasant thing to bring to mind, but some here may recall a very nasty accident that occurred close to the location under discussion, in 1979.

 

The report makes very sobering reading, but from a railway enthusiast perspective it does give an insight into the services that were operating in the area in 1979. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/MoT_Hilsea1979.pdf

 

Kevin

Edited September 11, 2017 by Nearholmer

[pc3163]

Not quite sure if this is the right place to post this query, so apologies if not.

 

I have an OO Gauge  2-H Thumper in BR Blue fitted with Legomanbiffo sound. I'm modelling late-1970s/early-80s around Portsmouth, so it would be used on the Portsmouth-Southampton or Portsmouth-Salisbury/Bristol/Cardiff services. I'd like to be able to add a 3rd coach to make a 3-H, but obviously would want to maintain the integrity of the electrical connections between all the coaches. Is there any existing coach model that I could add in the middle of the rake without too much needed to modify the electrics? Or would the electrics be quite a job?

[Gwiwer]

In answer to the first part the blue 2-car units were normally used on Southampton - Alton services which ceased in 1973 iirc, and on Hastings - Ashford services across Romney Marsh.  They seldom worked on Portsmouth - Southampton / Salisbury services and never on the extended Bristol trips which were often dreadfully overloaded with a 3-car unit.  A 2-car unit was rostered for a number of years to work the Fareham - Eastleigh shuttle during the time that this service only ran between those two stations but a 3-car unit turned up quite regularly.  

 

They were modified to three-car units by the addition of a former 2-EPB driving trailer coach which had spent some years running as part of the 3R Reading - Redhill "Tadpole" units until those were disbanded.  

 

2-car "thumpers" were also used at times on the long-closed routes between Romsey and Andover Junction (some trains came through from Portsmouth) and Southampton - Fawley.  They also worked the Lydd Town and Bexhill West branches.

 

The second part of the question is harder to resolve.  Kernow MRC who originally commissioned the class 205 "Thumper" units were asked repeatedly whether they could also offer a three-car unit or add a centre trailer retrospectively but the answer was always in the negative.  I suspect many potential purchasers held off hoping for a 3-car unit, as those were far more common and appeared in more areas, but were disappointed.  That might have affected sales since the units have become more widely available through other retailers more recently suggesting they were not as successful as hoped for.

 

There is no quick fix for the centre trailer as originally built for these units.  The BR suburban coaches are similar but not accurate and will look wrong.  You could make an augmentation trailer from a Bachmann 2EPB unit with the cab end painted black and a few other modifications.  These share the same powered bar coupler at one end but would need one at the other end in place of the NEM pocket.  You would also need to reverse the wiring polarity within the coach for it to illuminate correctly throughout the unit.  

 

@SRman might be able to offer more specific details.  

 

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by Gwiwer