Class 375 Electrostar

The Class 375 is part of the huge Electrostar family of electric multiple units built in the early 2000s to replace the likes of slap-door stock such as the Class 411 4-CEP on the ex-Southern region third rail DC routes [1]. Most of the Class 375 fleet is third-rail only, though the 375/6 sub-class also has provision for AC overhead electric collection. Twenty eight trainsets have been converted to the Class 377/3 sub-class. 

Southeastern 375 629 departs Headcorn

Information
Number built:	438 (10 3- and 102 4-car sets)
Built:	1999-2004
Builder:	Adtranz/Bombardier
Engine:	6 or 4 Adtranz traction motors (750v DC third rail / 25kV AC OHLE)
Power:	375/3 : 1, 341 hp (1, 000 kW) Other subclasses : 2, 012hp (1, 500kW)
Formation:	375/3 : Driving Motor Composite Open (DMCO)+Trailer Standard Open (TSO)+DMCO 375/6 : DMCO+Motor Standard Open (MSO)+Pantograph Trailer Standard Open (PTSO)+DMCO Other subclasses : DMCO+MSO+TSO+DMCO

There are five sub-classes. As mentioned above, the 375/6 is dual-voltage with all others being DC third rail only, the 375/3 are 3-car sets with the other sub-classes all being 4-cars though space has been retained for a pantograph if needed in future.


The 375/9 are high-density sets for outer suburban services with the 375/7 and 375/8 being officially designated as express stock. All Class 375s serve with Southeastern and forms the backbone of their fleet. Southern also did operate the type at one stage though these 375s were converted to Class 377s.

375 603 at London Bridge

375 702 (and 376 023) at Sevenoaks

375 817 at Sevenoaks

375 815 at London Victoria

375 603 at London Victoria

[1] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 283

Hudswell Clarke D1012 / Cadbury No. 14

This locomotive was built by Hudswell Clarke for Cadbury in 1956, assigned to the company's factory in Moreton on the Wirral. The locomotive could haul up to 200 tons. It remained in service until 1977 and was preserved initially at the Llangollen Railway however it's working time on the railway was short. 

The locomotive at the Statfold Barn Railway

Information
Number built:	1
Built:	1956
Builder:	Hudswell Clarke
Motor:	Gardner 6LW diesel
Power:	107 hp (80 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-4-0DM

In 2003 the locomotive was put on display at Cadbury World in Birmingham, later on at other food manufacturers including Premier Brands at Moreton. The locomotive has now been donated to the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company with a view to returning the locomotive to working order.

Another view of Cadbury No. 14

Class 46 (BR/Sulzer 2,500hp Type 4 Diesel-Electric)

Following on from the success of the ten Class 44 pilot scheme Type 4 diesels, British Railways went ahead with a production order which was split between 127 Class 45s and fifty six Class 46s (there were originally going to be twenty more built but the order was changed to the Class 47 instead). The Classes 45 and 46 are very similar, mainly differing from the electrical equipment used, Crompton Parkinson for the 45 and Brush for the 46 [1].

D182 at Kidderminster Town

Information
Number built:	56
Built:	1961-63
Builder:	BR Derby
Motor:	Sulzer 12LDA28-B diesel
Power:	2, 500 hp (1, 864 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	1-Co-Co-1

From their entry into service in the early 1960s the Class 46s could be seen on cross-country expresses and long-distance freights though these services switched over to newer motive power like the HSTs during the 1970s and withdrawals of the Class 46 began in 1977, by 1984 all had been withdrawn from revenue earning service. All Class 46s were fitted with steam heating only which became a problem as the number of steam heated coaches was gradually reduced by BR [2].

D182 at Kidderminster Town, at the time wearing this earlier BR blue livery

Most Class 46s were scrapped though one, 46 009, was destroyed as it was deliberately driven at speed into a nuclear flask (the locomotive was unmanned of course) to test the strength of the nuclear flask [3] in the event of a rail crash.

After revenue service withdrawal, a couple of Class 46s entered service with the Railway Technical Centre to provide motive power for test trains, 46 035 Ixion was also used for a number of experiments including the performance of separately excited traction motors and equipment to reduce wheel spin [4]. Three Class 46s (including both of the RTC 46s) have been preserved.

46 010 at Kidderminster Town

D182 at Kidderminster Town again

46 035 at Rowsley South

D182 again at Kidderminster Town

[1] Brian Haresnape, Production Diesel-Electrics Types 4 and 5 (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 31
[2] John Vaughan, Diesels on the London Midland (Ian Allan, 1981) p. 75
[3] John Glover, BR Diary 1978-1985 (Ian Allan, 1985) p. 93
[4] Colin J Marsden, 25 Years of Railway Research (OPC, 1989) p. 81