Friday 26 October 2012

Thumper DEMU Retrospective

Some pictures from my archive, inspired by reading the new book by Kevin Robertson and Hugh Abbinnett. All of these units were built by BR at Eastleigh, using underframes from Ashford. From when I travelled on them in the 1980s, my remaining impression is of the smell of carbolic through the passenger area.
3-H 1126 of Eastleigh, at Dunbridge, 10th September 1982. Headcode 88 = "Portsmouth Harbour - Salisbury/Westbury (semi fast) via Netley".
3-T 1402 at Salisbury, 18th September 1982. This shows the connections at the disused cab of the former Tadpole, former EPB coach 77508 used as a trailer from February 1980 when added to what had been two coach 1122, originally built in 1958 for Hastings duties. The formation of the Eastleigh allocated unit was 60121 + 77508 + 60821. 60121 was new in June 1958, withdrawn November 1987 and was disposed of at Vic Berry, Leicester in March 1990; 77508 originally in 2-EPB 5709 from May 1954, was formed into Tadpole 3-R 1205 in January 1965, withdrawn in November 1987 and was disposed of at Mayer Newman, Snailwell in January 1989; 60821 was new in June 1958, withdrawn in November 1987 and was disposed of at Mayer Newman, Snailwell in December 1988.
3-H 1126 again, at Romsey on 9th January 1983, on an 87 service 'Portsmouth Harbour - Salisbury or Westbury (slow) via Netley'. 1126 formed 60125 + 60671 + 60825 was new in December 1959 and finished service as 205026 in November 1990, with disposal coming at Mayer Parry, Snailwell in January 1992.
3-H 1105 of Eastleigh approaches Romsey on 16th April 1983. 1105 entered service as a 2-H formed 60104 + 60804 in August 1957, and TSL 60654 was added to make the unit into a 3-H from October 1959. Renumbered to 205005 in August 1986, the unit was withdrawn in August 1987. 60104 was disposed of at Vic Berry, Leicester in March 1990, and the other cars at Mayer Newman, Snailwell at February 1989.

Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_204
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_205
http://www.preservedthumpers.co.uk/
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/The-Works/Diesels/12
http://www.hsups.org/
http://www.dartmoor-railway-sa.org/cms/files/DRSA-Info-Sheet5.pdf
http://eorailway.co.uk/departments/rolling-stock/demus/