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Tuesday 19 April 2016

Southern Railways Double Decker EMU Train Mystery Lasting 40 Years Photos/Story

Photos and True Mystery Story of Southern Railway Double-Decker EMU Train

photo and true story of a revolutionary electric multiple unit design
8-Car Southern Railway Double Decker Electric Multiple Unit


  Childhood Memories Of A Strange Train


Little did I realise, as I waited on a platform at London’s Waterloo East station on a particular day in the late 1950’s, that I was about to witness purely by chance one of Britain’s railway experiments that far from living up to its expectations, turned out to be a ghastly and expensive failure. 

 

It was a brief encounter that created in its wake a mystery which would remain unsolved for almost forty years.

It was a warm afternoon in early September.  I was on the ‘Down’ platform waiting for the train that would take me home to Dover, dressed in my school uniform complete with cap and short trousers which my grandmother insisted I travel in because ‘it made me look neat and tidy’.  

To say that I was feeling pretty miserable that day was an understatement.  I had recently spent six glorious week’s holiday at my grandmother’s home in Basingstoke, where endless  carefree days trainspotting had been spent. 



As I sat on a wooden platform seat, idly watching a bored Southern Railway porter wearily pushing a squeaky barrow, piled high with wicker baskets of fluttering racing-pigeons along the platform, a crackling, popping sound caught my attention.  

Looking away from the porter and his barrow, I noticed an electric train approaching the railway station Its power shoes sending out bright blue sparks as they made intermittent contact with the electrified ‘third rail’.  

Assuming that it was just another electric train, I was only interested in Southern Railway steam locomotives, I was about to turn my attention back to the pigeon porter when I noticed that there was something distinctly odd about the shape of the approaching electric multiple unit.

With the reflexes of a seasoned ‘train-spotter’, I pulled the dog-eared notebook from my inside jacket pocket kept solely for recording train numbers, and scribbled down the number on the cab front – 4002.  As the train squealed to a halt my eyes nearly popped out of my head - it was a ‘double-decker’!  

Photo of double-decker electric train 4002 pulling into an outer London station
8-Car Southern Railway Double Decker Electric Train 4002


In green Southern Railway livery the train was four carriages long with a strange configuration of doors and windows unlike anything I had ever seen before.  Where the usual row of ‘slam doors’ would have been every other door was missing, replaced by a body panel above which a curved window overlapped the roof area.

It was an unusual-looking machine indeed.  
 
The faces of bored passengers peered out through the windows on two levels, and I wondered how on earth the top tier of travellers gained access to their seats.  But, as the doors were opening on the ‘blind’ side from where I stood, it was impossible to see.


Photo of a Kodak Brownie 127 roll-film camera commonly used in the 1950s and early 1960s
Author's '8-Shot' Kodak Brownie 127 Camera


Not wishing to miss an opportunity such as this I took hold of the Brownie 127 camera that hung around my neck by a thin black cord and raised it to my eye.  I was so preoccupied with trying to fit the long train, into the tiny little viewfinder, I failed to notice my train was puffing into the station from Charing Cross, with the result that at the precise time I pressed the shutter button my train entered the viewfinder.  

I would not have a perfect photograph, I thought, but at least I would have some kind of record of this unusual sighting.




Close-up photo of windows and compartment doors of the Southern Railway's experimental double-decker electric train


Struggling aboard the Dover train as quickly as I could, holding the camera in one hand and my little brown suitcase in the other, I found an empty compartment and dived onto a seat near the window to get a closer view of the double-decker.  
 
To my horror its tail-end was heading towards the end of the platform.  It had gone in the time it had taken me to find a seat.  In the vain hope of perhaps seeing it disappearing out of the station I jumped to my feet and frantically fumbled with the catches to open the narrow sliding windows, in order to poke my head through.  

As I did so my train lurched forward and I fell back onto my seat.  My camera hit me in the chest, the suitcase that had been perched precariously on the edge of the opposite seat fell to the floor, spilling the well-folded contents onto the floor amongst the cigarette ends and the little piles of ash.  

The platforms of Waterloo East slipped out of sight as the River Thames came in to view and the train soon began to meander through the suburbs of south London.  All I could do now was to sit and wonder about what I had seen.  

Arriving at my prefab home a couple of hours later my father, who was no doubt overjoyed to see me home again after six weeks of peace and quiet, gave me an old fashioned look as I told him the story of the unusual train.  

“Sorry son I’ve never heard of that train”, he said.  Perhaps he regarded my tale as yet another product of my active imagination.  “I’ll ask at work" he said.  

He worked for British Railways at Dover Marine station.  "I'll see if anybody knows anything about it”.  As it turned out nobody had heard of my mystery train...or perhaps he had simply forgotten to ask. 

The years rolled by, I grew up, started work, took up smoking ‘to be a man’, learned to drink beer, did a spell in the Army and got married.  

As my childhood stretched a long way behind me, the encounter with the double-decker became nothing more than a fading boyhood memory.  

However, unexpectedly in 1995 all that was to change! 

During that year I happened to be visiting the Northampton & Lamport Railway, (N&LR), following an article that I had read in my local newspaper about their latest acquisition - a Belgian steam tram named Yvonne.

After spending a pleasant and productive afternoon photographing the unusual tram, and hearing from its driver the story of how he had rescued the locomotive from a scrap-yard in Belgium, and brought it back to England, I struck up a conversation with one of the N&LR volunteers.  

We talked about the various items of rolling stock and locomotives that the railway had accumulated over the years, when for no apparent reason the ‘double-decker EMU’ came to mind.  I mentioned what I had seen as a boy and waited for the inevitable blank look that would say, “I don’t know what you are talking about”.

To my great surprise I was wrong about his response.  “Oh yes”, he said, nodding knowingly.  “I can tell you a bit about that train”.


In faded blue British Rail livery on of the Southern Railway's Double Decker electric trains stands neglected on a railway siding


Sitting in the volunteers’ canteen drinking tea from the inevitable chipped mug, I learned that two experimental 4-car sets, numbers 4001 and 4002, had been built in the late 1940’s to help alleviate the chronic overcrowding on the Charing Cross – Gravesend line in Kent.  

Designed by Oliver Bullied, who was also responsible for designing the steam locomotives that would often be seen hauling the 'Golden Arrow’ Pullman train between Dover and London’s Victoria station in the 1950’s, the double-decker was able to carry up to 552 passengers.  

“This was quite an astonishing feat”, the volunteer went on to tell me, puffing on a hand-rolled cigarette, “bearing in mind that the conventional electric trains of the time only had a maximum capacity of 400”.   I was impressed.

But, as I soon learned, the venture was doomed from the outset.

"Apart from the numerous teething troubles after entering service on 2 November 1949", he went on to tell me, "when it was withdrawn twice in the first month, it proved to be extremely unpopular with the travelling public.  Also, it took up twice as much loading time at stations and cost 50% more to build.  Despite these problems however, the two trains soldiered on in service until October 1971 when they were finally withdrawn."  

I couldn’t believe my luck.  My mystery had been solved at last!

“What became of them?" I asked.
Before he could answer we were interrupted by the driver-owner of Yvonne, offering me a footplate ride on the tram which was about to leave the station.  I didn’t need to be asked twice, this was too good an opportunity to miss.  

Thanking the volunteer, and promising to meet him after the ride to find out what happened to the ‘double-decker’, I left the canteen and climbed aboard the simmering locomotive.   

Soon we were rattling and swaying along the track.  I was in my element.  I had never been in the cab of a steam locomotive and now I was living every schoolboy’s dream.




A neglected and vandalised solitary coach of the experimental double-decker electric train stands on sidings at the Northampton & Lamport Railway
Double-Decker at Lamport Railway, Northampton



All too soon the ride was over.  I climbed down from the cab intending to take a few photographs as the driver prepared to make the return trip, but as I turned this way and that to get a proper reading from my camera’s light meter an astonishing sight grabbed my attention.  I couldn’t believe what it was I was looking at.  Standing against a set of buffers, vandalised and neglected, was the ‘double-decker’ from my childhood – number 4002!  Or at least the driving-trailer carriage of it.

The body panels were rusted, virtually every window had been smashed and the once pristine livery had faded considerably.  It was difficult for me to accept that this unique example of railway history could end up in such a pitiful state, so far from its Southern Region home.  While at the same time I was delighted to know that it had survived the years, and was ‘over the moon’ to see it once again.


Double-Decker Train Compartment in dilapidated condition


On my return to the station I was disappointed to hear that my helpful friend had, by this time, gone home; and no-one else could shed any further light on the fate of the other train. I was now left with more questions than answers.

What had become of sister train 4001?  Where were the other carriages from 4002?  Are they lying somewhere abandoned and forgotten?  Did they fall prey to the scrapyard cutting torch, or were any of them rescued and returned to their former glory?  
 
In my heart of hearts I would like to believe that it was the latter.

Just as those two trains were doomed to failure, so unfortunately was my childhood snap of 4002 taken on that Waterloo East platform all those years ago.  

When I collected my prints from the chemist a few weeks later, that particular image turned out to be, ironically, a double exposure.  I had forgotten to wind on the film after my previous snap!


Double-Decker EMU Train on YouTube:
 
 
Double-Decker Train at Marylebone station.


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Friday 29 January 2016

Photo Southern Railway Class 30075 'Yankee' Steam Loco North Dorset Railway

 
 
 
Class 30075 'Yankee' Steam Locomotive at Shillingstone Station

photo of class 30075 British Railways Yankee steam locomotive at north dorset heritage railway, England
Yankee Locomotive 30075 at The North Dorset Railway



Two Yankee steam locomotives, owned by a locomotive group called 'Project 62', arrived at the home of the North Dorset Railway Trust, Shillingstone, Dorset.


Displaying the numbers 30075 and 30076, both 46-ton steam locomotives, known as 'Yankee's', were so called as they are a pattern build of the World War II USATC S100 Class 0-6-0T Switcher/Shunters designed by Colonel Howard G Hill. 

Built in former Yugoslavia 30076 was constructed in 1954, with 30075 (shown above) being built six years later in 1960.

Many of these Yankee tank locomotives saw service in the UK - including 14 on the Southern Railway plus a number in industrial service with car manufacturers, Austin Motors/BMC at Longbridge, the NCB in the North East and on the Longmoor Military Railway.

The locomotives, which both require extensive mechanical work, have arrived at Shillingstone in time to be displayed for the 50th anniversary marking the closure of the Somerset and Dorset Railway on the 7th March 1966.

The North Dorset Railway Trust said: "New members and volunteers to work on the locomotives and at Shillingstone station are always welcome."



If anyone is interested in being a part owner of a steam locomotive, shares are available in both locomotives and details can be found on Project 62’s website at project62.supanet.com


USA Class Steam Locos on YouTube:
Southern Railway 'USA' Class locos at Southampton, 1962.



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Saturday 5 September 2015

Photos and Article Class 31 Diesel Loco British Rail Workhorse






photos and article highlighting the british rail class 31 diesel locomotive
Class 31 31288 on the sidings at Northampton Station    
Photo: Charles Moorhen


Trainspotting Class 31 Locos


The Class 31 diesels, a one-time powerful workhorse of the British Rail network, became one of the railway enthusiasts favourite freight locomotives.


As romantic and evocative as the steam locomotive was, with such impressive names as Mallard, the IronDuke and TheFlying Scotsman, like all good things it was inevitable that the golden age of steam would someday have to come to an end.

And so it was that in the mid-1950’s the dawn of the diesel locomotive, such as the Class31, began to creep over the horizon.


By 1967, the majority of steam locomotives had passed into history, (though fortunately a number were saved by heritage lines in England), superseded by a cleaner more efficient type of motive power – the diesel locomotive.


Although there was a certain amount of initial animosity against these new and powerful machines by railway enthusiasts, one such diesel locomotive - the Class 31 - did eventually become a firm favourite among enthusiast and train-driving crews alike.

                                                                  31306 at Bletchley - late 1980's   
                                                    Photo: Charles Moorhen


As one of the classes of diesels known as the ‘Pilot SchemeLocomotives’, ordered by British Railways to replace their costly and out-of-date steam locomotives, the Class 31  was built by Brush Traction in Loughborough


With a top speed of 90 mph (though the majority never exceeded 75 mph) and weighing in at 49 tonnes, the first of the class made its appearance in public service in September 1957.


Incidentally, the building of the full fleet took only five years to complete with the final locomotive leaving the works in 1962.


Originally intended to be used mainly on the Eastern Region, they were soon to be seen frequently on the Western and London Midland regions and eventually across the whole of the railway network performing freight duties; although they also carried out relief passenger work. With a fuel tank capacity of 750 gallons (2409 litres) of diesel, they were ideal for a wide variety of duties.

             


Class 31467 locomotive Entering Bletchley station
     Photo: Charles Moorhen  



The Class 31’s, which were later divided into sub-classes 31/0, 31/1 and 31/4, with a few classified as 31/5 and 31/6, were easily identified by the large head-code boxes on the roof above the cab. 


However, the first twenty examples of the fleet were not fitted with these boxes and were quickly nicknamed ‘Skinheads’ by enthusiasts.  


The sub-class, 31/4, was powerful enough to haul a train of up to eleven BR Mark 3 carriages though in practice the actual number of carriages hauled at any one time was often fewer than five. 

                                                                                                                                                                       
Apart from the day-to-day work that the Class 31’s carried out, four of the fleet made brief appearances on television. 


31233 and 31107 were used in a ‘crash’ scene for the BBC series ‘Top Gear’ on the 21st August 2006, to promote safety at level crossings.


31414 featured in an episode of ‘Casualty’, while 31108 was seen in an episode of ‘EastEnders’ filmed on the Nene Valley Railway near Peterborough – once again involving a railway level crossing.

                                  Class 31462 passing through Banbury in the late 1980's
                                                                    Photo: Charles Moorhen



Like the steam locomotives that they superseded, the Class 31 fleet of diesel locomotives eventually became redundant with many ending up in pieces in scrap yards. However, around twenty-five or so survived this fate and were bought by heritage railway lines up and down the country.


31018, the first locomotive built, is now in preservation in BR Blue livery at the National Railway Museum in York, while the last locomotive to be built is preserved in BR Green livery.
 
With a number of these sturdy locomotives still surviving...the legend of the 31 lives on!


                        Class 31168 in a neglected state on Bletchley sidings in the late 1980's                             Photo: Charles Moorhen
                                      




 
Class 31 Diesel Locomotive Historical Note:
Whilst hauling a train in which Queen Elizabeth II was travelling on 4th January 1961, D5667 (31240), broke down south of Cambridge.  
 
Two onboard Brush fitters, on hand to deal with any mechanical problems that may occur, were unable to fix the problem and a steam loco had to be sent for in order to rescue the stricken diesel adding over an hour to the completed journey.


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Monday 6 July 2015

Photo 'Tornado' UK Steam Loco 60163 Set Off Station Fire Alarm


photo and fire alarm news item regarding class 60163 tornado steam locomotive
A1 Class 60163 Steam Loco 'Tornado' Passes Through Huntingdon  
Photo: Charles Moorhen

 

60163 'Tornado' Steam Loco


It seems that a few members of the public were a bit too quick off the mark in phoning the fire services as they passed Edinburgh's Waverley station on Sunday 5th July 2015.


 At 3pm in the afternoon, three fire engines were dispatched to the station in response to calls from the public stating that they believed a building was on fire on Waverley Bridge.


Edinburgh Waverley Station

 
It soon transpired that the 'fire' was a false alarm.  

The smoke had come from UK steam locomotive  60163 'Tornado' as it passed through the station.

Still.  Better to be safe than sorry as they say.
 

Another 'Tornado' post you may wish to see: 
 
92 Year-Old Model Maker Completes Matchstick Tornado Locomotive.


60163 'Tornado steam locomotive on YouTube:
 
60163 'Tornado' Whirls Through the West Country.


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Tuesday 23 June 2015

Photo Tornado UK Steam Loco 60163 Matchstick Model Built by Pensioner




Tornado Loco Matchstick Model


photo and article highlighting pensioner George Day recently completing a matchstick model of the Tornado steam locomotive
George Day With 'Tornado' Matchstick Model


92 year-old model maker, George Day, who lives in Darlington, has recently completed the construction of his latest model railway locomotive - 60163 Class A2 Tornado - made entirely from matchsticks and copper wire.


 
Pensioner Mr. Day, who worked for the London North Eastern Railway when he left school at the age of 16, and then for British Railways and British Rail at Bank Top Engine Shed in Darlington, has, over the years, created dozens of models of the UK steam locomotives he worked on either as a cleaner, fireman or driver.

Speaking about the making of the Tornado locomotive model, he said: "It took me over a year to complete, but I am really pleased with the Tornado; it is certainly one of the best models I have made."


The Real Tornado Locomotive


A stickler for detail, Mr. Day also uses copper wire to represent the pipes that would be on the locomotives.

Spending a few hours each day crafting his models, which require thousands of matches, he joked: "I think I am keeping the matchstick industry going, given how many I use."

His current project is another locomotive, a J27, which featured in the long-running television drama, Hearbeat.
 

Another 'Tornado' post:


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Tuesday 16 June 2015

Photo Shillingstone Railway Acquires Ex Virgin Mk 3 UK Buffet Car


 


Shillingstone Heritage Railway News


Photo and article regarding shillinstone railway's acquisition of mk 3 railway coach
Ex-Virgin Trains Buffet Car Arrives at Shillingstone Station


The Shillingstone Railway Project based at Shillingstone station, opened in 1863 and owned by the Dorset Central Railway, has acquired a former main line coach to add to its inventory of railway items.


 
The coach, transported by road from Chilmark, is a UK Mark 3 Buffet Car built for British Rail in 1970 at their Derby works.

The Mk 3 saw service with British Rail before joining the ranks of Virgin Trains rolling stock where it worked until retirement in 2002.  It was then stored until 2005 and was used by the Army for bomb disposal training.

The Shillingstone Railway Project plan to restore the Mk 3 coach - which at time of writing still carries the early Virgin Trains livery - hoping to run it on their 1/4 mile of track from Shillingstone station pending planning permission.


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Photo Ffestiniog Railway's New Pullman Observation Coach


 
Art and Beauty In One Package


photo and article highlighting new pullman observation coach on ffestiniog railway
Ffestiniog Railway's Pullman Observation Coach on Home Turf



Rail passengers using London's Paddington station throughout the month until the 27th of June 2015 had the opportunity to see a superb example of moden-day railway coachbuilding skills.


 
On display between platforms 8 & 9, celebrating 150 years of passenger service on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway (F&WHR), is a brand new UK Pullman observation coach designed and built by craftsmen at the railway's Boston Lodge works, at a cost of £250,000.

Paul Lewin, spokesman for the 40-mile railway said: "Our brand new luxury Pullman Observation Saloon marks the beginning of a new era for our railway and sets high standards to enable passengers to enjoy the glorious Snowdoniam scenery in style.

However, it is not only passengers at Paddington station who will get the chance to see the stunning new coach, it will also be visiting Bristol and the Shrewsbury Flower Show, with other venues yet to be announced.

The Pullman Observation Saloon is expected to go into public service in 2016.

Further details on the Ffestiniog Railway website.
 


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Friday 17 April 2015

Photo Class 34016 'Bodmin' West Country Class Southern Railway Steam Loco


Photo and article regarding British Railway Class 4-6-2 34016 'Bodmin' steam locomotive seen at Alton station on the Mid-Hants heritage Railway
Southern Railway West Country Class Steam Locomotive 34016 'Bodmin' at Alton
 Photo: Charles Moorhen



Battle of Britain Locomotive Still Battling




Belonging to a class of UK steam locomotives known as the West Country class, 34016 'Bodmin', seen here in preservation at Alton railway station on the Mid-Hants Railway also known as the 'Watercress Line', is as good today as she was when she hauled an endless succession of trains between London and Cornwall.


'Bodmin' was one of 110 locomotives, numbered 34001 to 34110, designed by O.V.Bulleid specifically for hauling passenger trains on the non-electrified main lines of the Southern Railway.

The first of the class, 34001 'Exeter', came out of Brighton Works brand-new in May 1945 where it was allocated to Exmouth Junction shed which opened on the 3rd November 1887 and covered eleven tracks. 

Production of the class increased to the point that by November of the following year, 48 locomotives of the West Country class were in traffic. They quickly earned the nickname 'Spam Cans' from the trainspotting community due to the fact that the locomotives were encased in air-smoothing body panels.

  At the beginning, the West Country locomotives were given names associated with locations in south-west England such as cities, towns and popular tourist destinations. 

In November 1946 the naming policy was changed. As more locomotives of the class began to be used around Kent, a decision was made to name a number of engines after aircraft, airfields, RAF squadrons and key personalities associated with the WW2 Battle of Britain. 

And although identical in every way, a new class of locomotive was born - the Battle of Britain class.


Close up photo Box Pok Wheels and Nameplate on ex-Southern Railway West Country Class 4-6-2 34016 'Bodmin' steam locomotive at Alton station
Detail of Box Pok Wheels and Bodmin Nameplate
Photo: Charles Moorhen





34016 'Bodmin' saw sterling service over the years on Southern rails. On more than one occasion she headed the 'Man of Kent' train between Charing Cross station and Dover Marine station, such as on the 13th September 1958.
 
In May 1958, West Country Class Pacific Class 34016 'Bodmin', hauled a 'Special' through Kent to London Victoria station.  On board was the President of Italy, Signor Gronchi and his wife.  He was met at Victoria station by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Pathe News filmed the arrival and a brief clip of 'Bodmin' can by seen near the beginning.

However, 34016 'Bodmin' was not solely reserved for hauling prestigious 'named trains'.  It also saw service heading locals, such as the 4-coach Exeter-Plymouth train on 26th August 1957.

On the 11th April 1958, she was swarmed over by railway enthusiasts at the annual Eastleigh Works Open Day as she stood resplendent in her new 'rebuilt' condition which included the removal of her air-smoothing body panels, leaving her as she appears today.

By June 1964, six years later, after 19 years of service, she had been withdrawn.

With the last of the West Country/Battle of Britain class, 34110 '66Squadron', emerging new from Brighton Works in January 1951, the writing was on the wall for steam locomotion.
As a result, the majority of the West Country, Battle of Britain, and their sister the Merchant Navy classes, ended their days cut up in scrap yards.

Luckily, avoiding one of these scrap yards, 34016 'Bodmin', made the transition from main line British Railways duties to further duties in preservation.

In 1952, according to the Ian Allen abc Locoshed Book, 72A loco shed Exmouth Junction was the one to which 34016 was allocated.


 
At the time of writing (March 2015), 'Bodmin' is out of service and stored at Carnforth.



West Country Class Locomotive Technical Specifications: (British Railways Classification).

Designer: O. V. Bulleid.
Origin: Southern Railway.
Introduced: May 1945.
Purpose: Express Passenger.
Wheel Arrangement: 4-6-2.
Number Series: 34001 - 34110.
Driving Wheel: 6ft. 2in.
Bogie Wheel: 3ft. 1in.
Length: 67ft. 4 3/4 in.
Total Weight: 128 tons 12 cwt.
Water Capacity: 4,500 gallons.
Cylinders: (3) 16 3/8in. x 24in.
Boiler Pressure: 250 lb. sq. in.
Tractive Effort: 31,050 lb.
Coal Capacity: 5 tons.
Power Classification: 7-P 5-F.



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