SR Chris

Thursday, 27th February 2003 Taken from the right side of the fence demarking the footpath leading to the Clifton Road foot crossing in Whitstable. 14:02 365505 and 365511 pass with a Ramsgate to Victoria working 14:04 Two minutes later 3-Cep 1116 rattles the pots in hot pursuit.

Clean and Grubby: Further variations on headlight positioning on 3-Ceps Tuesday, 18th February 2003 12.22 3-Ceps 1102 and 1103 call at Whitstable with a Victoria to Ramsgate service

Talking of 3-Ceps, three of them passed Up through Whitstable in the space of four minutes on Monday, 17th February 2003 13:57 1108 and 1102 arrive with a Ramsgate to Victoria service 14:01 1116 passes with a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS Hadn't noticed before how random the position of the high intensity headlight appears to be. Also note the differing patterns of the black paint above the corridor connection which was presumably intended to mask the inability to clean that area!

I understood the 3-Ceps were created as some platforms (on either the Hastings or Tunbridge Wells routes or thereabouts) weren't long enough for 12 cars and it was deemed unacceptable to have the rear coach off the platform. Adding a 3-Cep to the existing 8 car peak hour trains to make 11 cars was cheaper than extending the platforms. They obviously had to be worked to/from Ramsgate for maintenance so were often seen in trains there. However by the early 2000's they seemed to be used indiscriminately on Kent Coast services and 3, 6 and 9 car formations were not unusual. They were also often substituted for 4-Ceps, so 7, 10 or 11 cars could also turn up instead of 8 or 12. The only formation I never witnessed was 4 x 3-Cep, presumably as that would have exceeded the conductor rail index.

Saturday, 15th February 2003 10:16 'Ghost' 4-Cig 1701 stands at Birchington-On-Sea's Up platform's 8 car stop board with a Ramsgate to Victoria working. Note the improvised newspaper draught excluder wedged under the corridor connecting door, this modification was also carried by 4-Cep 1586 at the other end. 10:58 Arriving at Birchington-On-Sea's Down platform is grubby 4-Vep 3553 at the front of an 11-car Victoria to Ramsgate working with an unidentified 4-Vep in the middle and 3-Cep 1118 bringing up the rear. 12:54 Also in Birchington's Down platform stands vehicle 76487 of 4-Vep 3451 at the rear of a 12-car Victoria to Ramsgate working led by 4-Cep 1594 with another 4-Cep between them.

Friday, 14th February 2003 14:03 3-Ceps 1118 and 1108 pass through Whitstable working a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS 14:23 Colourful 365515 'Spirit of Dover' leads 365511 past Whitstable Bay on the approach to the Whitstable stop with a Victoria to Ramsgate service

Saturday, 8th February 2003 12:34 One of Ramsgate's 'ghosts' 4-Cig 1701 in unbranded all over white livery leads a classmate up the incline off of Wade Marsh, passing Minnis Bay, Birchington whilst heading for its home depot with a Down service.

Unfortunately not specifically to take photo's. I ended up at Sheerness on a couple of railtours, mostly steam hauled in one direction. As I come across any I'll be sure to post them for you.

Friday, 7th February 2003 A lunchtime excursion to Herne Bay. In the space of five minutes three trains, three different classes of unit and three different liveries. 13:51 375705 leads an 8-375 formation away from Herne Bay with an Up Victoria service. 13:54 4-Cig 1843 passes Herne Bay with a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS and starts out on the three minute run before passing Chestfield. 13:56 365505 arrives with a Down working to Ramsgate

Thanks for the Likes and appreciative comments, makes the thousands of hours spent chasing slam-door stock last decade seem worthwhile! I've worked my way through 1750-odd images so far, only another 40,000 or so to go. Time for three more before I do the washing up ... Wednesday, 5th February 2003 12:00 My personal favourite 4-Cep 1592 leads 1614 with a Victoria to Ramsgate service at Chestfield and Swalecliffe. 13:28 4-Cigs 1877 and 1872 stand in Whitstable's Up platform with a Victoria service. It was always much easier to open the door than to close it here!

"Challenge" There are rules ???? "I believe you need a prescription and some cream ! :jester:" Indeed else it becomes Broadclyst

Clyst

Friday, 31st January 2003 13:51 365505 'Spirit of Ramsgate' splashes away from Whitstable at the rear of a Down service bound for Ramsgate. 13:57 4-Vep 3472 and 3-Cep 1116 make the Whitstable stop on their Ramsgate to Victoria working.

Tuesday, 28th January 2003 13:53 365506 slows for the Chestfield stop on its journey to London Victoria 13:57 and is closely pursued by 3-Cep 1117 working a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS Wednesday, 29th January 2003 13:57 375615 rolls to a stand at Chestfield with its Ramsgate to Victoria service 14:01 and is closely pursued by tagged 930002 on a De-icing run

Friday, 24th January 2003 13:55 An unidentified Class 365 leads 365516 away from the Whitstable stop on its Victoria to Ramsgate journey 14:01 4-Vep 3473 passes Whitstable with a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS.

Wednesday, 22nd January 2003 13:53 New and not so new - Lest I be accused of a Cep bias (guilty) here's 365504 & 365506 at Chestfield with a Down Ramsgate service being passed by 375714 and 375704 stopping with an Up Victoria service. 13:57 And now to resume normal service here's 3-Cep 1103 passing Chestfield and Swalecliffe four minutes later with a Ramsgate to Faversham ECS working.

Friday, 20th December 2002 13:28 The uniquely Connex liveried 4-Cep No. 1602 leads 1593 into Whitstable with a Ramsgate - Victoria service.

Wednesday, 18th December 2002 13:44 4-Cep 1551 stands in Ramsgate's Platform 3 with a Margate to Charing Cross via Canterbury West service whilst 3-Cep 1118, having shunted out of the depot at the Minster end, runs through Platform 2 with an ECS working to Faversham. 13:47 1551 clatters under the Newington Road bridge on its way to its next stop at Minster.

Wednesday, 18th December 2002 13:29 Next for the melting pot ... On a glorious winter afternoon 66012 stands in Ramsgate's 4 Lay-by coupled to Ceps 1560, 1104 and 1574 awaiting time for their final departure. The Ceps are shoe-less but 1574 has retained its horns, although by the look of them they weren't good for much other than scrap anyway. 13:38 The Grim Reaper snakes off of 4 lay-by and the Margate end depot departure road onto the Up line over Ramsgate viaduct.

Friday, 13th December 2002 14:13 365507 splashes out of Faversham taking the Ramsgate line at the rear of a service from Victoria passing a 3-Cep and a 4-Vep berthed in the Down sidings. 14:39 4-Cep 1594 stands at Faversham's Platform 4.

Wednesday, 11th December 2002 13:30 New and old : A 9-Cep formation led by 1102 and tailed by 1113 stands at the Whitstable stop on its Victoria - Ramsgate journey and is passed by 375612 arriving at the other platform.

Thursday, 5th December 2002 13:22 A 6-Cep formation consisting of units 1102 and 1111 makes the Whitstable stop on its journey from Victoria to Ramsgate. I can still hear the compressors thumping away and the doors slamming ....

Wednesday, 4th December 2002 13:44 De-icing/Sandite unit No. 930205 keeps company with an unidentified 4-Cep, 4-Cig 1873, 365503 and 4-Vep 3499 in Ramsgate depot.

Wednesday, 4th December 2002 13:19 Grim Reaper 66098 stands coupled to 4-Ceps 1582 and 1509 which will shortly make their final departure from Ramsgate. 13:26 A tired looking shoe (and horn) less 1509 awaits its fate in Ramsgate's 4 Lay-by as preparations for its final departure in three minutes time are concluded.

Tuesday, 3rd December 2002 13:34 Displaying the headcode for a Dover-Victoria service a 7-Cep formation consisting of units 1614 and 1112 arrives at Whitstable with a Ramsgate to London Victoria service (Headcode 50). Behind the leaning signal A204 on the left is the brick abutment of the bridge that used to carry the Canterbury to Whitstable Harbour line. To the right all trace of the bridge over the adjoining road had been obliterated by road widening.