Waterloo to Reading EMUs

[Carps1000]

Anyone have any idea of the traction/EMU classes used on the Waterloo=Reading line when it was first electrified?? I think I can remember CEPS but it might have only been a fluke I saw one at bracknell when I did

 

[NSEFAN]

Waterloo-Reading has been electrified for years, since before WW2. CEPs weren't built until the 1950s, with CIGs and VEPs coming along in the 1960s.

EDIT: It seems that 2-BIL units were built for the Reading line in the late 30s.

 

[yorksrob]

I've a feeling they built a new batch of 2BIL's for that route when electrified.

 

[Monty]

Waterloo - Reading line was electrified in 1938 and electric services commenced on the 1st of January 1939. There was once quite a variety of rolling stock found in use on the Reading line. But if you look at this Wikipedia page it states that in 1939 a batch of 2 HALs were built for for the Reading line and since this date corresponds with the date of electrification of the line it leads me to think this is the stock the line started it's electric services with. That said I've seen images of BILs, NOLs and SUBs on the Waterloo - Reading line before the introduction of Mk1 based EMUs.

'Branch Lines Around Ascot' by the Middleton Press is a good place to start if you want to find out more history of the line, hope this helps

 

[Bald Rick]

According to the excellent "Southern Electric" by John Glover, the line was opened on 1/1/39 (as said above) being part of a the much wider outer suburban electrification of Surbiton - Portsmouth, Woking - Alton, Dorking/Three Bridges - Havant, Ascot - Guildford via Aldershot, Gravesend/Swanley - Gillingham, plus various branches. All manner of stock was constructed for this (4COR and 4RES for Portsmouth, 4BUF, 2HAL for Maidstone and Gillingahm) but for the Reading line a 'further build of 2-BIL units was produced'.

The book is highly recommended.

 

[pbaran]

Also does anybody know what kind of steam locomotives and carriages were used on the Waterloo-Reading line immediately before electrification?

 

[Monty]

Also does anybody know what kind of steam locomotives and carriages were used on the Waterloo-Reading line immediately before electrification?

LSWR M7 0-4-4Ts were common place on passenger turns prior to electrification of the route, as for coaching stock. I imagine trains would have been made up from older LSWR non-corridor stock rather than newer SR built coaches.

 

[Bedpan]

My recollection is that BILs and HALs used to run together-at least of the Portsmouth/Alton route, so that the likelihood was that a 4 car train would comprise one of each. I'd be interested to know if BILs always went to Portsmouth and HALs to Alton, or vice versa, but I don't think that this was the case, as I'm pretty sure that the Reading route was much the same in terms of a BIL with a HAL.

 

[30907]

According to David Brown's definitive history, HALs appeared out of Waterloo during WW2 to supplement the BILs (military traffic being massive!).

Personally I always associate the Reading line with BILs until the 4CORs appeared around 1970.

After that it was basically VEPs until the end of the EPB era when stock began to get mixed up and I think CIGs were drafted in for the upmarket clientele.

 

[Beebman]

I used the Reading-Waterloo line most weekdays when I was at college in Richmond between 1980 and 1983. Although 4-VEPs were more common than 4-CIGs the latter did appear very regularly and there would often be mixed VEP/CIG 8-car formations. There was also a morning peak-hour 8-car diagram I regularly used which was a 4-VEP with 2 x 2-HAPs.

During the period when 4-CEPs from the South Eastern Division were being refurbished at Swindon, both refurbished and unrefurbished examples would layover at Clapham Junction during their journeys to and from the works. On occasions a unit would be 'borrowed' by the South Western to cover stock shortages and I did once travel on an unrefurbished one from Reading to Richmond.

I also once travelled off-peak from Reading to Richmond on an SR-type 4-EPB which was obviously covering for a more normal VEP or CIG.

Finally I remember one very snowy day (I think in Feburary 1982) when my usual train home from Richmond was cancelled. The following Reading train didn't stop there so I took a Windsor train to Staines to try to get it there but it too was cancelled. Imagine my surprise when suddenly a 4 x 2-EPB (BR-type) formation appeared from the sidings announced as being all stations to Reading, nice and empty the train was too, with plenty of fireworks from the shoes on the climb from Virginia Water!

 

[David Goddard]

Waterloo - Reading line was electrified in 1938 and electric services commenced on the 1st of January 1939.

From what my late Uncle told me, journey times were much quicker then too.
Trains to Ascot made much fewer stops, as opposed to the ten calls they make these days.

From electrification for quite some time, Reading services also used to detach a portion at Ascot for Aldershot.

 

[yorksrob]

I used the Reading-Waterloo line most weekdays when I was at college in Richmond between 1980 and 1983. Although 4-VEPs were more common than 4-CIGs the latter did appear very regularly and there would often be mixed VEP/CIG 8-car formations. There was also a morning peak-hour 8-car diagram I regularly used which was a 4-VEP with 2 x 2-HAPs.

During the period when 4-CEPs from the South Eastern Division were being refurbished at Swindon, both refurbished and unrefurbished examples would layover at Clapham Junction during their journeys to and from the works. On occasions a unit would be 'borrowed' by the South Western to cover stock shortages and I did once travel on an unrefurbished one from Reading to Richmond.

I also once travelled off-peak from Reading to Richmond on an SR-type 4-EPB which was obviously covering for a more normal VEP or CIG.

Finally I remember one very snowy day (I think in Feburary 1982) when my usual train home from Richmond was cancelled. The following Reading train didn't stop there so I took a Windsor train to Staines to try to get it there but it too was cancelled. Imagine my surprise when suddenly a 4 x 2-EPB (BR-type) formation appeared from the sidings announced as being all stations to Reading, nice and empty the train was too, with plenty of fireworks from the shoes on the climb from Virginia Water!

The Southern Regions reluctance to put EPB's on the Reading Route (quite understandable, given the lack of toilets) makes the policy of putting 455's on the line during the last years of the slammers, even more inexplicable.

 

[3141]

Waterloo - Reading line was electrified in 1938 and electric services commenced on the 1st of January 1939.

From electrification for quite some time, Reading services also used to detach a portion at Ascot for Aldershot.

Still the case during 1966 -69, when I travelled fairly regularly between London and Camberley.

I think there were both BILs and HALs on the line at that time. The basis of this recollection is that if a person wanted to help himself to a copy of the Southern Region network map, which in some cases might still be a Southern Railway map, there was sufficient time between Camberley and Bagshot to do it, but he would have to be in a non-corridor compartment in order not to be observed. (Memory loss means I cannot recall how I learned about this.)

 

[Bedpan]

Ah yes, I remember now, the BILs had side corridors in both coaches but the HALs only had a corridor in one coach. (I think that is right)!

I remember there were three frames on each end wall of the compartments and these had maps, mirrors and adverts (assume they were just railway ads rather than commercial ones), and that often the frames were empty, but in those days I was too young and innocent to suspect that this might have been because somebody/some people was/were nicking them!

 

[3141]

Ah yes, I remember now, the BILs had side corridors in both coaches but the HALs only had a corridor in one coach. (I think that is right)!

Yes: BILav and HAlf Lav. (You couldn't make it up!)

I remember there were three frames on each end wall of the compartments and these had maps, mirrors and adverts (assume they were just railway ads rather than commercial ones), and that often the frames were empty, but in those days I was too young and innocent to suspect that this might have been because somebody/some people was/were nicking them!

The "adverts" were often pictures of places served by the railway or region. But 4 SUBs at least frequently had adverts for Hovis.

I hope no-one asks you what you got up to once you ceased to be young and innocent!

 

[theboywho]

The Portsmouth No.1 stock (4 cor) sets were used from around 1969 until they were withdrawn in 1972. I can't imagine they were well suited though.

 

[yorksrob]

The Portsmouth No.1 stock (4 cor) sets were used from around 1969 until they were withdrawn in 1972. I can't imagine they were well suited though.

They lacked high density 3+2 seating, which may have made them unsuitable in the rush hour. But they did have toilets, so they would have been more suitable than EPB's and 455's for such a long route most of the time.

 

[bigdelboy]

Yes: BILav and HAlf Lav. (You couldn't make it up!)



The "adverts" were often pictures of places served by the railway or region. But 4 SUBs at least frequently had adverts for Hovis.

I hope no-one asks you what you got up to once you ceased to be young and innocent!

I recall (coastway) 2BIL/2HAL's having more upmarket adverts for insurance companies ...

....and it brings back to mind the following bit of graffi ditty ... i dont condone graffiti at all ... but this one was good ...

If £25 you can afford,
Test your strength and pull the cord,
If £25 you do not own,
leave the B****** thing alone.

 

[D365]

I recall (coastway) 2BIL/2HAL's having more upmarket adverts for insurance companies ...

....and it brings back to mind the following bit of graffi ditty ... i dont condone graffiti at all ... but this one was good ...

If £25 you can afford,
Test your strength and pull the cord,
If £25 you do not own,
leave the B****** thing alone.

To stop the train in case of an emergency,
Pull down the handle!
Pull down the handle!
Penalty for improper use £50. (or £25 in this case)

Don't suppose anyone else knows this one? Ah, school memories... I'm not even that old!