Historical Windsor and Reading services

[73128]

Older suburban trains didn't have toilets in the first place. The guard may have been referring to trains operated by Desiro (450/444) perhaps?

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Reading line trains always used to have toilets, whether 2BIL/2HAL, 4 COR, 4 VEP/4CIG and also 450s and 458s.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Reading line trains always used to have toilets, whether 2BIL/2HAL, 4 COR, 4 VEP/4CIG and also 450s and 458s.

Not “always.” Plenty of Windsor and Reading services formed of 455s over the years.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Not “always.” Plenty of Windsor and Reading services formed of 455s over the years.

And NOLs worked the Windsor line (not sure about Reading though).

 

[Goldfish62]

Not “always.” Plenty of Windsor and Reading services formed of 455s over the years.

Apart from a brief period in the late 90s when 455s operated evening and weekend services on the Reading line everything has been unscheduled due to 458s or 450s (or, latterly, 701s) being unavailable.

However, I realise that some Forum members probably think that open wagons with no seats are good enough to carry passengers.

 

[dodger]

And NOLs worked the Windsor line (not sure about Reading though).

I don't believe the NOL'S worked to Reading. The NOL's were replaced by NOP's which were later reclassified as EPB's.

Dodger

 

[Roylang]

I don't believe the NOL'S worked to Reading. The NOL's were replaced by NOP's which were later reclassified as EPB's.

Dodger

They certainly did, but normally formed with another type of unit, such as a 2BIL.

Roy

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Reading line trains always used to have toilets, whether 2BIL/2HAL, 4 COR, 4 VEP/4CIG and also 450s and 458s

One often makes an observation based on one's own experiences, which in my time was SUB's/EPB's on the inner suburban routes, followed by 508/455. The Reading road wasn't really considered a part of the inner suburban back then, but equally not a main line either!

The BIL'S (and HAL'S to a lesser degree) were of course used on outer sub routes (eg Reading's, Guildford via Ascot and or Woking) but also used on main line work (eg Pompey, Alton).

Dare I say it but the BIL's were the go to, all round unit of their day, as were the VEP's in my time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 17:08 ==

NOP's which were later reclassified as EPB's

Never heard that before. Is there any official source for that out of curiosity ?

 

[Roylang]

Never heard that before. Is there any official source for that out of curiosity ?

Says so on Wikipedia, so it must be true

I too have never heard it before and can’t see any other reference to it in any of my books.

Roy

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Says so on Wikipedia, so it must be true

Say no more....

 

[WAO]

The other feature of the "Windsor Lines" was their own part of Waterloo; platforms 16 - 21, in that part of the station predating the rebuild. It was somewhat separate because of a retaining wall and offices, I remember and had a more relaxed atmosphere than the scrum next door.

Unhappily all that was lost to the transient glories of Waterloo International, which lay deserted for years after the Eurostar move to some Midland station, north of the river. After years of being crammed into Platform 15, round the corner, we were allowed back in our old haunts but with the most lavish suburban line terminus imaginable!

WAO

 

[Gloster]

Says so on Wikipedia, so it must be true

I too have never heard it before and can’t see any other reference to it in any of my books.

Roy

Wikipedia says that it was the 1959 rebuilds, 2-EPB 5651-5684, that were initially NOP. However, there is nothing on the Bloodand custard site, which I would trust more. Maybe it was an early proposal or working classification that was altered while design work was still in course, or maybe it is just a load of ballcocks.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The other feature of the "Windsor Lines" was their own part of Waterloo; platforms 16 - 21

That was the new extension of 1884, and I agree, outside of the peaks it did seem tranquil compared to the main line platform area. It also had a lower roof, which added to the atmosphere. Here's a view I took from platform 17-18 island.