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British Rail Class 207

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British Rail Class 207 (3D)
South Central 207202 at Hurst Green in 2002
In service1962-2004
ManufacturerBR Eastleigh
Number built19 trainsets
SuccessorClass 170
Formation3 cars per trainset
Operators
Specifications
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight56 long tons (56.9 t; 62.7 short tons)
Prime mover(s)English Electric 4SRKT Mark II (4-cylinder diesel)
Power output600 shp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
Coupling systemDrophead buckeye[1]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 207 (3D) diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962. The fleet had a lifespan of 42 years. The Southern Region class 201 to 207 DEMUs are nicknamed 'Thumpers' due to the distinctive sound of their engines.[2][3]

Operational history

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207013 3D East Sussex DMU at Eastleigh. The black triangle was an indication to station staff that the guard's compartment was located at this end of the unit.

When new the class were used on the Oxted Line, and were mostly concentrated on services between London Victoria and Uckfield and Eridge to Tonbridge via Tunbridge Wells.[4] Other routes that the units operated included occasional workings on the Marshlink Line, the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line and the Cuckoo Line.[4] Following the closure of the last two of these routes the unit gained workings on the Redhill to Tonbridge Line, and were known to deputise for 3R units on the North Downs Line to Reading.[4] Most units were withdrawn in 1987 following the electrification of the Oxted Line's East Grinstead branch.[5] Four of the seven surviving units were used on the Reading to Basingstoke Line between 1988 and 1993; once this had finished three were withdrawn and the fourth sent to join the other three survivors on the Marshlink Line;[4] between 1995 and 1998 this included through services from Ashford International to Brighton. After this the class operated on the Marshlink Line between Ashford and Hastings and the Oxted Line between London Victoria and Uckfield for privatised companies Connex South Central and Southern. The final three units were withdrawn in August 2004.[6]

Technical details

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Power car (one per set)
  • Introduced: 1962
  • Weight: 56 long tons (57 t; 63 short tons)
  • Engine: English Electric 4-cylinder type 4SRKT Mark II of 600 bhp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
  • Transmission: Electric, two English Electric type EE507 traction motors rated at 250 hp (190 kW) each.
  • Maximum tractive effort: 12,500 lbf (56,000 N)
  • Driving wheel diameter: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
  • Coupling code: Standard 'Buck eye' compatible with contemporary Class 20x and 4xx units.
  • Train heating: Electric

Preservation

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Unit 1305 (207202, with a former Class 411 centre coach in place of the original) operating at the East Lancashire Railway, Bury.

Three complete units have been preserved:

  • 207017 – Spa Valley Railway (3-car unit)
  • 207202 – Formerly owned by Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society, Bicester (2-car unit numbered 1305);[7] purchased by and moved to the Bluebell Railway in January 2023.[8]
  • 207203 – Swindon and Cricklade Railway (2-car unit) – DMBSO 60127 damaged by fire on 20 May 2016.[9] Class 205 DTCsoL 60822 will be added to replace DTSO destroyed by fire. This vehicle had been stored at Pershore (ex unit 1123) and arrived at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 17 June 2016. TS 60669 (ex unit 1124) also stored at Pershore arrived at the same time and will be stripped of usable spares to restore 60822.[10]

In addition, driving motor vehicle from unit 207013 has also been preserved:

  • 207013 – DMBSO 60138 (cab only) – Reduced to just a cab in May 2016 and remaining section at the South Wales Cab Preservation Group.[11]

The centre trailer from unit 207203 has been at a private location:

  • 207203 – TSOL 70547 – Private site, Hungerford

DTSO 60901 from 207203 was preserved until it was damaged beyond repair in an arson attack on 20 May 2016; it was scrapped on 22 June that year.[9][12]

Fleet details

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Key: Preserved Rebuilt Departmental Use Scrapped


Unrefurbished Class 207/0

Unit No. Name Final livery DMBSO TCsoL DTSO Withdrawn[13] Status
New Old
207001 1301 - NSE 60126 60600 60900 04/1994 Scrapped
207002 1302 - NSE 60127 60601 60901 1992 Converted to 207103
207003 1303 - Blue/Grey 60128 60602 60902 09/1987 Scrapped
207004 1304 - NSE 60129 60603 60903 07/1991 Converted to 207101
207005 1305 - NSE 60130 60604 60904 07/1991 Converted to 207102
207006 1306 - Blue/Grey 60131 60605 60905 09/1987 Scrapped
207007 1307 - Blue/Grey 60132 60606 60906 09/1987 Scrapped
207008 1308 - Blue/Grey 60133 60607 60907 05/1988 Scrapped
207009 1309 - Blue/Grey 60134 60608 60908 09/1987 Scrapped
207010 1310 - NSE 60135 60609 60909 09/1993 Tractor unit 951070
207011 1311 - NSE 60136 60610 60910 05/1990 Sandite unit 1068
207012 1312 - Blue/Grey 60137 60611 60911 09/1987 Scrapped
207013 1313 - NSE 60138 60612 60912 03/1994 Tractor unit 951070
207014 1314 - NSE 60139 60613 60913 05/1990 Sandite unit 1068
207015 1315 - Blue/Grey 60140 60614 60914 9/1987 Scrapped
207016 1316 - Blue/Grey 60141 60615 60915 10/1987 Scrapped
207017 1317 - Blue/Grey 60142 60616 60916 03/2004 Preserved
207018 1318 - Blue/Grey 60143 60617 60917 09/1987 Scrapped
207019 1319 - Blue/Grey 60144 60618 60918 05/1988 Scrapped


Refurbished Class 207/1

Unit No. Name Final livery DMBSO DTSO Withdrawn Status
207101 207004 Ashford Fayre NSE 60129 60903 1995 Converted to 207201
207102 207005 Brighton Royal Pavilion NSE 60130 60904 1995 Converted to 207202
207103 207002 - NSE 60127 60901 1995 Converted to 207203


Refurbished Class 207/2

Unit No. Name Final livery DMBSO TSOL DTSO Withdrawn Status
207201 207101 Ashford Fayre Connex 60129 70286 60903 2003 Scrapped
207202 207102 Brighton Royal Pavilion Connex 60130 70549 60904 08/2004 Preserved
207203 207103 - Connex 60127 70547 60901 08/2004 Preserved, 60901 destroyed by fire.


Departmental Units

Unit No. Final livery DMB T DMB (DT*) Withdrawn Status
- 1068 NSE 977700 (ex-60139) 977696 (ex-60522) 977701* (ex-60910) 1992 Scrapped
951070 1070 NSE 977906 (ex-60135) - 977907 (ex-60138) 1998 Preserved

References

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  1. ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Preserved Thumpers". Preservedthumpers.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  3. ^ Skinner, Paul. "Epping Ongar Railway - Rolling Stock Department - Diesel-Electric Multiple Units". Eorailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d Welch, Michael (October 2004). Southern DEMUs. Capital Transport. pp. 19–22. ISBN 1-85414-287-9.
  5. ^ Hampshire & Sussex Units Preservation Society: Sussex Units History Archived 2 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Class 207 Overview Archived 3 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine daveh.org.uk
  7. ^ Smith, Roger (12 November 2022). "Plans to restore Oxted Line 2-car "Thumper" DEMU". Leyland: RailAdvent. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  8. ^ "The Bluebell Railway Acquires Heritage Southern Region DEMU". Uckfield: Bluebell Railway. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  9. ^ a b Robins, Tina (20 May 2016). "Blaze destroys vintage train". Swindon Advertiser. High Wycombe: Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  10. ^ Robins, Tina (19 June 2016). "Replacement carriage arrives at Swindon and Cricklade Railway as arson investigation continues". Swindon Advertiser. High Wycombe: Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  11. ^ "News – Update time". South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  12. ^ "BR 60901 Class 207 DEMU: Driving Trailer Standard (scrapped) built 1954". Carriage Survey Project. Railway Heritage Register Partnership. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  13. ^ Withdrawal dates from H. Longworth, British Railways First Generation DMUs, Oxford Publishing Company, 2011, ISBN 9780860936121

Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 207.
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