Thumpers

[4SRKT]

As for Thumpers on the Western region...None from what i can remember have done such a thing, but they had been known to deputise from time to time on the waterloo to exeters...

And possibly Portsmouth-Bristol?

 

[yorksrob]

I've never been on one on that route but apparently they did indeed do some Portsmouth -Bristol runs.

 

[4SRKT]

I've never been on one on that route but apparently they did indeed do some Portsmouth -Bristol runs.

Sounds good, but give me a 33 any day!

 

[theblackwatch]

Sounds good, but give me a 33 any day!

I once had a 45/1 on a Cardiff-Portsmouth!

 

[yorksrob]

If I'd been travelling on a Thumper all the way I think I'd make sure I was on the carriage with the loo

 

[4SRKT]

I once had a 45/1 on a Cardiff-Portsmouth!

Bowled! :cry:

 

[theblackwatch]

Bowled! :cry:

Indeed, 45107 it was, common on the Pennines. I go 250 miles and there it is again!

 

[4SRKT]

Indeed, 45107 it was, common on the Pennines. I go 250 miles and there it is again!

What a choker. Portsmouth-Cardiff was a very special line for me. I don't know what I'd have done if a flamin' peak had turned up after making all the effort to get down there. Broken down in tears I wouldn't wonder.

OTOH I suppose any Hampshire-based bashers were delighted.

 

[D6975]

Thumpers regularly turned up at Bristol on extras from Salisbury when a Pompey was late. Once a 9 car rake came up on a regular service on a Saturday and worked through to Cardiff and back.
In later years there was a regular Soton-TM return working that was booked a thumper - used to go back from TM about 10.30.
I used to travel on them when bashing 33s on the Pompeys, doing one back to Salisbury meant I had time to get the fish and chips in before picking up a Crompton back to Bristol.
I then had many miles in NIRs thumpers. 80 class were great to travel in, Mk2 coaches with windows that open and the thumper soundtrack.

 

[Oracle]

I have been on a Southampton-Salisbury-Westbury thumper that ran to Bristol TM. They seem to have interspersed with WR DMMUs. However, did they do Portsmouth-Bristols? Or just Portsmouth-Salisbury?

 

[D6975]

There was a brief period back sometime in the 70s when Bristol-Pompeys were a mix of DMUs and thumpers. It didn't last long though and loco hauleds were reinstated on the route, 31s then 33s.

 

[Oracle]

This would be 1974 I reckon that I went that way..possibly 1977. The view from the DMMU via the Fareham route was impressive...lots of water!

 

[Surreytraveller]

Originally they were nick-named "Hampshire"
and "Oxted" units before having the third coach added I think not to sure though?

Not nicknames - more official designations - '3H' for the Hampshires, and '2D' for the Oxteds.

 

[royaloak]

did they do Portsmouth-Bristols?

Yes they worked through to Bristol regularly in the late 70s.