Essex EMU'S

[gobbler]

Hi everyone

 

Can I pick you brains.....

 

What EMU's ran on the Liverpool St to Norwich line from the 60's to the 80's.  And the Southminster line during the same time period?

 

Or could you recommend a book of 2 for me to get.  Possibly one with 4mm drawings.

 

Thanks

 

Scott

[Barclay]

Hi on the Norwich line in the early 80's I remember 302, 307, occasional 308, the classic 309 of course, 312, and 315. The wires didn't go all the way in those days of course...

Edited November 11, 2022 by Barclay

[Pete the Elaner]

Although they didn't run on the line itself, 313s (008, 033,034 & 035) ran for a short while on the Colchester-Clacton/Walton services c1980.

Although I am too young to remember them in service, 306s also ran as far as Shenfield until around 1980.

 

I can understand why, but anybody wanting to model the line later than 1960 has been poorly supported by RTR manufacturers.

[33C]

51 minutes ago, gobbler said:

Hi everyone

 

Can I pick you brains.....

 

What EMU's ran on the Liverpool St to Norwich line from the 60's to the 80's.  And the Southminster line during the same time period?

 

Or could you recommend a book of 2 for me to get.  Possibly one with 4mm drawings.

 

Thanks

 

Scott

B.R. Fleet Survey. Overhead electric multiple units. No.11 by Ian Allen. 

[BernardTPM]

Norwich expresses were diesel hauled well into the 1980s.

[Dagworth]

8 minutes ago, BernardTPM said:

Norwich expresses were diesel hauled well into the 1980s.

Diesel hauled until May 85, then 86s from Liverpool St to Ipswich where the 86 was swapped for a diesel, normally a 47. Through 86s to Norwich from May 87.

 

The Southminster branch was DMUs until the mid 80s, being wired as part of the same programme as Norwich.

 

EMUs south of Colchester pre 85 would be almost any of 302, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 312 and 315. 

Not unknown but rare to see anything other than 309s and 312s at Ipswich and further north until the 321s came on stream.

 

Andi

Edited November 11, 2022 by Dagworth
Add further info re EMUs

[giz]

The class 302 parcels sets were regulars to Norwich, not sure when they were converted, possibly late 80s.

[Rivercider]

This must have been soon after the wires had been switched on as far as Ipswich. The 14.10 semi-fast service from Liverpool Street is terminating at Ipswich formed by 312798. Meanwhile 86259 has just re-engined the 14.20 Norwich to Liverpool Street, 11/7/85,

 

cheers

[PaulG]

If of interest these photos, copyright unknown,  taken at Colchester St Botolphs in 1960s. Colchester to Clacton being a test site and when opened not connected to the rest of the ohl network. 

 

Sorry don't know unit class.

 

 

 

 

I have got a photo of the first train leaving Colchester North on 13th April 1959, which I'll find if of interest.

 

Paul

Edited November 12, 2022 by PaulG

[Izzy]

Nice early views of St Boltophs. Shows how close the Paxman Brittania works was, right up against the rear platform wall.

 

I suppose the answer to Scott’s question about EMU’s on the Southminster branch between 1960 - 1980 is that there weren’t any, still being DMU’s, Wickham units I recall.

 

Bob

[PaulG]

You mention Southminster, where I lived for 25 years, again no date/photo credit just collected out of personal interest. Emu's started on 14th April 1986, following a period of trial running.

 

See

Branch Lines to Southminster by Dennis Swindale and

The GER in South Essex by Charles Phillips.

 

Probably best "read" is Modern Locomotives Illustrated no.183 First Generation Eastern Region (GE) EMUs.

 

 

As a child Mum took me on the very first emu from Ingatestone to Chelmsford, 11th June 1956, so another photo (credit unknown), of personal interest. Ingatestone with an up train.

 

 

Paul

Edited November 12, 2022 by PaulG
Book and date references.