What DMUs did B.R. Eastern Region use in 1982?

[KT550]

Back in 1982, in pre-electrification days, I rode the Wickford to Southminster line.

Does anyone know what class of DMU would have operated the trains back then?

Tks.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Back in 1982, in pre-electrification days, I rode the Wickford to Southminster line.

Does anyone know what class of DMU would have operated the trains back then?

Tks.

The link below gives one example for the year in question, not my neck the woods but possibly still the occasional Cravens 105 etc. also?

Althorne - RAILSCOT

RailScot, a history of Railways with an emphasis on Scottish Railways. Photographs, maps, news, queries and more.

www.railscot.co.uk

 

[Magdalia]

You are in luck!

I don't have many DMU books in my library but I do have the Platform 5 book for 1982.

Stratford had 5 three car Derby suburban sets:

DMBS 50844/845/853*/865/867
TC 59335/353/367*/372/375
DMS 50894*/897/898/920/921

* are cars not modified to provide gangways

Stratford also has 12 two car Craven sets:

DMBS 50359-370
DTSL 56122/126/138/143, 56415/416/420/421/423/449/455/457

The Southminster branch I think mainly used the Derby suburban units. If it had used the Cravens I would have visited!

 

[Clarence Yard]

I went down there in 1982/3 and it was a Derby sub set.

 

[Taunton]

I had a colleague who lived down the line in 1982, at South Woodham, and used to come into our City office and describe that morning's issues!

It used whatever Stratford depot had at the time, which varied over the years. Principally in 1982 the ex-Western Region 116 Derby 3-car suburban sets, with high density seating, but also 105 Cravens 2-car low density units, generally formed up into four car sets on this line. I think Stratford also had some 104 Birmingham RCW cars at that time as well. One train ran the shuttle to Wickford off-peak, and a second doubled the service in the peaks, which laid over in between at Wickford.

About once a year some issue further down the Southend Victoria line in the morning peak meant no London trains were coming through, and a rapidly arranged extension was run by the diesel from Wickford up to connect at Shenfield, packed to the gunwhales.

Stratford ran various other diesel lines at the time, sharing their stock, including North Woolwich, the new North London operation to Camden Road, Romford to Upminster, Braintree branch, etc, all now electrified.

 

[Magdalia]

I think Stratford also had some 104 Birmingham RCW cars at that time as well.

You're right, I missed those. They had the ex Norwich sets 80 and 88 comprising 50560/578/579/588 and 59223/225.

Stratford ran various other diesel lines at the time, sharing their stock, including North Woolwich, the new North London operation to Camden Road, Romford to Upminster, Braintree branch, etc, all now electrified.

In 1982 Braintree was already electrified.

 

[Taunton]

Did Stratford run the Goblin after the Bedpan electrification (also 1982?) when Cricklewood diesel depot closed? That line seemed to get switched around, and was eventually run in NSE days from Old Oak Common.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Can't comment on who resourced the Goblin about that time, but a pic in Middleton Press 'North London Line' shows a 105 at GO and a 104 arriving from Barking. Never knew 104's came down South. I always associate them with Buxton!

 

[StephenHunter]

105s on Romford to Upminster.

 

[Clarence Yard]

Did Stratford run the Goblin after the Bedpan electrification (also 1982?) when Cricklewood diesel depot closed? That line seemed to get switched around, and was eventually run in NSE days from Old Oak Common.

The GOB sets went straight from Cricklewood to the Oak in 1987. I had arrived at the Oak in May 1987 just before they arrived and the staff refused to work on them until they had been put through the Elephant House outside the Factory to be underframe cleaned. We had to put each one through twice before we could get enough of the muck off. They were clean inside & bodysides when we got them but they were really minging underneath.

We also inherited a few ex Cricklewood staff at the time who were amazed at the attention to underframe cleaning that the WR gave to their traction. The ER were equally keen (without the lavish facilities, though!) but the LMR seemed to give it a lesser priority.

 

[Taunton]

Can't comment on who resourced the Goblin about that time, but a pic in Middleton Press 'North London Line' shows a 105 at GO and a 104 arriving from Barking. Never knew 104's came down South. I always associate them with Buxton!

Bizarrely, there's a picture of a 104 at Southminster illustrating a company's website about a recent move to Southminster!

CSB Moulds Moves Location - Europlaz

CSB Moulds moves to Southminster, Essex and welcomes clients including GSK, Fisons and AstraZeneca. The company operates 24/7 producing 53 million Actuators per year.

europlaz.co.uk

That's a (locally-built at Dagenham) Ford Cortina Mk4 estate in the background, so 1977 or later, but before the electrification of 1986. I wonder where they got the photo from, and why nobody noticed their new local station looks a little different.

 

[MadMac]

Bizarrely, there's a picture of a 104 at Southminster illustrating a company's website about a recent move to Southminster!

CSB Moulds Moves Location - Europlaz

CSB Moulds moves to Southminster, Essex and welcomes clients including GSK, Fisons and AstraZeneca. The company operates 24/7 producing 53 million Actuators per year.

europlaz.co.uk

That's a (locally-built at Dagenham) Ford Cortina Mk4 estate in the background, so 1977 or later, but before the electrification of 1986. I wonder where they got the photo from, and why nobody noticed their new local station looks a little different.

This appears to be the same picture and is dated 1974.

 

[KT550]

Thanks to all for your assistance with this request.

 

[Alfie1014]

105s on Romford to Upminster.

The 116s would occasionally appear on the Upminster shuttle especially on Saturdays when not needed for the Southminster peak services.

 

[Sleepy]

Bizarrely, there's a picture of a 104 at Southminster illustrating a company's website about a recent move to Southminster!

CSB Moulds Moves Location - Europlaz

CSB Moulds moves to Southminster, Essex and welcomes clients including GSK, Fisons and AstraZeneca. The company operates 24/7 producing 53 million Actuators per year.

europlaz.co.uk

That's a (locally-built at Dagenham) Ford Cortina Mk4 estate in the background, so 1977 or later, but before the electrification of 1986. I wonder where they got the photo from, and why nobody noticed their new local station looks a little different.

Wow - they might as well used stills from this Dick Emery sketch "The best station award" !!! (also features North Fambridge station)

 

[nw1]

You're right, I missed those. They had the ex Norwich sets 80 and 88 comprising 50560/578/579/588 and 59223/225.


In 1982 Braintree was already electrified.

ISTR reading recently that it was electrified in 1977.

Certainly by 1981 there was an hourly through service to Liverpool Street.

I was actually surprised as I had an (evidently false) memory of it being electrified in around 1986. Obviously didn't happen. Perhaps through services to London were (re)introduced that year, after a period as a shuttle.

 

[Bishopstone]

Having grown-up close to the Romford-Upminster line pre-electrification, this thread took me down an internet rabbit warren which surfaced this photo for sale on eBay (not mine, and I’m not the seller), of a class 104 literally on the buffer stops at Upminster, with quite a crowd.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28388964...iHK0L2VTAa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

My memories of DMU travel on this short line are all Craven 105.

 

[MadMac]

I was actually surprised as I had an (evidently false) memory of it being electrified in around 1986. Obviously didn't happen. Perhaps through services to London were (re)introduced that year, after a period as a shuttle.

You're possibly thinking of Romford-Upminster, which was around that time.

 

[Bishopstone]

You're possibly thinking of Romford-Upminster, which was around that time.

I think Manningtree-Harwich and Romford-Upminster both went electric at the same timetable change in 1986.

 

[Magdalia]

I was actually surprised as I had an (evidently false) memory of it being electrified in around 1986.

I think Manningtree-Harwich and Romford-Upminster both went electric at the same timetable change in 1986.

And, neatly taking us back to the original question, Wickford-Southminster electrification was also 1986.