Abbey Flyer Line Traction

[03_179]

Hi all,

I know currently the Watford to St Albans line is operated by cl.319s. Previously it has be operated by 321s and 150s but can anyone tell me the what other tractions has operated along the line in the past on regular passenger trains?

Also I have read that the new West Midlands franchise are going to have new stock on the line ... any ideas what it will be ?

Thanks in advance,

 

[High Dyke]

Others may be better informed than me, but a trawl of the internet revealed an undated shot of a Cl.313, wearing Silverlink colours at St Albans Abbey; they were seemingly used between 1988 and 2007 AFAIK.

Also this from the Abbey Flyer Users Group, which shows a Cl.104 DMU in use. http://www.abfly.org.uk/history/

 

[A0]

Not sure it's had 150s on it? Assume you might mean 350s ?

I'm pretty sure 313s turned up on it after electrification. It might even have seen a 317 as they were working the WCML around the time of electrification.

Prior to electrification a motley collection of DMUs from, presumably, Bletchley depot? So Class 104, 105 and probably all sorts of others in between.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't think 350s have ever been used.

 

[03_179]

Thanks you all.

According to Wiki (not always accurate) 150s substituted.

Also there is this photo on the St Albans Abbey page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Al...tion#/media/File:S_Albans_Abbey_6_77479_1.jpg

I'm at work at the moment so some sites I cannot access

Thanks for the info ...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Doesn't surprise me - Silverlink had a few 150s which were used mainly on the Marston Vale and GOBLIN, but they did work occasional services elsewhere, including allegedly WCML services early on weekends.

 

[03_179]

I've subsequently found that Cravens units, class 104s and Park Royal/1957 DMUs all ran on the line.

I have written a piece on the line (not big but it's ok) for my blog (link below) that I will upload tomorrow morning.

 

[astock5000]

Class 313s were the usual units on the Abbey line until some point during the Silverlink era when it switched to 321s - though class 321s were used occasionally before then. Their 150s did turn up on the Abbey line once or twice, and 117s / 121s before that. WAGN 313s were also hired in at times, along with Great Eastern 321s.
I'm too young to remember any of the regular stock before the 313s, but I believe 317s were used briefly when the line was first electrified, before that it was 104s which took over from 105s. I also remember a clip on an old VHS of a 108 at Park Street but am unsure if they were ever commonly used on the line.

 

[87015]

They'll be loads if you look hard enough.

Pretty sure it had a dedicated (Bletchley) 122 at one time long ago.

It was also booked a Anglia 150/2 for a month or so during some engineering works.

NSE day was a 33+TC... Not sure if a Thumper worked another or that pleasure was reserved for Chesham.

 

[Wirewiper]

Doesn't surprise me - Silverlink had a few 150s which were used mainly on the Marston Vale and GOBLIN, but they did work occasional services elsewhere, including allegedly WCML services early on weekends.

Going off-topic now, but I do recall a class 150 in Silverlink days at Stratford on the North London Line, presumably substiuting for a class 313.

Early Sunday morning trains on the WCML were often worked by diesel units so that the power could be turned off to facilitate routine overhead line maintenance, and I believe the timings for these journeys were based on the performance ability of diesel units.

 

[Mikey C]

It's interesting given the struggles to get any electrification done these days, that a relatively unimportant single track line was electrified in the late 80s