Hey, suprise, suprise, the new South Central units are actually in service. They started this morning, 16th, on local services on the east and west coastway routes. Unfortunately not every depot has all of their drivers trained up, so there are still a few slam door train in service. Found out one of the reasons why there were delays to these trains to enter service. The train doors, two each car, used to close one at a time. You could watch them at a station start at one end, and work their way down the train. Needless to say, this causes delays. Fine on a three car train, but if you run two or more units together, you can image the delay. Still, I though you would like to know the progress????!!!
Thanks for the update, Ron. Do the doors all close at the same time now? Seems a bit obvious there would be delays doing it one at a time - but there are a lot of "obvious" things which seem to be missed on new units
Alan Apparently they have sorted out the doors. B-U-T These units are so powerfull, that the electric system (750V DC) can't cope. So there has to be a bit of work there as well. Secondly they can't get all 17 units into front line service as not all the drivers are trained on them. And now a sad note. The class 421's, the 4CIG's are on their way out. A Class 37 (Type 3 to me) hauled the first three units away from Lovers Walk Depot bright after removal of shoes, fuse gear etc. Where they are going I'm not sure, but it was a little sad to see them on their way out as the train smoked passed my coming out of Clayton Tunnel, just north of Brighton. British Railway, British Rail, Network South East, Connex and finally South Central really got their money out of these units. Although they were classiefied as 1963 stock, all they were was BR Mk 1 stock with driving cabs and a motor coach. Still they lasted well. 1963-4 to 2002. something like 38 years service. In fact they lasted longer that the electric stock that they replaced, and oh boy was that built well. Never min the old 4CIG's are well passsed it now and a bit of a liability safety wise.
Here's a little bit of the old NSE/Southern region atmosphere, I think these are 4-VEP,s but from the front.....
Maaretyn Certainly is. When was that photo taken? Thats the old time of Temporary Speed Restriction Termination Board by the front of that emu.
My best guess is early 90's. Unfortunately I have no more record of the date than that. The unit is one of the 34xx conversions with seats in what was the guards van, and has had the headlight added, so it can't be much earlier than that. My guess is sometime between '92 and '94. It was taken from the top deck of a bus parked outside the staion south of Bromley South, on the south eastern bit of NSE.
