Home»All Photographs»The 'Sussex Slammer' railtour

Here are some pictures from the Southern/SEG railtour - 'The Sussex Slammer' It was an excellent day out, with both enthusiasts and staff alike joining in the fun (check out some of the destination screens!) Thanks go to all who organised the trip. Especially those from the SEG, and Samantha Hodder and Marsid Greenidge from Go-Ahead. Here's a history of the units involved. Many thanks go to John Atkinson of Tonbridge for compiling the info, and allowing me to reproduce it here: Unit 7432(now 1805) This unit was delivered to the SR from York 4-3-72 as one of the last few built, new in blue/grey and formed as 76782 + 62420 + 71100 + 76853. After commissioning at Selhurst in went into traffic from Lovers Walk, Brighton from 25-3-72, and then led a blameless life on the Central Division until sent to Eastleigh for facelift 21-4-86. It emerged from this work 12-6-86, still painted blue/grey and allocated back to Brighton once again. It was painted NSE at next repaint and became one of the 'clean train' units for about 8 months. It later had one DTC downgraded to DTS as standards steadily slipped in the Connex era, and gained their yellow/white colours too. This unit remained faithful to the former Central Division lines all its working life, and stayed in original formation, so a worthy (if rather tatty) unit to survive until the end of 4-CIG operation. Unit 7837(now 3514) This unit arrived on the SR from York 29-9-72 and after commissioning went into traffic from Lovers Walk, Brighton from 14-10-72. Formation was 76683 + 62338 + 71018 + 76684, and it was new in blue/grey colours. The unit was transferred to the SWD at Fratton from April 1974, who took less care of it as it was damaged (with 7706) in a derailment at Farnham 12-12-77, and again was 'off the road' in Bournemouth Sidings 13-5-78, though damage in both incidents was fairly minor. The unit was renumbered 3137 from May 1987, and gained NSE livery at about this time. It was then sent to Eastleigh for facelift 4-4-90 and MBS 62338 became part of 3517, whilst all three trailers were formed with 62136 (ex 3016) and the resultant unit outshopped as 3514 with restricted droplight opening and allocated to the Central Division based at Lovers Walk. As a result, it fell into the hands of Connex subsequently and was one of the units painted plain 'white' about April 1996 and ran for a while until problems in applying the 'yellow' area were resolved and the unit got the full 'Connex' treatment. However, following the change of franchise, unit 3514 became the only 4-VEP to gain the new 'Southern' colours being outshopped thus from Eastleigh 11-12-01. It remained in traffic until virtually the end (withdrawal actually came last Friday 25-11-05 as the doorlock dates expired). It too was a worthy unit to have on the tour as it included the very last vehicle in traffic from the "1967" Bournemouth batch of units, MBS 62136 having been new (from Derby) in unit 7716 back in July 1967. Unit 7393(now 1866) This unit was delivered to the SR 17-6-71 and was formed as 76743 + 62381 + 71061 + 76814. It went into traffic from 17-7-71 allocated to the SWD at Wimbledon Park. It was in a collision there 8-72 with unit 7383 and DTC 76814 as exchanged with 76804 (ex 7383) until 10-72 whilst repairs were carried out. The unit later moved to Brighton for CD traffic and remained there until renumbered 1293 in July 1987. It gained NSE colours about this time and ran as such until sent to Eastleigh for a facelift 20-10-91, this work being completed 18-12-91 when it was then outshopped as unit 1866 and back again at Lovers Walk. It continued in use on the CD and was later 'Connexified' by downgrading at one end and given their livery too, which it retained until the end, missing out on the 'Southern' livery given to several sister units.