Temporary EMU Formations
There are some souls who think Southern EMUs either look or indeed are all the same, but these people could not be more wrong! In addition to there being something of the order of 18 different classes of EMUs currently on former Southern Region rails many classes have sub-classes which exhibit detail differences. Refurbishments, collision repairs and routine maintenance also serve to introduce differences. In fact keeping track of all the variations is a hobby in itself. At times of a class refurbishment and during transitions from an old fleet to new stock temporary formations can be put together to keep sufficient units in service. The two photographs below illustrate two temporary unit formations from the 1980s. |
 |
| Whilst the central section's fleet of 4 Beps was being
refurbished the number of catering units was maintained by inserting an
un-refurbished Bep buffet car into a refurbished 3 car Cep formation. The
buffet car is third from the rear on the above picture level with the cab of
the 4 Big unit. The first 4 Tep was formed August/September 1983 and all were
returned to their conventional 4 Cep consist by April 1986. In the photograph above by David Smith 4 Tep 2704 is seen on 6 June 1984 travelling south towards Gatwick Airport. The 4 Big unit 7033 is on a Victoria-bound service from Brighton. |
 |
| In true Southern tradition construction of the new class 442 (5 Wes) units for Waterloo to Weymouth services
utilised non life-expired equipment from older units, in this case the traction
motors and control equipment off the 4 Rep units which had been providing the
fast services to Bournemouth from 1966. This of course necessitated the
withdrawal of 4 Rep units before the new units could be introduced.
Throughout this time there were some interesting temporary formations including
substitution by a class 73 EDL for one of a 4 Rep's driving motor saloon
seconds. Removal of both of a 4 Rep's DMSOs would have amounted to
withdrawal of a catering unit, so temporary 4 Tcb units were formed by
replacing the trailer composite corridor car from a 4 Tc with a Rep buffet. The above photograph by David Smith taken at Clapham Junction on 4 March 1987 shows 4 Tcb unit 2801. |
 |
6 Rep 1904 photographed at Bournemouth depot.
photograph by Paul Febrache |
| The former driving cab of a Rep car now positioned in the
middle of 1904.
photograph by Paul Febrache |
 |
 |
6 Rep 1904 after being stripped down at Bournemouth.
photograph by Paul Febrache |
All photographs are copyright
return to picture gallery page
This page was last updated 9 March 2003
