Monthly Archives: October 2019

The end of the line beckons. The Southern Class 313s.

05 Saturday Oct 2019

Posted by in Class 313, Railways

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This blog was originally written in 2019. I’ve revised it now in 2022 as the news has broken that the Southern Class 313s will be retired in 2023, so catch them whilst you can.

Whilst the BR designed Class 313 EMUs have finally been withdrawn from service on the Great Northern routes out of Kings Cross and Moorgate and headed off to the scrapyard 19 of the Class still hold out on Southern metals, working ‘Coastaway’ services centered on Brighton. Numbered 313201-217 and 313219-20, the units were converted and renumbered from former Silverlink Class 313/1’s that had been used on the North London and Watford DC lines before being displaced by the new Bombardier Class 378s. The 313s were refurbished at Wabtec, Doncaster where they received alterations to the seating and a Passenger Information System, but no toilets, which has proved controversial as they replaced Class 377 units which did have them fitted.

The units began operating on Southern from the May 2010 timetable change, working Eastwards from Brighton to Lewes and Seaford and West to Littlehampton. They even operated as far afield as Portsmouth in the West and Ore in the East.

The Covid era saw various services cut which have never been reinstated so the need for the fleet decreased. Nowadays the only Easterly diagrams are to Seaford and Newhaven Harbour. All other diagrams are westwards from Brighton to Hove, Littlehampton, Barnham, Bognor and Portsmouth.

The very useful ‘Part-Time spotter’ WordPress blog publishes a list of the diagrams here and also supplies daily unit allocations. Why not give them a follow? There’s currently 13 diagrams for the 19 strong fleet.

Here’s a selection of images showing their area of operations.

The first of the class, 313201, stands at Shoreham-by-Sea whilst working a service to Brighton on the 8th June 2018. This unit has been repainted by its owners (Beacon rail) in the old BR blue-grey livery, albeit with doors that are DDA compliant.
On the 13th November 2015 313202 (left) and 313217 (right) pass at Lewes whilst working Coastaway services to the East of Brighton.
It’s the 1st July 2014 and 313203 pulls away from a stop at Emsworth (East of Havant) with a Brighton bound service.
313204 arrives in Brighton from Seaford on the 11th November 2015.
It’s the 7th June 2018 and 313204 is reversing in the turnback siding at West Worthing ready to return to Brighton. A number of services from Brighton terminate at this location.
313205 at rest in Brighton Lover’s Walk sidings on the 10th November 2015.
On the 1st July 2014, 313206 comes off the Bognor Regis branch at Barnham with a service to Brighton.
With 313201 in the background, 313207 accelerates away from Worthing with a service to Brighton on the 8th June 2018.
On the same day as the previous shot, 313208 sits in platform 1 at Littlehampton before working a service back to Brighton.
On the 30th June 2014, 313209 is between trips at the single platform terminus of the Seaford branch before heading back to Brighton.
A look at the interior of 313209, showing how the original seats have been replaced with typical Southern-style seats as used in their Electostar fleet.
On the 10th November 2015 313210 sits at Brighton’s wooden platform 8 before working along the coast to Seaford with an early evening service.
313212 leaves Hove with a service to Brighton. The lines off to the left are the Cliftonville spur which carry traffic North towards London, avoiding Brighton station. 10th November 2015.
On the same day and looking in the opposite direction to the previous picture, 313213 pulls out of Hove station with a Brighton service.
It’s the 30th June 2014 and 313214 (left) and 313208 sit in platforms 2 and 1 which are used exclusively by trains heading to Hove and the West.
Another view of platforms 1 and 2 taken on the same day as the previous picture, only this time the units are 313203 (left) and 313215 (right).
A shot of the promotional branding applied to 313215.
On the 24th July 2019 313216 calls at Angmering (West of Brighton) with the service back to the South coast town.
313217 leaves Hastings and prepares to enter the tunnel towards St Leonards Warrior Square whilst working a Brighton service on the 12th November 2015.
Before Covid the 313s used to get as far East as the end of the 3rd rail at Ore on the line from Hastings to Ashford. Here’s 313217 after reversal at Ore with a service back to Brighton on the 12th November 2015.
313219 rounds the curve past the old goods yard which in now a housing estate as it approaches Goring-by-Sea station from the West on the 8th June 2018.
On the 30th June 2014 313220 arrives at Newhaven Town whilst working a service to Seaford.

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The evening after the night before…

04 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by in ACoRP, Community rail, Railways, Uncategorized

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This isn’t going to be a long blog. The pair of us are starting to flag after getting to bed at 03:30 this morning before getting up again just a few hours later at 07:30, but it was well worth it. The ACoRP awards was a fabulous night that went without a hitch due to the great team that delivered the event. The full list of winners can be found here on the ACoRP website.

The days when Community Rail was seen as a sideshow and something eccentric or even irrelevant are long gone. Now the awards are seen as a ‘must attend’ event and have the support of the Department of Transport, Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies themselves, hence the regular attendance of the DfT’s Peter Wilkinson and Network Rail’s Chief executive Andrew Haines to name but two. But the evening belongs to the groups, most of whom are volunteers – who put in the thousands of hours that make such a difference to their stations, and their communities. As one of the awards Judges I feel very privileged to get to meet so many inspiring people who’re doing such fantastic work up and down the country. The community rail awards is our way of ensuring they get the recognition and appreciation they deserve for all the brilliant work that they do.

Here’s a few pictures to give a flavour of the event.

The stage is set and we’re all ready for the guests to arrive…
The coveted trophies and certificates waiting to be awarded.
The drinks reception outside the main room as people gather for the awards.
LNER’s Richard Salkeld is an old friend of ACoRP and helps out every year to organise ‘Heads and Tails’ a fun game that raises thousands of pounds for charity each year.
Two of the guests demonstrate how you play ‘heads or tails’. You win or lose on the flip of a coin. The last one left standing wins a bottle of champagne.
The winners gather together onstage at the end of the awards.

Right, it’s time for bed. Normal service will be resumed tomorrow when I’ve lots of pictures to add to my Zenfolio website. Watch this space…

Rolling blog: tonight’s the night…

03 Thursday Oct 2019

Posted by in ACoRP, Rolling blogs, Uncategorized

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– As Rod Stewart sang, only this night is going to be akright as it’s the annual ACoRP community rail awards. This year it’s being held in Telford, Shropshire.

Right now I’ve a few hours off to explore before the big event. I’ve never been to Telford before, so after breakfast I had a wander. Built as a new tiwn back in the 1960s you can see that the motor car featured heavily in the town’s design. It’s sprawling and features a lot of car parks. That said, obvious efforts have  been made to provide plenty of footpaths and even some cycleways to compensate. I don’t think the place will win any architectural awards tho’…

12:09.

Not having long I popped down to Wolverhampton for a flying visit to grab a couple of shots before heading back up the line to a place I’ve not visited since 2005, the delightful Codsall station. The old station building was converted into a pub many years ago. Run by Holden’s brewery, it’s a delightful place to visit for a pint, a sandwich and a browse of the railway memorabilia that decorates the walls.


What is it about pubs on stations? You can almost guarantee that you’ll see someone you know! On this occaision and location I bumped into Mike Lamport, an old friend from the industry who used to work in PR, latterly for Silverlink trains and then the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

13:00.

Sadly, the weather’s not been kind to me. I’ve managed to get a few shots for the library, but now it’s time to head back and get ready for tonight and a very different style of photography…

16:13.

Right, it’s time to head for the big event. Suitably ‘suited and booted’ and with all the camera kit checked and ready to go I’m off for the staff briefing…

Rolling blog: on the Telford trail…

02 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by in ACoRP, Railways, Travel

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07:24.

It’s time to say adieu to the Calder Valley for a few days as we’re off to the ACoRP awards in Telford, Shropshire. First port of call is the ACoRP office in Huddersfield to meet up with other members of staff, then begin our rail journey to Telford via Manchester and Shrewsbury. The rain’s abated, the skies are clear and the sun is rising. What could possibly go wrong? Nothing, hopefully, so stick with me and see how the day goes…

08:50.

Oh, the joys of driving in the rush-hour! Dawn’s usual route from home to Huddersfield is via the infamous Ainley Top roundabout by the M62. On a good day, without traffic or a motorway snarl-up it can be done dorr to door in 15 mins. Today, 35m after leaving home we’re still queueing at the Ainley Top traffic lights!

09:24.

Finally, after 50 mins in the car, we arrived at Huddersfield, having missed the train we were aiming for. All’s not lost as we’re now on TPE’s local service to Piccadilly, where we’ll catch up the others before getting the Transport for Wales service to Shrewsbury. This time of day our train’s quiet. After years of travelling ln jam-packed 185s, I can’t get used to seeing them like this…

Despite our train starting in Huddersfield it still had a 3 minute late departure, but at keast we’re on our way and Dawn can let others worry abkut the driving…

What a beautiful day for crossing the Pennines. The sunshine’s highlighting the seasons change in the leaf colour of the trees en-route. It’s a perfect day for lineside photography, but I’m stuck on a train! We may have been empty at the start but after stopping several times on the way we’re now about half-full. To TPE’s credit, the conductor on this train’s excellent, keeping oeople informed of delays and connections in an informative but relaxed way.

10:40.

Time for a change of TOC. The gang’s all here on Transport for Wales 09:31 to Shrewsbury. At least we’ve all got seats at tables, even if there’s no power sockets.

11:31.

Not a great day on the trains today. Our TfW service is now 9 mins late, having dropped time ever since leaving Manchester Piccadilly. This means we’ll miss our connection at Shrewsbury and have to get the later train. No big deal, but frustrating nonetheless.

12:15.

The enforced delay allowed a mad dash for sustenance as the group tried to find food tgat suited all tastes. Mission successful, we’re now on West West Midlands Railway’s 12:13 to Telford. The weather’s not as cloudless here, but it’s still a great imorovement to the past few days – and it’s dry!

15:00.

On arrjval in Telford we went straight to the venue and got stuck into the various jobs that needed sorting, such as last minute table changes, cancellations and checks. We even found the time to set up a production line and stuff the 450 goody bags we need…

17:09.

Preparatory work done, a group of us are off for a littke jolly to Wolverhampton thanks to WM Trains. You’ll see where they’re taking us shortly….

20:20.

– well that was the plan anyway! We were taken on a trip to a museum I’ve never visited before, but the snapshot we had of the Black Country Museum was so enjoyable I’ll definitely be coming back to explore more of what it has to offer.

We’ve been treated to a private night at the museum, complete with rides on a trolleybus, drinks in the rebuilt Mechanics Institute building, tours of selected old shops and fish and chips from their vintage chippy. I’ve too many pictures to add now, but I will do in the morning (along with links to the museum). Right now we’re being taken back to Telford by road, ready for the big day tomorrow.

The months (and seasons) roll on…

01 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in ACoRP, Calder Valley, Musings, Railways, Weather

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Here in the Calder Valley October began exactly where September left off – in the rainclouds! The rain’s hardly stopped all day except for a few moments when you feel emboldened enough to set foot outside, then it creeps back laughing and soaks you! I went for a walk up through our local woods earlier, all the paths had been turned into rivulets as the ground’s so sodden the water’s nowhere else to go. Apart from me, a few soggy squirrels and a couple of determined dog-walkers the woods were deserted. For the past few days I’ve been lucky to see the other side of the valley, never mind further afield.

I’ve not minded too much as I’ve got plenty to do at home. In fact, this enforced sojourn has allowed me to catch up on a huge amount of paperwork and also led me to have a bit of a clear out of stuff I’ve been hoarding for years but never looked at for decades – and certainly not since I left London. You see, this month hold a rather significant birthday for me. It’s my 60th, and it’s make me somewhat introspective. When you’re younger you collect all sorts of ephemera and stuff you physically clutter your life up with. I’m now of an age where I’m thinking “do I really need this stuff anymore? What value is it going to add to my remaining years”? It’s not as if I haven’t got enough to keep me occupied with all the pictures that I still need to scan so that they see the light of day after decades of sitting in albums. Some of this decluttering is actually a catharsis, allowing me to focus on what’s really important.

Tomorrow all this changes as we escape the valley and me the office to head down to Telford for the ACoRP awards. The weather forecast promises something other than continual rain, so I’m hopeful I’ll be able to get a few library shots to add to the collection as well as everything else. No doubt there’ll be a rolling blog or two coming your way at the same time. In the meantime, here’s a couple of pictures from last years awards which was held in Glasgow.

Compare Richard Salkeld (left) of LNER with Scotrail MD and awards presenter Alex Hynes.

Enjoying the drinks reception before the serious business of the night starts – the awards themselves.