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1980s EMUs in London area - which routes to find them?

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WesternLancer

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Hi all - any advice gratefully received.
I've planned a trip to London this coming Saturday and would like to sample a few 1980s era EMU / rolling stock on their current routes. I'm not seeking out individual units, just representatives of the classes concerned.

Any advice on their regular duties would be appreciated to help me find them.

Classes I am looking out for are:

Class 315
Do these operate out of Liverpool Street? Seems to be engineering work closing some routes out of Liverpool Street this coming weekend. Any suggestions on how to find them / if any would be out?

Don't think there are any other PEP type units in London area any more are there?

Class 317
As above - again do these operate out of Liverpool Street? Seems to be engineering work closing some routes out of Liverpool Street this coming weekend. Any suggestions on how to find them out and about?

(Class 319
Frequently requested diagrams thread indicates these are now used LNW weekday peak hours diagrams only so I have a different trip planned to cover that.)

Class 321
Where do these operate?

Class 455
Assume these are SWR operations from Waterloo and SR operations from Victoria & London Bridge. Any particular routes? I guess a lot would pass through Clapham Jct?

Class 456
Are these now on SWR only. If so which routes?

many thanks in advance.
 
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urpert

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To find Southern 455s you're best looking at the routes that pass through Tulse Hill/West Norwood. The London Bridge - Beckenham Jn route (2tph) is almost entirely 455-operated.

For 315/317/321 your best bet by far is to go to Liverpool St and see what you can find.
 

hexagon789

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London Overground use 315s and 317s on the Lea Valley services plus the Romford-Upminster shuttle
 

Snow1964

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The 456s are generally coupled to 455s on Waterloo services via Barnes (Hounslow roundabout), Some Shepperton, some via Kingston. However plenty of pairs of 707s working these as well.

You will also find 456s on some Hampton Court, and Chessington services. Much harder to find them on Guildford and Dorking stopping services which tend to be pairs of 455s.

If you are doing Waterloo-Clapham-Raynes Park or Waterloo-Clapham-Barnes then wont have to wait long for one to turn up, but beware because of the roundabout workings could be at either end of a 455+455+456 formation which will make it harder to get onto one for a ride
 

AM9

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...
(Class 319
Frequently requested diagrams thread indicates these are now used LNW weekday peak hours diagrams only so I have a different trip planned to cover that.) ...

Not quite, - a single class 319 runs the St Albans Abbey branch every day. LNR has 14 class 319s, half of which are all seven 319/2s and one is quite often diagrammed to cover the Abbey branch. They have real 1st class seats (de-restricted to standard class), so the 16 minute journey can be travelled in luxury. :)
 

Kite159

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Best place for 315s will be the Overground services from Liverpool Street, I believe they don't work for TfL Rail on weekends [even with no engineering work]. 317s will be on some of the Greater Anglia departures towards Bishop Stortford/Herford East with some towards Cambridge.

Looking at RTT it seems Stratford area is closed so there will be no 321s as they will be on Liverpool Street - Stratford - Shenfield & beyond services.

If you want a 455/456 then hang around Waterloo for a SWR example, or London Victoria/London Bridge for a Southern example. Epsom Downs services do tend to be 455s.
 

WesternLancer

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Thanks everyone for all this info - helpful stuff in every post so much appreciated! This will certainly help me plan the day.
I may need to swap my weekday eve planned 319 trips from Euston for a 315 trip however (and catch the 319s on another occasion) - tempted by the St Albans Abbey shuttle so thanks for that tip AM9!
 

Kite159

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Thanks everyone for all this info - helpful stuff in every post so much appreciated! This will certainly help me plan the day.
I may need to swap my weekday eve planned 319 trips from Euston for a 315 trip however (and catch the 319s on another occasion) - tempted by the St Albans Abbey shuttle so thanks for that tip AM9!

A 319 out of Euston is far better than the 319 on the branch, if you aim for one of the departures which are fast to Watford Junction its even better as it gives a chance to gain some speed (and hence some classic 319 motor noise)
 

hooverboy

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Hi all - any advice gratefully received.
I've planned a trip to London this coming Saturday and would like to sample a few 1980s era EMU / rolling stock on their current routes. I'm not seeking out individual units, just representatives of the classes concerned.

Any advice on their regular duties would be appreciated to help me find them.

Classes I am looking out for are:

Class 315
Do these operate out of Liverpool Street? Seems to be engineering work closing some routes out of Liverpool Street this coming weekend. Any suggestions on how to find them / if any would be out?

Don't think there are any other PEP type units in London area any more are there?

Class 317
As above - again do these operate out of Liverpool Street? Seems to be engineering work closing some routes out of Liverpool Street this coming weekend. Any suggestions on how to find them out and about?

(Class 319
Frequently requested diagrams thread indicates these are now used LNW weekday peak hours diagrams only so I have a different trip planned to cover that.)

Class 321
Where do these operate?

Class 455
Assume these are SWR operations from Waterloo and SR operations from Victoria & London Bridge. Any particular routes? I guess a lot would pass through Clapham Jct?

Class 456
Are these now on SWR only. If so which routes?

many thanks in advance.

315/317= liverpool street.(stratford best for 315/317/321)
319= hard to come by in london these days. might still be lucky on abbey line(watford jn-st albans abbey)
321=liverpool street.usually GA to clacton/walton on naze
455/456= waterloo or victoria(you'll get them at clapham junction for sure)
 

hooverboy

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Best place for 315s will be the Overground services from Liverpool Street, I believe they don't work for TfL Rail on weekends [even with no engineering work]. 317s will be on some of the Greater Anglia departures towards Bishop Stortford/Herford East with some towards Cambridge.

Looking at RTT it seems Stratford area is closed so there will be no 321s as they will be on Liverpool Street - Stratford - Shenfield & beyond services.

If you want a 455/456 then hang around Waterloo for a SWR example, or London Victoria/London Bridge for a Southern example. Epsom Downs services do tend to be 455s.
I would have thought the 321's will take the diversion before stratford in that case, they'll join up with fenchurch street line somewhere around mile end/bethnal green and then peel off to join the C2C routes eastward.
 

Kite159

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I would have thought the 321's will take the diversion before stratford in that case, they'll join up with fenchurch street line somewhere around mile end/bethnal green and then peel off to join the C2C routes eastward.

321s don't work on C2C metals, C2C is 357s with the peak time 387s
 

30907

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I would have thought the 321's will take the diversion before stratford in that case, they'll join up with fenchurch street line somewhere around mile end/bethnal green and then peel off to join the C2C routes eastward.
I know that's the case in normal operations, but not 100% certain in the event of diversions or closures.
But if the line through Stratford is closed, access to C2C is problematic anyway. The connections are F St-Stratford-Barking not L St- LTS- GE (excuse trad terms!)
 

Kite159

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But if the line through Stratford is closed, access to C2C is problematic anyway. The connections are F St-Stratford-Barking not L St- LTS- GE (excuse trad terms!)

If Stratford is closed then the half hourly services which would start from Liverpool Street goes back to starting from Fenchurch Street
 

WesternLancer

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To find Southern 455s you're best looking at the routes that pass through Tulse Hill/West Norwood. The London Bridge - Beckenham Jn route (2tph) is almost entirely 455-operated.

For 315/317/321 your best bet by far is to go to Liverpool St and see what you can find.
I didn't manage to make any Southern 455s so will save that tip for future trip

Plenty of 315 and 317s at Liverpool Street to meet my needs without waiting about!
 

WesternLancer

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The 456s are generally coupled to 455s on Waterloo services via Barnes (Hounslow roundabout), Some Shepperton, some via Kingston. However plenty of pairs of 707s working these as well.

You will also find 456s on some Hampton Court, and Chessington services. Much harder to find them on Guildford and Dorking stopping services which tend to be pairs of 455s.

If you are doing Waterloo-Clapham-Raynes Park or Waterloo-Clapham-Barnes then wont have to wait long for one to turn up, but beware because of the roundabout workings could be at either end of a 455+455+456 formation which will make it harder to get onto one for a ride
Thanks - this was handy advice as I took a 10 car service and nipped between the 2 455s and then into the 456 over the course of the journey.
 

WesternLancer

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Best place for 315s will be the Overground services from Liverpool Street, I believe they don't work for TfL Rail on weekends [even with no engineering work]. 317s will be on some of the Greater Anglia departures towards Bishop Stortford/Herford East with some towards Cambridge.

Looking at RTT it seems Stratford area is closed so there will be no 321s as they will be on Liverpool Street - Stratford - Shenfield & beyond services.

If you want a 455/456 then hang around Waterloo for a SWR example, or London Victoria/London Bridge for a Southern example. Epsom Downs services do tend to be 455s.
Yes, i had plenty of 315s to choose from on LO servcies to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt.

I didn't manage to sample a London Overground 317 which was a shame, plenty of other 317s about however.

I noted that although the LO 315 are somewhat tired, they are clean inside on the whole and reasonably cared for. This was in contrast to the GA 317s I traveled in, which despite looking like they have had more recent refurbs, were dirty, unkempt and not well cared for creating quite a poor passenger environment in my view.

Perhaps that is typical for this TOC, as I rarely use their trains, if at all.
 

hooverboy

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Yes, i had plenty of 315s to choose from on LO servcies to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt.

I didn't manage to sample a London Overground 317 which was a shame, plenty of other 317s about however.

I noted that although the LO 315 are somewhat tired, they are clean inside on the whole and reasonably cared for. This was in contrast to the GA 317s I traveled in, which despite looking like they have had more recent refurbs, were dirty, unkempt and not well cared for creating quite a poor passenger environment in my view.

Perhaps that is typical for this TOC, as I rarely use their trains, if at all.
considering their age, the 317's are decent enough.
They are mostly 1981-1985 build, so pushing 40.
the ones with the silver window slats are the original ones from bedpan line circa 1982.

certainly not luxury but they are still fairly comfortable,even for a cambridge-liverpool street stopper.
As with pretty much all units of that age, the seats are too low for correct window views...but it's the same on sprinters and 319's as well.
 

WesternLancer

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considering their age, the 317's are decent enough.
They are mostly 1981-1985 build, so pushing 40.
the ones with the silver window slats are the original ones from bedpan line circa 1982.

certainly not luxury but they are still fairly comfortable,even for a cambridge-liverpool street stopper.
As with pretty much all units of that age, the seats are too low for correct window views...but it's the same on sprinters and 319's as well.
Yes, it was those esp I wanted to sample, not having been on one since bed pan days IIRC!

It was largely poor standards of cleanliness that I felt let them down.
 
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