BR’s most successful DMU?

[delt1c]

I always preferred the main line ambiance of the Hastings line DEMUs - I'm not old enough to recall them with buffet cars which must have been nice (tho the longevity of the Hampshire's is a very good call).

Got my grey cells working , used them a few times to Hastings including the Buffet car, if memory serves me correct they had interesting twin doors at the coach ends, not sliding but hinged. I may be wrong and wait to be corrected

 

[Journeyman]

Got my grey cells working , used them a few times to Hastings including the Buffet car, if memory serves me correct they had interesting twin doors at the coach ends, not sliding but hinged. I may be wrong and wait to be corrected

Think you're right there. I never used them either, but "The Hastings Diesels Story", published by the Southern Electric Group, had lots of pictures and detailed descriptions, and I remember mention of those doors. Sadly my copy went missing a long time ago.

 

[hexagon789]

Got my grey cells working , used them a few times to Hastings including the Buffet car, if memory serves me correct they had interesting twin doors at the coach ends, not sliding but hinged. I may be wrong and wait to be corrected

Preserved Thumpers suggests twin-leaf automatic sliding here on their article on Thumper Buffet cars: http://www.preservedthumpers.com/articles-buffets.html

 

[Journeyman]

Preserved Thumpers suggests twin-leaf automatic sliding here on their article on Thumper Buffet cars: http://www.preservedthumpers.com/articles-buffets.html

Absolutely no way they were automatic sliding doors!

 

[yorksrob]

Is this just the buffet car we're talking about ? The passenger saloons had/have a single sliding door (off centre between a double and extra large single seat). Never got to use a buffet car sadly !

 

[Journeyman]

Is this just the buffet car we're talking about ? The passenger saloons had/have a single sliding door (off centre between a double and extra large single seat). Never got to use a buffet car sadly !

Yeah, the double doors were on the buffet cars. Apparently the unrefurbished BEP buffets were very similar. Only ever saw those from the outside, once or twice.

 

[yorksrob]

Yeah, the double doors were on the buffet cars. Apparently the unrefurbished BEP buffets were very similar. Only ever saw those from the outside, once or twice.

Yes, the south eastern division was de-buffetted when I was about six, so I never saw one.

 

[Richard Scott]

I take it non of these buffet cars survive?

 

[Journeyman]

I take it non of these buffet cars survive?

Two do, in heavily modified form. The inspection saloon currently named "Caroline" is one, another was used for APT tests. Hastings Diesels were looking at restoring it back to original condition, but gave up because it had been too heavily altered.

Yes, the south eastern division was de-buffetted when I was about six, so I never saw one.

A couple of unrefurbished buffets ran in otherwise refurbished sets on the Portsmouth line for a brief period, which is where I saw them.

 

[yorksrob]

I take it non of these buffet cars survive?

One became a test vehicle for the APT ! Hastings diesels bought it to convert it back, bit it was too far gone.

To be fair, their phase 2 CIG buffet car is nostalgic in it's own right !

 

[Romsey]

One does in heavily modified form. TDB975025, the former Southern Region General Manager saloon was converted for a Hastings Buffet car. It's still around and still used for inspection trips but all the SR multiple unit controls and waist Level jumpers and brake hoses have been removed.
It was also used for high security charters like the Charles and Diana wedding special from Victoria to Romsey and conveying the Pope from Gatwick to Victoria in 1979 or 1980.

 

[Journeyman]

To be fair, their phase 2 CIG buffet car is nostalgic in it's own right !

It certainly is. I think it's the only operational survivor.

 

[yorksrob]

Two do, in heavily modified form. The inspection saloon currently named "Caroline" is one, another was used for APT tests. Hastings Diesels were looking at restoring it back to original condition, but gave up because it had been too heavily altered.



A couple of unrefurbished buffets ran in otherwise refurbished sets on the Portsmouth line for a brief period, which is where I saw them.

Far too exotic fo

It certainly is. I think it's the only operational survivor.

I think it's thee only one on rails. The Wensleydale have one as do the Spa valley a phase 1 version - but they're static, so you can't whizz up the WCML in them while ordering a beer !!

 

[Journeyman]

I think it's thee only one on rails. The Wensleydale have one as do the Spa valley a phase 1 version - but they're static, so you can't whizz up the WCML in them while ordering a beer !!

The Waverley Route Heritage Association has one as a static buffet as well - it looks very lost!

 

[delt1c]

Absolutely no way they were automatic sliding doors!

They were set up so that by pushing 1 side both sides opened.

 

[hexagon789]

Absolutely no way they were automatic sliding doors!

I've no idea, I've never been in one but I did recall seeing the article on the site before. I wouldn't expect an electric system as per Mk3s but a mechanical system seems possible

 

[Taunton]

One does in heavily modified form. TDB975025, the former Southern Region General Manager saloon was converted for a Hastings Buffet car. It's still around and still used for inspection trips but all the SR multiple unit controls and waist Level jumpers and brake hoses have been removed.

I believe this was the buffet in the unit in the Hither Green big accident about 1967. It was damaged, but not enough to prevent rebuilding as a managers' saloon.

Maybe we can wonder why the SR was so determined to put buffets on many of their longer distance services (which in all truth were just outer suburban). I did use one a couple of times in a REP on a Bournemouth run, the items available seemed rather trivial and at weekday lunchtime hardly anybody was using it.

 

[hexagon789]

I believe this was the buffet in the unit in the Hither Green big accident about 1967. It was damaged, but not enough to prevent rebuilding as a managers' saloon.

Maybe we can wonder why the SR was so determined to put buffets on many of their longer distance services (which in all truth were just outer suburban). I did use one a couple of times in a REP on a Bournemouth run, the items available seemed rather trivial and at weekday lunchtime hardly anybody was using it.

I think that could be said of DMU buffets in all/most first generation DMUs. I would say particularly the ones given to 101 sets for Newcastle-Carlisle but especially those in the Swindon InterCity sets for the Edinburgh-Glasgow, a journey of only 55-56 minutes in those days.

 

[Journeyman]

I think that could be said of DMU buffets in all/most first generation DMUs. I would say particularly the ones given to 101 sets for Newcastle-Carlisle but especially those in the Swindon InterCity sets for the Edinburgh-Glasgow, a journey of only 55-56 minutes in those days.

I was amazed to find the E&G had restaurant cars serving full meals for a long time!

 

[hexagon789]

I was amazed to find the E&G had restaurant cars serving full meals for a long time!

Indeed, they had full restaurant cars in many of the steam hauled services; then went to buffets in the Swindon ICs. There was no catering with the 27+Mk2s, nor in the early years of the 47/7s+Mk3s but trolley services were introduced in the mid-1980s.

You of course also had at least a buffet on the HST services into Queen Street.

 

[Iskra]

 

[30907]

I believe this was the buffet in the unit in the Hither Green big accident about 1967. It was damaged, but not enough to prevent rebuilding as a managers' saloon.

Maybe we can wonder why the SR was so determined to put buffets on many of their longer distance services (which in all truth were just outer suburban). I did use one a couple of times in a REP on a Bournemouth run, the items available seemed rather trivial and at weekday lunchtime hardly anybody was using it.

The pre-grouping companies concerned, who started the trend, would object to their expresses being called outer-suburban
Seriously, the Bournemouth line had full restaurant service on most regular trains, which is why the REPs were built, and all other routes had Pullman or Buffet catering, though the decline began early 60s.

 

[Journeyman]

The pre-grouping companies concerned, who started the trend, would object to their expresses being called outer-suburban
Seriously, the Bournemouth line had full restaurant service on most regular trains, which is why the REPs were built, and all other routes had Pullman or Buffet catering, though the decline began early 60s.

Railway catering and subsequent changes to it have been done to death elsewhere, but a lot of the changes have been sociological. Back in the fifties, there seemed to be a strong belief that you'd starve to death without a giant fry-up at breakfast time, followed by two large stodgy meals at lunch and tea time, and the railway felt a moral obligation to provide it.

 

[WesternLancer]

Railway catering and subsequent changes to it have been done to death elsewhere, but a lot of the changes have been sociological. Back in the fifties, there seemed to be a strong belief that you'd starve to death without a giant fry-up at breakfast time, followed by two large stodgy meals at lunch and tea time, and the railway felt a moral obligation to provide it.

worth bearing in mind that lots more jobs didn't involve sitting at computer screens in those days too - tho rail travelers may well have been a bit more likely to have been in more sedentary roles even then.

Mind you the widespread availability of snack food to take away from various premises didn't exist to the great extent we take for granted. I guess some sandwich places existed, otherwise it was greasy spoons or formal restaurants. If you wanted to eat, you sat down to do it.

My mother commuted from south coast to London from very early 70s, and a hot snack type of thing at least was regular thing for her to get on the train home (fairly logical in that she probably would leave office about 5ish, might be nearly 7 before in the house, then she would cook the evening meal). In those days I got the impression that London commuters from the Sussex coast would be generally towards the higher end of the payscale (lower paid people could probably still more easily afford to live closer to London too), and would expect a better level of service than a trolley type thing, and indeed probably happy to pay for it.

 

[Ken H]

I understand the love in re Cl158. its a good train for long distance services with long runs between stations, like Trans Pennine.
But they are ending up on commuter services where their narrow doors cause delays. The 150 family were always better for that work.

massive shame more 3 car sprinters were not built.