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View Full Version : Archived: Southern Rlwy - 4 Car Suburban "EMU" 11/04/10 Report



Tankman
13-04-2010, 07:50 PM
Whilst milling around Coventry over the weekend, dropped in to the Electric Railway Museum to visit this "Old Friend" of mine, a 4 car SUB, EMU. (Electric Multiple Unit):thumb

When I worked on the railway 1970/80s and was based at Victoria Station in London, this "Old Girl" use to rattle in on a regular basis.
This train use to be the main stay of the Commuter trains that ran in and out of London back then. Dating from the late 1940/50s The SUBS, had a very comfortable ride, unlike the later BR EMUs.

This particular unit, was the last to be overhauled in her class by BR, at there Selhurst Depot, and as a consequence she was repainted back into her original Southern Railway Green Livery by the then Apprentices at the depot.

She regularly ran in and out of Victoria on the East Croydon and Crystal Palace routes for some time, before being withdrawn and used on Enthusiast specials, eventually her ticket was up and she was put up for sale.

She now rests in peace at the ERM at Coventry.
Hopefully she will one day be restored:) although I fear she has deteriorated a lot since I last worked on her back in those halcyon days at Victoria.

It was nice meeting up with her again, and being shown around by the friendly guys at the Museum.
On with the pics.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/4_SUB_Strood_1986.jpg

circa 1986, 4732 gets the "Right of way" from Strood, on an Enthusiasts Special. The sign was to big for the Red tail lamp to hang in its usual place so, they hung it off the coupling hook:confused: Breaking BR Rules in to the bargain!

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/4_SUB_Higham1987.jpg

The same special, coupled up with a 2 car BIL Unit on the rear.

Now Fast forward to today.

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1174.jpg

4732 at peace! or should that be "Rust in Peace":(

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1172.jpg

Original interior still intact:thumb It even had the original smell that these units use to have:lol:

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1171.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1232.jpg

The composite coaches though have suffered badly from vandals:mad: and lack of maintenance, they are indeed in a sorry state:(

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1305.jpg

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1297.jpg

Water has obviously got in over the years it has been stored here through the broken windows and holes in the roof etc. resulting in the original wooden framed coach body collapsing in places:(

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/DSCF1248.jpg

A nice moody picture:thumb

More here:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Suburban%20Electric%20Train/?start=all

Thanks for looking:thumb