Southern Thumper

[Doomotron]

On the Wikipedia article for Southern, it said that very rarely Southern used a Thumper as a supplement to their Turbostars when it was very busy. Is this actually true?

 

[bramling]

On the Wikipedia article for Southern, it said that very rarely Southern used a Thumper as a supplement to their Turbostars when it was very busy. Is this actually true?

Not really. In the very early days of the Turbostars the preserved unit 1001 occasionally worked the Ashford to Hastings line, but this was more down to teething reliability issues with the new trains I think. Hasn’t happened since AFAIK.

 

[yorksrob]

HDL's preserved thumper definitely deputised for turbostars on the Marshlink when they were short of them due to reliability.

It did so for the other Thumpers for similar reasons towards the end of their service.

Plenty of info on HDL's website about those diagrams.

 

[hexagon789]

On the Wikipedia article for Southern, it said that very rarely Southern used a Thumper as a supplement to their Turbostars when it was very busy. Is this actually true?

Only instead of a Turbostar due to teething issues rather than for supplementary workings afaik. The Thumpers (not the preserved one), did the Marshlink and Oxted lines until withdrawal when the 171s had settled down somewhat.

 

[sussexbythesea]

https://www.hastingsdiesels.co.uk/ashford/

Well worth a read

 

[bramling]

HDL's preserved thumper definitely deputised for turbostars on the Marshlink when they were short of them due to reliability.

It did so for the other Thumpers for similar reasons towards the end of their service.

Plenty of info on HDL's website about those diagrams.

I remember a rather nice day in the dying days of slam-door stock, taking the bike by train from Lewes to Appledore, then riding down to the disused stations at Lydd and Dungeness, and back to Appledore to be greeted by 1001 appearing. Rode that to Ashford then back to Hastings followed by a full round trip back to Ashford and back, and overjoyed to see 2x CIG appear out of the darkness for the journey back to Lewes. This was quite lucky as at that time it was reaching to the point where doing the whole journey on old trains was proving difficult. This must have been around the time in question - 2004-2005. 1001’s performance was rather good with three trailer cars missing!

 

[yorksrob]

I remember a rather nice day in the dying days of slam-door stock, taking the bike by train from Lewes to Appledore, then riding down to the disused stations at Lydd and Dungeness, and back to Appledore to be greeted by 1001 appearing. Rode that to Ashford then back to Hastings followed by a full round trip back to Ashford and back, and overjoyed to see 2x CIG appear out of the darkness for the journey back to Lewes. This was quite lucky as at that time it was reaching to the point where doing the whole journey on old trains was proving difficult. This must have been around the time in question - 2004-2005. 1001’s performance was rather good with three trailer cars missing!

I'm definitely envious.

I remember at the same time getting a CIG (phase 1) from Hastings to Brighton, but all the trains back seemed to be Electrostars.

 

[L. B. & SNCB]

Here's my pic from 2004 with both: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnn...ist-57vqRA-57vqA5-57vqC1-byuRTj-57vqGj-byuRpq

 

[yorksrob]

Here's my pic from 2004 with both: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnn...ist-57vqRA-57vqA5-57vqC1-byuRTj-57vqGj-byuRpq

I know which one I prefer