Southern Region Class 73 & 74 locos

[Richard Scott]

I was on a Portsmouth to north train, the previously mentioned 21 Aug 1982 one and they left Guildford on electric and as I was hanging out of the window watching I know they switched to diesel on the fly during the slow down at the site of the former junction between Wanborough and Ash. The other interesting observation was that pretty much all coaches seemed to be CK with 1st class downgraded by paper notices so a very interesting and comfortable trip.

Having thought about it remember having 73s on a tour on two occasions where all of a sudden the diesel engines would start then we would run on diesel power then back to third rail after a while. Sure one was a tour around Hounslow loop with 002 and 005 and another with two 73/2s around late 2000s. Will have to do some digging!

 

[randyrippley]

One working I never understood, and saw it several times was a late afternoon/early evening service out of Waterloo with a 73 on diesel leading a 4-TC and 4-VEP
Presumably it split somewhere, but why have the 73 on diesel?

 

[Tony73E]

You can do that, I believe but would take a while for diesels to run up as there's an autostart on them that runs a priming pump first and only starts the engine when a preset oil pressure is reached. If you had a willing second man send them into the engine room and manually prime, about 100 strokes of the handle should do it, engine will then start straight aw

One working I never understood, and saw it several times was a late afternoon/early evening service out of Waterloo with a 73 on diesel leading a 4-TC and 4-VEP
Presumably it split somewhere, but why have the 73 on diesel?

Wasn't this a 33/1 and not a 73? The train split at Basingstoke with the VEP's continuing towards Bournemouth whilst the 33/1 and TC toddled off to Salisbury.

 

[randyrippley]

Wasn't this a 33/1 and not a 73? The train split at Basingstoke with the VEP's continuing towards Bournemouth whilst the 33/1 and TC toddled off to Salisbury.

I've seen 33s doing it, but these were definitely 73s. Maybe they were short of 33/1 on the days I saw it|???