lyBR British Rail Crimson & Cream Crimson
and Cream Crimson Cream Blood & Custard Blood Custard Blood and Custard BR
British Rail Crimson & Cream Crimson and Cream Crimson Cream Blood &
Custard Blood Custard Blood and Custard BR British Rail Crimson & Cream
Crimson and Cream Crimson Cream Blood & Custard Blood Custard Blood and
Custard
Southern Railway
2 Car Motor Units
(2
SL & 2 WIM)
|
With
its wider headcode stencil, MBT 8728 leads Southern Railway 2 Car Motor Unit
no.1806 (2 SL) into Victoria with a South London Line service from
London Bridge. Photographed in 1952, noticeable
are the depressed roofs over each cab (where the ‘AC’ bow collectors were
situated) along with the distinctive underframe trussing. |
South
London Line
(2 SL units)
In
summation the mainstay for DC electric suburban services was provided by the 3
Car Motor Units. Initially this was for the LSWR 1915 electrification (London & South Western
Railway) then subsequently the Southern
Electric (following
the formation of the Southern Railway from 1st January 1923).
Following the conversion of the South
London Line to DC operation from 17th June 1928, the line was
then worked by single 3 Car Motor Units throughout the day albeit in excess of the capacity needed on this line. As a consequence, the displaced AC vehicles were stripped of
their electrical equipment at Peckham Rye and converted there to DC operation.
Conversion of AC stock
This line had latterly been operated by 2-car
units using sixteen motorcoaches (from the original 1909 electrification) and
fourteen driving trailers (converted from steam stock in 1912), these units
being loose coupled and not formed in permanent units.
Eight vehicles were converted as Motor
Brake Thirds (MBT) and eight as Driving Trailer Brake Composites (DTBC). Both
vehicles had redesigned cab ends to the usual SR style with a central route
indicator fitted, the depressed roof area remained above the cab and van area
where the former AC bow collectors had been, giving these units a distinctive
appearance as the roof dome was much flatter than normal.
During conversion the vehicles were
completely re-equipped with standard SR electrical gear as being fitted to
contemporary 3 Car Motor Units. New ‘Central’ type 8' 9" wheelbase
motor bogies constructed at Ashford were provided with two 275hp MV 339 motors
and Metrovick electrical equipment.
The non-driving (inner) end bogies became
trailer bogies; these being replaced with standard LBSCR-pattern ones (some being surplus
having been displaced by motor bogies on ex. LBSCR stock converted to
motor coaches in 3 Car Motor Units). On the Driving Trailer Composite shoegear
was fitted on the trailing bogie below the driver's cab.
Bogie centres were at 41' 0"
inset 9' 6" from the vehicle ends. Screw couplings and side buffers
were retained both at cab ends and within the unit.
The underframes were all-steel with
plate side girder trusses which were quite distinctive and similar frames were
later used for the motorcoaches of the Crystal Palace (CP) stock. All four
axles were motored with 115hp Winter Eichberg motors,
bogies having an 8' wheelbase and were set at 41' centres. As ‘AC’ stock these cars had the LBSCR diagram
number 280, amended to 677 by the SR.
The bodies were of aluminium sheeting fixed to a wooden framing with side doors to
each seating bay. There was a small rectangular window above each of the Ľ
light windows and ventilator louvres above the door droplights, and panelling was square edged. There were no partitions between
this corridor and the compartments and the transverse partitions between
compartments only reached the top of the Ľ lights and were surmounted by wire
mesh luggage racks, each of which served two adjacent compartments and at the
corridor end were joined to ornate curving metal brackets above the corridor.
The seating in each compartment was
initially regarded as four aside giving a total of sixty-six third (the full
width seats at each end seating five across). However, this was amended when
the units were reformed as two cars and each seat was regarded as seating one
extra, raising the overall capacity to eighty-two. Advertisement frames were located in the space between the seat back tops and the
luggage racks, and compartments were 6' 0" wide between partitions.
These units retained the unusual small
rectangular windows above the Ľ lights, though in later years some of the were panelled over, giving the units a ragged appearance. However,
many of the elaborate internal fittings remained throughout their lives.
Units seated sixteen first-class and one-hundred & thirty-four third-class and were
127' 2" long. Overall total unit weight was 78Ľ tons comprising
Motor Brake Third (44 tons 16cwt) and the Driving Trailer Brake Composite (33 tons
9cwt).
|
Interior of a 2 SL Motorcoach |
Motor Brake Third
(Diag. no.681)
The sixteen motorcoaches were the
vehicles involved in this conversion which was authorised to order number
H.O. 372 which also included the trailer cars of units nos.1754-1756,
these being the authorised stock for the
Wimbledon ‑ West Croydon electrification.
These sixteen vehicles had been
delivered during 1909 as Motor Brake Thirds numbered 3201 /3203 /3204 /3206
/3207 /3209 /3210 /3212 /3213 /3215 /3216 /3218 /3219 /3221 /3222 /3224, this
odd sequence taking account that the Trailer First formed in the centre of each 3-car unit were numbered in the same series.
The SR renumbered these cars as 8601 ‑ 8616.
The motorcoaches were 60' 6"
over bodies, 63' 8" over buffers and were 9' wide at waist rail,
9' 6" over stepboards, this width
restricting their route availability quite seriously. They weighed just under
54 tons and were built by the Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage
& Wagon Co. Ltd. of Saltley, Birmingham.
Internally they consisted of a guard's
and luggage area with one corner partitioned off for the driver. A full width
bulkhead divided this area from the remainder of the coach which had eight
compartments each 6' wide. A side corridor ran along the offside (when this coach
leading in direction of travel) of the first five compartments, changing sides
at the fifth one and running along the nearside of the remaining four
compartments.
Given the diagram number 681, the Motor
Brake Third cars had the guard's position moved back into what had been the
first passenger compartment leaving a large van area, 7' 10" long and
a full width driver's cab was fitted 9' 7" deep with an inwards
opening door for access. The van double doors were set further back. The
remaining seven compartments still retained the odd layout with a corridor
along the offside (when cab leading) of the first four, changing to the
nearside in the fourth for the remaining four.
Each compartment seated five aside and
the bench seats at each end six, now giving a total of seventy-two third-class,
there was a swing door across the corridor at the partition of the third
compartment away from the brakevan before the
corridor changed sides. Smoking was allowed in the four compartments at the
inner end of the coach.
Driving Trailer Brake Composite
(Diag. no.793)
Vehicles converted to Driving Trailer
Brake Composites retained the original van arrangement at the unit end this
being 11' 5Ľ" deep, the driver’s cab remained partitioned off in the
corner of this area with access from the rear via the van, which still retained
its double doors, these being much closer to the vehicle end than on the Motor
Brake Thirds. However, there was a droplight window each side for the driver to
use.
Two of the compartments (at the inner
end of the coach) had full width partitions installed and were first-class
seating sixteen, the remaining six third-class still retaining the side
corridor arrangement, this being (when this coach leading) along the offside of
the first four, then changing sides in the fifth to the nearside of the next
two. There was again a swing door across the corridor at the partition of the
fourth compartment. These compartments again seated five aside giving a total
of sixty‑two third. This car was allocated diagram number 793.
Smoking was permitted in the four compartments
at the van end of the coach and also in the innermost
first-class compartment.
Unit Numbering
They were numbered as units nos.1901-1908
and the coaches were again renumbered into the DC number series, once again not
in order. All the units were renumbered in April 1934 as units nos.1801-1808.
In Service
The units returned to the South London
Line from 4th May 1929, operating singly in slack hours
and in pairs during the peak hours. They were still subject to tight route
restrictions and could only operate on their home route and from Peckham Rye
via Tulse Hill and Streatham
to Selhurst depot for access to the maintenance depot there (where they were
based).
They were also allowed to run on the
Wimbledon to West Croydon line, where further similar sets were converted from
the former displaced South London Line trailer firsts in 1930 to run this
service.
Wartime & Postwar Decline
When all suburban units were downgraded
to third-class only from October 1941, these units then seated one-hundred & fifty-eight once the seating in the former
firsts was altered to six aside. They were also repainted into the lighter
‘malachite’ green livery during overhauls from about this time.
One unit was destroyed during the war
but the remaining seven continued in traffic into the BR era, one being
withdrawn in 1951, and the remainder during 1954 when they were replaced by new
BR type 2 EPB units. At times of shortage, they were sometimes substituted
by 2 NOL units.
There was pressure from the motormen for
early replacement of these units on the South London line owing to the high cab
temperatures in hot weather caused by the equipment in the cabs running at a
high temperature as a result of the close station
spacing on this route.
These units were therefore priority to
be replaced when the new BR type 2 EPB units were delivered. They were all
scrapped shortly after withdrawal at ‘Longhedge’, (possibly Newhaven) though unit no.1802
withdrawn in July 1951 was dealt with by ‘London Bridge’ (though the exact
location is unknown).
Where two dates are shown in the
‘Scrapped’ column, the first is the MBT and the second the DTBC.
Unit formations were as follows:
Dates units commenced service shown
below unit number.
|
Unit |
New No. |
Date |
MBT |
DTBC |
Withdrawn |
Scrapped |
|
Diag. No. |
|
|
681 |
793 |
|
|
|
1901 |
1801 |
4-May-29 |
8723 |
9751 |
6-Nov-54 |
29-Jan-55#1 |
|
1902 |
1802 |
27-Apr-29 |
8724 |
9752 |
16-Jun-51 |
28-Jul-51 |
|
1903 |
1803 |
27-Apr-29 |
8725 |
9753 |
16-Oct-54 |
4-Dec-54 |
|
1904 |
1804 |
27-Apr-29 |
8726 |
9754 |
16-Oct-54 |
4-Dec-54 |
|
1905 |
1805 |
4-May-29 |
8727 |
9755 |
6-Nov-54 |
22-Jan-55#1 |
|
1906 |
1806 |
4-May-29 |
8728 |
9756 |
16-Oct-54 |
11-Dec-54 |
|
1907 |
1807 |
4-May-29 |
8729 |
9757 |
Mar-45 |
See notes |
|
1908 |
1808 |
27-Apr-29 |
8730 |
9758 |
16-Oct-54 |
11-Dec-54 |
|
Notes |
|
|
|
|
#1 |
Newhaven |
Individual Unit Notes
(Nos.1801-1808)
|
Unit |
|
|
1801 |
|
|
1802 |
Unit damaged by fire
following enemy action at Peckham Rye 9‑Sep‑40 but repaired. |
|
1803 |
|
|
1804 |
|
|
1805 |
|
|
1806 |
|
|
1807 |
Unit withdrawn Mar‑45
following enemy action damage, (location unknown, possibly Peckham Rye
Depot 6‑Jan‑45). Bodies broken-up at Selhurst w/e 17‑Mar‑45
and underframes cut-up there w/e 5‑May‑45. |
|
1808 |
|
Origin of Conversions
The origin of the cars used
in the 2 SL units is shown below:
|
LBSCR No. |
New date |
Builder |
SR ‘AC’ |
Date |
SR ‘DC’ |
Unit |
Diag. |
|
Motor Brake Third |
|||||||
|
3206 |
1909 |
MCW |
8604 |
May-29 |
8723 |
1901 |
681 |
|
3209 |
1909 |
MCW |
8606 |
Apr-29 |
8724 |
1902 |
681 |
|
3212 |
1909 |
MCW |
8608 |
Apr-29 |
8725 |
1903 |
681 |
|
3215 |
1909 |
MCW |
8610 |
Apr-29 |
8726 |
1904 |
681 |
|
3219 |
1909 |
MCW |
8613 |
May-29 |
8727 |
1905 |
681 |
|
3221 |
1909 |
MCW |
8614 |
May-29 |
8728 |
1906 |
681 |
|
3222 |
1909 |
MCW |
8615 |
May-29 |
8729 |
1907 |
681 |
|
3224 |
1909 |
MCW |
8616 |
Apr-29 |
8730 |
1908 |
681 |
|
Driving Trailer Brake Composite |
|||||||
|
3201 |
1909 |
MCW |
8601 |
May-29 |
9751 |
1901 |
793 |
|
3203 |
1909 |
MCW |
8602 |
Apr-29 |
9752 |
1902 |
793 |
|
3207 |
1909 |
MCW |
8605 |
Apr-29 |
9753 |
1903 |
793 |
|
3210 |
1909 |
MCW |
8607 |
Apr-29 |
9754 |
1904 |
793 |
|
3213 |
1909 |
MCW |
8609 |
May-29 |
9755 |
1905 |
793 |
|
3216 |
1909 |
MCW |
8611 |
May-29 |
9756 |
1906 |
793 |
|
3218 |
1909 |
MCW |
8612 |
May-29 |
9757 |
1907 |
793 |
|
3204 |
1909 |
MCW |
- |
Apr-29 |
9758 |
1908 |
793 |
|
Note |
Units carried numbers in
the 18xx series for the majority of their lives
after renumbering in April 1934. |
||||||
|
With
its wider headcode stencil, DTBT 9953 leads Southern Railway 2 Car Motor Unit
no.1811 (2 WIM) awaiting departure to West Croydon from Wimbledon’s plat. 9. The
DTBT had no cabside doors (motorman access being
through the brake) whereas the MBC (now MBT) had cab doors. Like the 2 SL
units, note the ragged appearance with some top-lights plated-over and the distinctive
underframe trussing. |
Wimbledon ‑
West Croydon
(2 WIM units)
The 6˝ mile mainly single-track
Wimbledon to West Croydon line was electrified during 1930 and passenger
services commenced from 6th July 1930. 3 Car Motor Units nos.1754-1756
were the officially authorised rolling stock booked to
this scheme, their trailers being part of H.O. 372 (along with the
vehicles for the South London Line units) and the motorcoaches were to order
number H.O. 396 but these units actually went
into the general suburban 3 Car Motor Unit fleet.
Conversion of AC Stock
The vehicles actually
converted for use on this line came from the eight former AC South
London Line units, being the original Trailer Firsts delivered during 1909 for
the inauguration of AC electric service on the LBSCR.
Like the ‘AC’ motorcoaches, these
vehicles were built to an overall width of 9' 6" and were
60' 6" long over bodywork (63' 8" over buffers), which
restricted their route availability over many Southern routes, and they weighed
30 tons.
As delivered, the ‘SL’ stock was soon
found to have far too much first‑class accommodation, these vehicles
seating fifty-six first-class in nine 6' 6" wide compartments, each
compartment seating six. Again, these vehicles had the unusual side corridor
arrangement, with the corridor changing sides at the middle compartment. The
seats at each end of the vehicle seated four‑aside.
These vehicles were removed from the
‘SL’ units in 1912 and stored until 1913 when they were converted for use as
steam hauled stock between London and Brighton /Worthing, the centremost compartment being converted to lavatories and steam
heaters fitted.
Their original LBSCR numbers were 3202 /3205 /3208 /3211
/3214 /3217 /3220 /3223 as the numbers ran in sequence with the motorcoaches of
the ‘SL’ units. They were renumbered by the LBSCR to 167-174 whilst in
loco-hauled operation and the SR renumbered them again as 7644-7651 in their
original order. Their LBSCR diagram numbers whilst running as steam hauled
stock was 65, becoming SR number 524.
These vehicles were taken
out of traffic in 1929 and sent to Lancing for conversion in June 1930 into
four 2 Coach Motor Units for the Wimbledon ‑ West Croydon line.
These conversions were authorised to order number
H.O. 530. They were mounted onto new ‘Central’ type motor bogies with MV
339 275hp motors and standard MV electrical equipment, the trailing bogies also
being changed to the type used under ex. LBSCR stock converted to Three Car
Motor Units. The toilets at the centre of the vehicles were
removed and electric heating installed.
Four vehicles were converted
to Motor Brake Composites (MBC), vehicles 7644 /7647 /7649 /7651, whilst the
remaining four became Driving Trailer Brake Thirds (DTBT), vehicles 7645 /7646 /7648
/7650. The non‑standard length underframes with their distinctive plate
girder side frames were retained and the units remained loose coupled. Overall
unit weight was 76 tons, they were 127' 2" long and seated
twelve first and one-hundred &
twelve third. Originally numbered 1909-1912, this was altered to 1809-1812
from April 1934.
The units still retained the
small rectangular windows above the Ľ lights and the square edged panelling beading with which they were built, though a number
of these small windows were later over
panelled
with metal, giving the units an uneven bodyside appearance. There was access
from both guard's compartments to the side corridor in that coach, allowing the
collection of fares en route.
Motor Brake Composite
(Diag. no.696)
The Motor Brake Composite
bodies had three compartments at one end replaced by a cab and van area, access
to the cab being via an inwards opening side door, the van double doors being
set further back. The cab was 9' 7" deep followed by the guard's
compartment 10' 9ľ" wide.
The two compartments behind
this remained as first class, the second one being where the side corridor once
again changed sides, the remaining four compartments now being downgraded to
third-class with the corridor along the nearside (when this car leading). First
class compartments seated three‑aside, thirds five‑aside with a six‑aside
seat at the inner end, giving the coach a total of twelve first-class and forty-one third-class.
Smoking was permitted in the
first-class compartment adjacent to the guard's van and also
in all four third compartments. These coaches now weighed 44 tons and were
to diagram number 696. The corridor had swing doors by the partitions of both
the first-class compartments.
Driving Trailer Brake Third
(Diag. no.794)
The Driving Trailer Brake Third bodies
had two compartments at one end replaced by a cab and luggage compartment
13' 10˝" wide. There was no side access door to the cab, only a
droplight window each side, access being gained via the double doors of the
luggage compartment, which were set closer to the vehicle end than that of the
Motor Brake Composite. The remainder of the coach was unchanged, the seven
compartments all now being downgraded to third-class and seating seventy-one
third.
The side corridor now swapped sides at
the third compartment behind the van space, being to the offside (when cab
leading) at the outer end of the coach. One swing door was
located in the corridor at the partition where it crossed to the
nearside (when cab leading).
The four compartments at the inner end
of the coach were smoking. Shoegear was fitted on the bogie below the cab.
These coaches now weighed 32 tons and were to diagram 794.
In Service
When delivered early in
1930, the units were ‘run-in’ on the South London Line. The units were based at Selhurst depot for maintenance, two
being required to operate the off peak ˝ hourly service, a third during the
peaks when the service ran every 20 minutes.
Due to their dimensions,
they were restricted to this route and also allowed to
operate on the South London Line, the 2 WIM and 2 SL units both being
used on occasions on the ‘wrong’ route.
Wartime & Post-war Decline
The units were downgraded to all‑third
in October 1941, the MBT then seating fifty-seven and giving a revised unit
total of one-hundred & thirty-two third-class.
Like the 2 SL units, these units
survived in traffic into the BR era, all being withdrawn during 1954 when
replaced by new BR type 2 EPB units, all then being scrapped at Longhedge? (probably
Newhaven) shortly afterwards, though unit no.1809 was sent to Lancing works,
being hauled down the Brighton line 1st March 1954, though its MBC
was scrapped at Newhaven
Unit Formations
Unit formations were as follows, where
two dates are shown in the ‘Scrapped’ column, the first is that of the MBC and
the second that of the DTBT.
Dates units commenced service shown
below unit number.
|
Unit |
New No. |
MBC |
DTBT |
Withdrawn |
Scrapped |
|
Diag. No. |
|
696 |
794 |
|
|
|
1909 |
1809 |
9818 |
9951 |
22-Jan-54 |
23-Jul-55#1 |
|
1910 |
1810 |
9819 |
9952 |
6-Nov-54 |
22-Jan-55#1 |
|
1911 |
1811 |
9820 |
9953 |
6-Nov-54 |
29-Jan-55#1 |
|
1912 |
1812 |
9821 |
9954 |
14-Aug-54 |
27-Nov-54 |
|
Notes |
|
|
|
#1 |
Newhaven |
Individual Unit Notes
(Nos.1809-1810)
|
Unit |
|
|
1809 |
Withdrawn
and sent
to Lancing works 1-Mar-54. |
|
1810 |
|
|
1811 |
|
|
1812 |
|
Origin of Conversions
The origin of the coaches
used in the 2 WIM units is shown below.
|
LBSCR No. |
New date |
Builder |
LBSCR |
SR |
Date conv. |
‘DC’ |
Unit |
Diag. |
|
Motor Brake Composite |
||||||||
|
3223 |
1909 |
MCW |
174 |
7651 |
Jun-30 |
9818 |
1909 |
696 |
|
3202 |
1909 |
MCW |
167 |
7644 |
Jun-30 |
9819 |
1910 |
696 |
|
3217 |
1909 |
MCW |
172 |
7649 |
Jun-30 |
9820 |
1911 |
696 |
|
3211 |
1909 |
MCW |
170 |
7647 |
Jun-30 |
9821 |
1912 |
696 |
|
Driving Trailer Brake Third |
||||||||
|
3205 |
1909 |
MCW |
168 |
7645 |
Jun-30 |
9951 |
1909 |
794 |
|
3208 |
1909 |
MCW |
169 |
7646 |
Jun-30 |
9952 |
1910 |
794 |
|
3214 |
1909 |
MCW |
171 |
7648 |
Jun-30 |
9953 |
1911 |
794 |
|
3220 |
1909 |
MCW |
173 |
7650 |
Jun-30 |
9954 |
1912 |
794 |
|
Note |
Units carried numbers in
the 18xx series for the majority of their lives
after renumbering in April 1934. |
|||||||
|
Thanks go to research author John Atkinson,
webpage author, editorial and additional information from C.Watts, contributions from Glen Woods along with
the many photographers listed below their images. |
ALL TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHS
ARE COPYRIGHT
