What next for 1498?

[antharro]

(42)1498 is currently up at the Epping-Ongar railway. Last time I was there, one of the staff members said it was barely being used and they were seriously considering scrapping it. This was a pretty shocking thing to hear. It's not like there are dozens and dozens of CIGs around any more so I would hope they'll give serious consideration to selling it, and not to a breaker's yard. Given it was the last slammer in service on the mainline, it must still be in some kind of reasonable condition, even if it has been sitting off the juice for some years...

However - who would want it? It's not like there are a load of preserved railways with third rail down... (are there any at all?)

 

[yorksrob]

(42)1498 is currently up at the Epping-Ongar railway. Last time I was there, one of the staff members said it was barely being used and they were seriously considering scrapping it. This was a pretty shocking thing to hear. It's not like there are dozens and dozens of CIGs around any more so I would hope they'll give serious consideration to selling it, and not to a breaker's yard. Given it was the last slammer in service on the mainline, it must still be in some kind of reasonable condition, even if it has been sitting off the juice for some years...

However - who would want it? It's not like there are a load of preserved railways with third rail down... (are there any at all?)

I can't see scrapping it doing much for good will.

I believe that the Southern Electric Group had a scheme (aborted) a few years ago to buy up Worthing Carriage Shed as a secure museum for preserved electric trains. Perhaps something similar needs to be seriously considered (although Worthing's obviously out due to being used by the modern railway).

 

[gimmea50anyday]

It's not the only unit under threat. Kettle railways don't want MU's as being air brake only they can't run with kettles and being fixed formation are either too long or too short for operational use.

For diesel haulage there's no electrical hook up either so unfortunately their appeal is limited unless you have it mainline registered or a bagpipe or a 73 to haul it. Another CIG and a VEP were sacrificed so they could resurrect the BEL, while the SUB and the remaining DD driving car are rotting. Now the EKR have told the EPB group they don't want the CEP 7105 back when they finish deswindonising it at Eastleigh, potentially putting that unit under threat, as are several units at Coventry which despite the best efforts of the limited staff there, there's too much for them to keep on top of. It's a shame but as much as the southern played a pivotal role in the history of Britain's railways, no one seems to give a BIL!


Its not all bad tho, 1198 is in good care at the C&PR, 3417 is being returned at Ilford, the HAP is being restored at the NRM and the EPB is at least safe for now at the EKR. CEPs and the MLV's seem to have fared better in survival than the CIG's as there are two more in Cumbria while a CIG resides at Okehampton

 

[JoeGJ1984]

I think that the Electric Railway Museum near Coventry has hopes of getting a section of 3rd rail running, which I think sould be achievable at a dedicated Electric Railay Museum - after all, a similar setup (with OHLE in preservation) exists at the National Tramway Museum in Crich.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

And at Beamish, however a DC based OHLE for a tramway is far simpler and cheaper to install than a heavy rail 3rd rail or 25k OHLE and a lot of H&S and red tape to fight through before it would be allowed.

 

[JohnElliott]

For preservation, would 750v OHLE (as used in Southern goods yards in the days of the 71s) be a possibility? With the pantograph on a separate coach marshalled adjacent to the electric's motor coach, so the power can be fed in through the depot power socket.

Or DLR-style bottom contact third rail, changing the pickup shoes to suit.

 

[yorksrob]

Hopefully once 3417 is up and running, it will give more impetus for preserved units to run on the mainline. Maybe that might prompt some of the Southern TOC's to look after a working CIG, for example, if they were able to use it for events and open days (as BR used to with the 2BIL and 4SUB).