Oldest class still in regular service

NorthWestRover · 24 May 2019

The full class (or near as), I mean.

Would it be the Merseyrail Electrics?

Or something around Glasgow?

RailUK Forums

Fawkes Cat · 24 May 2019

Multiple units or can locomotives count?

DanNCL · 24 May 2019

The class 483s on the Island Line, which are converted ex-London Underground 1938 stock. They're almost certainly the oldest class still going on the national network in regular service.

Alasdair Clift · 24 May 2019

1: Class 483s (Island Line)
2: Class 313s (Southern & Great Northern)
3: Class 43 HSTs (Multiple Operators)
(Correct me if I'm wrong)

D365 · 24 May 2019

Does OP mean the oldest operating type of passenger rolling stock, with the criteria of no carriages/units officially withdrawn?

NorthWestRover · 24 May 2019

Units or locos, with the criteria of none (or perhaps only one or two through crash damage) being withdrawn.

So, the 37s wouldn't count, for example, but the 507s would. Assuming the 483s meet my criteria, then they must surely win.

Do the 313s pre-date the 507?

How many of the original 43s still work in regular service (percentage wise?)

61653 HTAFC · 24 May 2019

With regard to the OP, the Merseyrail fleets (507/508) have both lost members if my memory serves me right.

IIRC some 507s were written off after an arson attack at Birkenhead North. One vehicle now forms part of a 314 but I'm not sure if it's still in traffic.

The ex-SE and ex-Silverlink/LO 508s were withdrawn, some vehicles survive as barrier cars but some were scrapped.

43096 · 24 May 2019

NorthWestRover said:
Units or locos, with the criteria of none (or perhaps only one or two through crash damage) being withdrawn.

So, the 37s wouldn't count, for example, but the 507s would. Assuming the 483s meet my criteria, then they must surely win.

Do the 313s pre-date the 507?

How many of the original 43s still work in regular service (percentage wise?)

Until the off leasing of power cars started last year, 194 of 197 built were in service; the other three being the Southall, Ladbroke Grove and Ufton Nervet accident victims.

NorthWestRover · 24 May 2019

I reckon the answer is

483 (by far!)
43
313
507

bramling · 24 May 2019

DanNCL said:
The class 483s on the Island Line, which are converted ex-London Underground 1938 stock. They're almost certainly the oldest class still going on the national network in regular service.

One could argue that the class 483 only dates from the late 1980s, reusing old trains to create a new class!

By that token I think the class 313 wins for oldest.

Neptune · 24 May 2019

NorthWestRover said:
.

Do the 313s pre-date the 507?

Yes, 313’s were the first of the production PEP stock (1976) followed by 507, 508 and 314 (1977-79) and finally the 4 car 315’s (completed by 1980). Except the Southern 313’s the rest are all being or about to be replaced.

Bevan Price · 24 May 2019

Class 313 Built 1976-77
Class 314 Built 1979 (Now being withdrawn)
Class 315 Built 1980-81 (Now being withdrawn)
Class 507 Built 1978-80 (all but one still in service)
Class 508 Built !979-80 (About 15 withdrawn)
Class 483 Built 1938 (But most of those built for LT are long withdrawn)

swt_passenger · 24 May 2019

If you consider only the 38 stock that was converted into 483s as “the class”, hasn’t there been quite a significant proportion withdrawn - even a majority by some accounts?

bramling · 24 May 2019

swt_passenger said:
If you consider only the 38 stock that was converted into 483s as “the class”, hasn’t there been quite a significant proportion withdrawn - even a majority by some accounts?

Yes now down to five units from an original nine, one of which has been non-operational for many years now, and it seems at least one further unit may be in the process of going the same way.

It’s incredible to think they were 50 years old when they went to the island, and have since lived a complete life again matching that of some new-from-scratch classes. And this has been running a full all-day daily service, as opposed to a lightweight (ie only in the middle of the day for the better months of the year) service like on a heritage railway.

philthetube · 25 May 2019

Bearing in mind that there are no exceptions in the thread title how about the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the Isle of Man?

Wivenswold · 25 May 2019

Oldest mainline Loco still in service is 20007 built in 1957.

cactustwirly · 25 May 2019

D365 said:
Does OP mean the oldest operating type of passenger rolling stock, with the criteria of no carriages/units officially withdrawn?

That rules out the HSTs then, as there are a number of coaches/powercars stored

D365 · 25 May 2019

cactustwirly said:
That rules out the HSTs then, as there are a number of coaches/powercars stored

Exactly my thoughts.

Class 317 would be my nomination, as I don't think 317722 (or any other units) been officially withdrawn yet.

Once the Class 507/508, 317 and 455 fleets have been withdrawn, I think the Class 318 would be a safe bet.

Fireless · 25 May 2019

philthetube said:
Bearing in mind that there are no exceptions in the thread title how about the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the Isle of Man?

Apart from the usual "the IoM is not UK" thing, car 3 has been out of service since being destroyed in the 2016 runaway.
Yet, it is very close to very likely the oldest complete classes in regular service on the british isles as the MER has all four Winter Saloons (built in 1899) and one unique trailer (No. 59) from 1895 in service.

mlambeuk · 28 May 2019

I would say that the class 144 would rank as one of the oldest with all units still in regular service.

bramling · 28 May 2019

D365 said:
Exactly my thoughts.

Class 317 would be my nomination, as I don't think 317722 (or any other units) been officially withdrawn yet.

Once the Class 507/508, 317 and 455 fleets have been withdrawn, I think the Class 318 would be a safe bet.

All of 507, 508, 317 and 455 have lost cars, in the case of 317 and 455 with replacement cars having been made up.

Until last month the answer would have been 313, however now I think it will be 318 for EMUs and 144 for DMUs (I think the 144 is slightly older than the 155).

If we’re into preservation, another fleet which could be up for consideration is the Vale of Rheidol Railway. Their fleet has been in continuous service since the 1920s, which makes them older than the IOW 38 stock!

Sprinter107 · 28 May 2019

150/1 are older than 155. And all 50 with 2 prototypes still in service.

keith1879 · 28 May 2019

philthetube said:
Bearing in mind that there are no exceptions in the thread title how about the Snaefell Mountain Railway in the Isle of Man?

Good answer ........ but how about Tal-Y-Llyn (1864) and Dolgoch (1866) ....they each represent 100% of their class??

whhistle · 28 May 2019

Fawkes Cat said:
Multiple units or can locomotives count?

D365 said:
Does OP mean the oldest operating type of passenger rolling stock, with the criteria of no carriages/units officially withdrawn?

Not sure why the OP has to specify exact terms of their question?
For an exact answer, I hear you cry?
Just list what you think.
Perhaps the OP wanted a broad range of input (IE, not just locos or MUs).

Mikey C · 28 May 2019

Sprinter107 said:
150/1 are older than 155. And all 50 with 2 prototypes still in service.

Indeed would the Class 150 be the oldest class still in service with no partial or full withdrawal plans?

43096 · 28 May 2019

Mikey C said:
Indeed would the Class 150 be the oldest class still in service with no partial or full withdrawal plans?

Two Class 150/2 cars were withdrawn in the 1980s.

Sprinter107 · 28 May 2019

As a class the 150/2 are incomplete, but the 150/1 are complete. And all at the same depot.

trainmania100 · 28 May 2019

I think the 483s ar the oldest

Rick1984 · 28 May 2019

The class 438 must not only be the oldest in the UK, but amongst the oldest mainline trains in service in the world.
Certainly the developed world

pdeaves · 28 May 2019

43096 said:
Two Class 150/2 cars were withdrawn in the 1980s.

The original poster stated "The full class (or near as)" (my emphasis), so perhaps two cars withdrawn through accident damage is 'OK' for these purposes. The spirit of the intended discussion I venture is 'nothing withdrawn just because it's life expired but unplanned withdrawals are permitted'.

Oldest class still in regular service

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