The Nth Degree Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Being a Secondary Route loco, I was hoping to see and read about instances of Hymeks pulling suburban stock, hopefully short trains of 4 or 5 coaches, but apart from one remote reference buried deep in the search facility, I can't find anything on the web. I think I'm going to have more luck specifically around the Bristol area but if anyone can come up with anything I'd be very grateful. I'm looking particularly for pictures as I'm building a Hymek and would like to replicate it to pull my suburban coaches. Coach numbers would also be lovely but are not as important. Thanks for anything you can give. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Not to sure about suburban coaches but Hymeks where used on swindon gloucester locals comprising 3 to 4 coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I'm sure there were SOME instances of Hymeks being used on suburbans but I do not recall seeing a photo. The Hymeks began to appear in 1961, by which time the replacement of non-corridor stock by dmus was well under way. The WR did not quite succeed in its stated aim of getting rid of all its non-corridor stock by the end of 1963 but had a good go at it. Branch closures helped to send the non-corridor coach on its way too. The BR standard suburbans on the WR were either sent to Kings Cross [many of the short underframed ones] or scrapped, with their underframes being used for Carflats. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I have seen a picture of a Hymek at Portishead station on a short local train. I cannot be cartain they are suburban (non-gangwayed) coaches though. I will have a rummage and see if I can find it anwhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks all. Karhedron, I'm fairly sure I found a post from you that you found a picture in a book. I'll do a quick search now... Ah, yes, found it! You quoted a book 'Rail Centres Bristol' where there was a (or more?) picture of a Hymek pulling suburbans. It was a thread dating about 2 years ago. I'll look for the book online if you can elaborate on this? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted May 3, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 3, 2012 They were regular performers on the Temple Meads-Bath Green Park via Mangotsfield locals. I'm not sure what the coaching stock was though. The very last train from Mangotsfield (AFAIK) was D7000 on such a service 6 March 1966. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 They were regular performers on the Temple Meads-Bath Green Park via Mangotsfield locals. I'm not sure what the coaching stock was though. The very last train from Mangotsfield (AFAIK) was D7000 on such a service 6 March 1966. Neil Hi Neil, That very nice Mr.Hugh Dady chappie has a colour shot of this very working in his 'Heyday Of The Hydraulics' book, taken at Mangotsfield by local snapper Russell Leitch, the stock looks like three SR bullieds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks all. Karhedron, I'm fairly sure I found a post from you that you found a picture in a book. I'll do a quick search now... Ah, yes, found it! You quoted a book 'Rail Centres Bristol' where there was a (or more?) picture of a Hymek pulling suburbans. It was a thread dating about 2 years ago. I'll look for the book online if you can elaborate on this? Thanks There is one picture, page 44, taken at Portishead 28/8/64, D7023, and probably 4 coaches though I can't make out what they are . It's in the 'Rail Centres Bristol' by Colin Maggs, 2nd edition published 1996. (the 1st edition has a different set of photos in it, no Hymeks on suburban stock though - I have both editions ) cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks for checking Kevin/Kenny, appreciate your time. A bit disappointed though... Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm reviving this thread to open it out a little. I'm trying to find ANY diesel or hydraulic that pulled suburbans on a regular basis. The only pictures I've found are those of 31s pulling blue suburbans out of Moorgate. My preferred locos would be Hymek, 33 or 26/27, as I get get these cheaply in O gauge. The reason I'm asking is that I've already bought some coaches (Mk1 Suburbans) without any thought to what's going to haul them and now I'm stuck with what to do with them. I'd prefer not to go steam at this stage. Any help out there? Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 D6300s (or class 22 if you prefer) certainly pulled suburban trains. There are pictures of them hauling B-sets on west-country branchlines after steam had been phased out of the south-west but enough multiple units were not yet available. Of course we are still waiting to see if Dapol shrink their D6300s to N gauge. If you are thinking more along the lines of commuter services into larger towns and cities then I am not sure. Lots of browsing might turn some examples up but my feeling is that it was not common. DMUs came early in the modernisation plan and suburban services like this were exactly where replacing steam was seen as a priority to reduce costs. Mk1 suburbans are a tricky one. They were allocated to WR but they tended to be used on services that got DMUed fairly early on. It probably happened but I cannot think of any pictures of Mk1 suburbans behind a diesel on the western region. Interesting question though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2012 D63XX (Class 22 to younger - than me - readers) worked a number of West Country branches and almost certainly some non-gangwayed stock would have been involved I reckon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm reviving this thread to open it out a little. I'm trying to find ANY diesel or hydraulic that pulled suburbans on a regular basis. The only pictures I've found are those of 31s pulling blue suburbans out of Moorgate. My preferred locos would be Hymek, 33 or 26/27, as I get get these cheaply in O gauge. The reason I'm asking is that I've already bought some coaches (Mk1 Suburbans) without any thought to what's going to haul them and now I'm stuck with what to do with them. I'd prefer not to go steam at this stage. Any help out there? Steve 27s might have hauled them during their stay on the Midland, which lasted until the last years of the 1960s. Didn't the 26s start their career in similar fashion around the Great Northern in the London area? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 10, 2012 pic of a 26 on the GN in 1959 http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/5731666334/in/set-72157603653276211 (might be wrong, but i think only the pilot scheme batch D5300-19 were allocated here) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Perhaps we should define what we mean by suburban trains. I would apply the term to commuter etc trains into and out of larger towns and cities but not to the sort of trains on rural branch lines that had the good or bad fortune to be worked by non-corridor stock such as, on the WR, B sets. Quite how one classifies the Kingswear branch is a moot point since it had a number of 4 and 5 coach non-corridor sets at its disposal which worked between Exeter, Newton Abbot, Paignton and Kingswear and incliuded Mk 1s in the formation. There is a photo of a Warship heading one of these on its way to work the up Torbay Express but, for the time being and to my shame, I cannot remember in which book or magazine it may be found. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 There is a photo of a Warship heading one of these on its way to work the up Torbay Express but, for the time being and to my shame, I cannot remember in which book or magazine it may be found. That rings a vague bell. It might be in "Hydraulics in the West". At least it is a good excuse to give the book another peruse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Excellent replies, thanks all. A bit more research on my part required I guess. Of all the search terms I used, 'non-gangwayed' was not one of them! Back to page one... Keefer, that photo find is superb! I'll look out for more of the same. Just a clarification of the intention, I had the good fortune to buy a couple Mk1 Suburban (non-gangwayed!) coaches in O gauge for a very good price. To take advantage of my good fortune I want to build a small train (I'll add a couple more coaches hopefully) that I can replicate from out in the real world, even if it is a reasonably rare event. I already have an old Triang Hymek that I'm going to improve, but I can also get a reasonably cheap Lima 33, either to keep as a 33 or convert to a 26 or similar. What I don't want to do is spend £500-1000 on a loco or kit just to justify running these coaches. Hope this helps you understand the logic behind the question. Back to the searching with my new keyword! Cheers, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2012 Suspect the only class of those you mentioned which pulled suburbans in a regular basis would be the class 26s when on the GN around about 1960. They didn't last all that long before they were replaced by 31s--I think Heljan are going to make one of these, and they were used for a long time on such work. Rarely, class 20s were used wen nothing else was available (they had no train heating, but in the early 1960s anything the would work - and class 20s certainly fitted the bill there - were used. The best source for info on King's Cross suburban workings is (IMHO) David Percival's "Kings Cross Lineside 1954-84", long out of print but it occasionally crops up secondhand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Thanks Nimbus. If only I could find a reasonably priced 31 I'd be sorted. I'll see if I can get away with a 26 in that case, there is at least 1 kit that modifies the Lima 33 to a 26 at a fair price and good detail. Cheers, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 There is a photo of a Warship heading one of these on its way to work the up Torbay Express but, for the time being and to my shame, I cannot remember in which book or magazine it may be found. Chris Found it - Trains Illustrated, May 1960, page 290. No date is given but I'd guess summer 1959. As D S Fish or his executors would not appreciate a breach of copyright I cannot post the image but you might like to know that it shows D807 Caradoc rounding Noss Curve hauling a long-underframe Mk 1 non-corridor second, a B set formed with two E147 brake composites and a non-corridor second of GW origin but I can't make out what type. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennine MC Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 pic of a 26 on the GN in 1959 http://www.flickr.co...157603653276211 (might be wrong, but i think only the pilot scheme batch D5300-19 were allocated here) Some later ones, D5330-35 (I think) were loaned to the GN for a short while. I think the Fin Park class 15s might also have worked suburban services on occasion. One significant use of non-gangwayed stock behind diesels was on Euston suburban and outer suburban services: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barkingbill/2133311351/in/set-72157603696416788 and also on Midland services to Moorgate, also with 24s. Other more isolated ones OTTOMH are 20s with Mk1 subs on the Heads of Ayr shuttle and the use of Hull - Brough commuter sets up the Scarborough line with 37s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Silly question - how many Mk1 Suburbans were built ? They seemed like a bit of an anathema to me........... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nth Degree Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Ian, thanks great info. Are those non-gangways behind that 24? I can't tell on my screen. Would I get shot if I pulled 3 maroon non-gangwayed coaches behind a two-tone green Hymek? Or 3 blue non-gangwayed coaches behind a blue 26/27? Thanks, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I think only the Kings Cross sets were painted blue? Then, they only ran behind Class 31s on Moorgate suburban peak time services. Most non-gangwayed stock was withdrawn very quickly when DMUs came on the scene in the late 1950s and early 1960s, so would have barely seen out the first few years of the 1960s, if that. Normally, the BR non-Gs were run as individual coaches with other, older stock. Only a few routes had whole trains of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karhedron Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Would I get shot if I pulled 3 maroon non-gangwayed coaches behind a two-tone green Hymek? Or 3 blue non-gangwayed coaches behind a blue 26/27? If in doubt, just apply Rule #1. Just my tuppence worth but I don't think some maroon suburbans would look wrong behind a Hymek. I didn't expect to see a Warship hauking suburban stock until Chris mentioned it. There is a probably a prototype for everything somewhere, even if it wasn't and everyday occurence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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