Class 438 4-TC

In the 1960s BR Southern Region wanted through electric services from London Waterloo to Weymouth, the problem being however that the line had only been electrified as far as Bournemouth in 1967. Instead of having a loco hauled service all the way Southern Region used its typical ingenuity to come up with a novel solution [1][2]. A powerful EMU was developed (4-REP) which propelled 4-TC (Trailer Control) rakes (basically rebuilt Mark 1 coaches with driving cabs at either end) as far as Bournemouth. Then a modified Class 33/1 diesel locomotive with high-level control pipes would propel the 4-TC(s) the rest of the way to Weymouth (the return trip being the opposite way around).

4-TCs could also work in multiple with Class 73/1s and Class 74s in a push-pull manner using the EPB control system [3]. If other (incompatible) locomotives were used then the 4-TCs were plain hauled stock.

Information
Number built:	126 (28 4-car sets, 3 3-car sets, 2 spare vehicles plus 3 later additions)
Built:	1966-7, 1974 (rebuilds from Mark 1 coaching stock)
Builder:	BR York
Motor:	N/A
Power:	N/A
Formation:	Driving Trailer Standard Open (DTSO)+Trailer First Corridor (TFK)+ Trailer Brake Standard Corridor (TBSK)+DTSO 3-TC same except for no TFK

Although primarily used on Waterloo-Weymouth services 4-TCs and 3-TCs were also used on elsewhere such as London Waterloo to Salisbury and Clapham Junction to Kensington Olympia services. Electrification finally reached Weymouth in 1988 with the service taken over by Class 442s though the 4-TCs remained in service until 1992.

The 3-TCs were augmented to four coach sets in 1974 by adding the missing TFK [4]. The 4-TCs were Class 491 and the 3-TCs Class 492 under TOPS though later on all were reclassified as Class 438 [5].

A number of vehicles have been preserved including two complete 4-TC sets, one of which is owned by London Underground and carried a "faux teak" vinyl livery for operation with preserved locomotives for a time though is now in London Transport red.

The LU 4-TC set in current London Transport red

The LU 4-TC in the former faux teak livery

Connecting up to 68 025

More familiar 4-TC motive power, a Class 33

The LU 4-TC with a Class 66

The LU 4-TC at Kidderminster SVR

[1] Colin J. Marsden (ed.), "4-REP, 3-TC, 4-TC", Modern Locomotives Illustrated No. 220 August-September 2016 (BR Southern Region Electric Multiple Units) p. 38
[2] John Glover, BR Diary 1958-1967 (Ian Allan, 1987) p. 120
[3] David Brown, Southern Electric Vol. 2 (Capital Transport, 2010) p. 208 
[4] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p. 67
[5] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 375

Sheffield Corporation Open-Topped Double Decker Tram

Among the earliest electric trams built for what would become one of the biggest fleets, G.F. Milnes and the Electric Railway & Tramway Carriage Works of Preston produced a number of open-topped double decker trams for the Sheffield Corporation Tramway in 1899 and 1900 to work alongside single decker trams. They were soon joined by other double decker trams built by Brush.

Information for ER&TCW Trams
Number built:	30
Built:	1900
Builder:	Electric Railway & Tramway Carriage Works
Motor:	2 British Thomson-Houston GE52 electric motors (DC OHLE)
Power:	54 hp (40kW)

Within a few years the trams were fitted with top-covers though with open balconies. Sheffield Corporation rebuilt and modified their trams frequently with trams like the later preserved Number 74 looking very different when it left service than when it started. Number 74 gained a top cover, a different truck and electrical equipment in it's twenty two years in Sheffield and the following thirty years in Gateshead. Following withdrawal in 1951 the lower deck was sold to become a garden shed! Finally in 1990 it was preserved and has been rebuilt with a top deck from another Sheffield tram and a truck from a Leeds one.

Number 74 has been restored to working order at Crich

Top deck balcony

Entrance

Class 06 (Andrew Barclay 204hp Diesel-Mechanical)

The Class 06 was one of the many types of shunter bought by British Railways for freight yards with sharp curves. It has a short wheel base but otherwise was similar to other Andrew Barclay shunters and had a good performance for a locomotive of its size. As well as yard work it could also be used for trip work between yards. Thirty five were built for Scottish Region in the late 1950s [1]. Most were withdrawn in the late 1960s as the freight business on British Railways changed dramatically though ten survived into the 1970s and received TOPS numbers [2]. The last survivor 06 003, by now in departmental service in Reading, survived until 1984.

Information
Number built:	35
Built:	1958
Builder:	Andrew Barclay
Motor:	Gardner 8L3 diesel
Power:	204 hp (152 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-4-0

This last locomotive in service, 06 003 (D2420), is now the only Class 06 still in existence. It is now part of the Heritage Shunters Trust collection and is undergoing restoration back to working order.

06 003 seen in 2016

Cab view

Rear view

Engine

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 60
[2] Heritage Shunters Trust Stock List 2015

NER Petrol Inspection Car

The North Eastern Railway built the first of a number of petrol-engine powered inspection cars in 1908 [1]. The car was just over five metres long and included seating for NER officials (six permanent seats and two camp stools) as well as a map table in an open saloon, they also had a driving cab at both ends. In 1911 two more cars were built, these were larger and could seat up to twelve passengers and had more powerful White & Poppe engines.

Information
Number built:	4
Built:	1908, 1911, 1923
Builder:	NER York
Motor:	Four-cylinder petrol engine
Power:	40 hp (30 kW)

One of these later cars was destroyed in a fire in 1921, a slightly larger replacement was built in 1923. In the late 1920s the cars' engines were replaced by Leyland motors. They survived in service, now with LNER, until 1939 when it was decided to withdraw them from use because of their unsuitability for use in any other duties. All three cars were scrapped.

Original 1908 petrol car [1]

Interior view

[1] "New Petrol Rail Inspection Car", Railway Times (April 1908) p. 386

Newcastle Corporation Tramways

Newcastle Corporation Tramways began operations in 1901 with an eventual network that was eighty two kilometres in total length. However the setting up of an electric tram network was not without opposition [1]. The council was unable to come up to any agreement with the existing horse tram company and the city was without any tram system at all after the horse tram licence expired and the new electric network began operating a few months later. Interestingly the council originally wanted to use cable hauled trams before deciding instead to go for overhead electric.

The network grew throughout the early decades of the twentieth century reaching it's final extent in 1925, three hundred trams were in service by 1928. Like with many street tram networks however the decline began in the 1930s as buses and trollybuses began to take over the routes. The street trams survived until 1950.

Information for Class F trams
Number built:	30
Built:	1901-02
Builder:	Hurst, Nelson & Company, Brush Traction
Motor:	2 General Electric 203N electric motors (550v DC OHLE)
Power:	80 hp (50 kW)

The tram fleet came from a number of different manufacturers with bodies made by Hurst, Nelson and Company and Brush Traction with electrical equipment from a number of sources. Trams were a mixture of single and double deckers with some longer double bogied cars of higher capacity. Later on some coupled cars were also used on some routes [3].

A couple of trams have been preserved including 102 shown below which is at Crich. 102 was built in 1902 and is an interesting example of how trams could be heavily modified throughout their lives. As originally built 102 had a single deck Hurst, Nelson body with open sides for use in good weather, and roller blinds which could be used when it was not! However it was quickly decided to convert them in-house with enclosed lower sides and an open top deck. The tram was also retrofitted with updated electrical equipment during it's life.

Preserved 102 at Crich

Double decker tram [2]

View of collector and top deck on 102

High capacity double bogie car [2]

Another view of 102

Single decker car [2]

[1] "New transportation system for Newcastle-upon-Tyne", Street Railway Journal Vol (May 1901) p. 547
[2] Ibid. p. 551
[3] Charles Klapper, The Golden Age of Tramways (David & Charles, 1974) p. 129