Network South East trains from Weymouth?

Question

From about 1987 to 1995, I used to commute from Weymouth on NSE trains on a daily basis. Before the 442 "Wessex Electrics" were introduced, the 07.17 service used to use old slam door stock, but can anyone tell me what class of loco used to pull the service, and the general composition of the train - I know there was at least one corridor coach, which I'm guessing was a Mk 1, as I used to sit in a standard class compartment sometimes, but can anybody confirm? I can't find any details on the web.

Answer 1

Prior to the introduction of the Cl442 "Wessex Electric" trains under Network SouthEast, the London to Bournemouth/Weymouth service was a fairly complicated affair. The main reason for this is that the line was only electrified as far as Bournemouth.

Most often the train that left London would be a 12 coach train made up of three 4-car electric multiple units (EMU's). The advantages of this type of train is that it is self-propelled meaning it did not require a locomotive, it had a driving cab at each end and it could be easily lengthened or shortened by adding or removing individual EMU's.

In the case of the Bournemouth/Weymouth service, you would most often have a 4REP and either one or two 4TC's depending on the time of day and expected loadings. The 4REP was a tractor unit that would provide motive power while the 4TC was outwardly the same but did not have any power equipment of it's own. In essence the 4TC was just a set of four coaches that had standard EMU driving cabs and controls. Both the 4REP and the 4TC were based on the old BR Mk1 coach. On arrival at Bournemouth, a 4TC would be detached from the train and a Cl33 loco would work it to Weymouth and back over the non-electrified section of line. So, your Weymouth service would have been a Cl33 loco hauling a 4TC set.

The 4REP's were great trains, as they had the same tractive effort as a Cl56 freight loco. When they were withdrawn, the traction equipment was removed from them and transplanted into the Cl442 "Wessex Electrics" that replaced them.

Answer 2

The stock used on the services to Weymouth prior to electrification to that town was rather unusual. On leaving London the stock (slam-door) would consist of a 4 coach electrically powered set of Class 4-REP. This propelled 7 other unpowered coaches in two sets of 4 & 3 carriages (3/4-T/C) . At Bournemouth the electrically powered set was removed and the remaining 7 carriages hauled through to Weymouth by either a diesel of class 33 or an electro-diesel (dual powered) of class 73. Much of this stock was rebuilds - in true Southern style - of older stock. They were unique to the Southern Region and although they may have been based on the Mark 1 design, I don't think they were technically such. More information CAN be found on the web - Google 'Bournemouth Electrification', and the class names I've given.