The Class 508, part of the 1972 Standard PEP family like the Class 313 and 507, was built for the Merseyrail DC third rail network. However, as there was a desperate need for new stock on Southern Region in the late 1970s they served there initially until the new Class455 could be built [1].
Merseyrail 508 125 at Ellesmere Port
Information
Number built:
172 cars (as built 4-car sets later 3-car sets)
Built:
1979-80
Builder:
BREL York
Motor:
8 GEC G380AZ traction motors per unit (750v DC third rail)
Power:
880 hp (657 kW)
Formation:
As built: Driving Motor Standard Open (DMSO)+Trailer Standard Open (TSO)+TSO+Battery Driving Motor Standard Open (BDMSO) Later: DMSO+TSO+BDMSO
Not all sets went North, some remained in the South East as Class508/2 though none of these are still in service. In the early 2000s three sets worked alongside the Class 313 on the London Euston-Watford route [3] as Class 508/3 but in recent years the only 508s in service have been the twenty seven Class 508/1s sets operated by Merseyrail on it's DC third rail network alongside the Class 507.
Merseyrail replaced them with the new Class 777[4] though there were delays in introducing the new units, the Class 508 finally left service at the start of 2024. Some ex-Class 508 cars do still exist, having been part of strengthened Class 455/7 formations since the 1980s.
508 130 at New Brighton
508 108 at Bank Hall
508 103 at Liverpool Lime Street Low Level
Aboard 508 123
508 120 at Hooton
[1] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p. 74 [2] Bruce Oliver, Southern EMUs Before Privatisation (Ian Allan, 2010) p. 86 [3] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 389 [4] "Five shortlisted for new Merseyrail trains", Today's Railways UK No. 171 (March 2016)
Southend-on-Sea's first tramway was a horse drawn tram that ran along the pier (this was later replaced by a dedicated railway which has used a variety of rolling stock over the years). An electric tram for the town itself began operation in 1901 which used 1, 067mm gauge like the pier railway did at the time. The initial trams for the corporation were built by Brush Traction in a variety of types, some double decker and other single decker and four or eight wheels.
English Electric tram [1]
Information for original Brush cars
Number built:
14
Built:
1901
Builder:
Brush Traction
More trams were built by G.F. Milnes, Brush and the United Electric Car Company in subsequent years. The network continued to expand in the 1910s and at it's greatest extent was nearly fifteen kilometres long. The final trams built for the corporation were by English Electric in 1923. Earlier trams with open top decks were refurbished to add top covers.
By the mid-1920s the corporation was already looking at replacing the tram with electric trolleybuses. Replacement began as lines required track renewal. The final trams ran in 1942.
[1] English Electric Journal Vol 3 Issue 6 (1926) p. 248
The Class 319 are electric multiple units (EMUs) which were built for "Thameslink" cross-London services in the late 1980s. As they were dual voltage (AC overhead and DC third rail) units so they could operate both north and south of the river Thames [1]. The 319 was based on theClass 317 EMU though had a modified front end without a gangway connection, it retained a door for emergency evacuation in the tunnels which they had to travel through when crossing under London.
Northern 319 375 at Rainhill
Information
Number built:
344 (86 4-car sets)
Built:
1987-90
Builder:
BREL York
Engine:
4 GEC G315BZ traction motors (750V DC third rail or 25kV AC OHLE)
Power:
1, 327 hp (990 kW)
Formation:
319/0: Driving Trailer Standard Open (DTSO)+Motor Standard Open (MSO)+Trailer Standard Open Lavatory (TSOL)+DTSO 319/1: Driving Trailer Composite Open (DTCO) +MSO+TSOL+DTSO
The class was built in two batches, 319/0 and 319/1, which had some first class accommodation plus an improved pantograph. During their long career there have been a number of changes to the fleet. In the 1990s some 319/0s were converted to 319/2 standard with low-density seating and a disabled toilet for London Victoria services through to Brighton. A number of 319/1s have also had their first class seating removed during refurbishment to become 319/3. Some 319/0s have also had first class seating added and a lower density seating arrangement for Bedford-Brighton services as 319/4.
A feature unique to the 319s was an area behind one of the cabs was fitted with fold down seats and made securable with a lockable door in order to carry mail [2]. This area was removed during refurbishment and the ceasing of transporting mail by train.
Class 319s were replaced on Thameslink services by the Class 700[3]. However, there was life remaining in these units and a number were cascaded to the North West (Northern) and South Midlands (London Northwestern Railway). These units have probably finally now reached the end of their service lives with the LNWR 319s leaving service in late 2023 and the Northern units in early 2024.
Work also went ahead to give some of the units a new life as electro-diesel or bi-mode multiple units. A bi-mode version of the 319 called the 319 Flex (Class 769) has been developed by Brush and Porterbrook. Diesel engines and alternators are carried under the driving cars and these feed the unit's traction motors with the electricity needed when away from third rail or overhead lines. Although the project has been much delayed due to technical difficulties and unreliability, the Class 769 entered passenger service with Northern in May 2021 and Transport for Wales in November 2020 though originally the planned service date was 2018 [4][5]. The GWR was also at one stage to use the type on the North Downs Line, though these have not entered service.
Another new role for the Class 319 is for parcels traffic operated by Orion Logistics. A bi-mode version of this has also been created as the Class 768. A Class 319 has also been converted to hydrogen operation as the Class 799!
One notable event in the life of the 319s came in 1994 when 319 008 and 319 009 became the first trains to carry passengers through the Channel Tunnel [6].
LNWR 319 457 at Milton Keynes Central
Northern 319 374 at Huyton
319 364 at Liverpool Lime Street
319 436 in Thameslink livery at Farringdon
Northern 319 368 at Manchester Piccadilly
[1] Brian Haresnape & Alec Swain, Third Rail DC Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1989) p. 85 [2] Colin J. Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 251 [3] "Class 700s Branch Out", Railways Illustrated No. 161 (July 2016) [4] "B-Mode Class 319 Flex from Porterbrook", Railways Illustrated No. 169 (March 2017) [5] "Northern to get bi-modes", Modern Railways (February 2017) [6] Southern E-Group: Class 319 <http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class319_01.html>
In the early 1920s the Imperial Government Railways of Japan began electrification of the Tokaido and Yokosuka Lines. The railway imported electric locomotives from the UK, US and Switzerland to provide the motive power and also to give the Japanese experience with the locomotive type before they pursued their own designs. By far the largest class of locomotives to be built was the seventeen strong Class 1040 which were constructed by English Electric and North British Locomotive Company (two examples of the earlier and similar Class 1030 were also built). The locomotives arrived in Japan between 1924 and 1925 and were put into use hauling passenger trains, the locomotives were built for 1, 067mm gauge. After 1928 they were classified as the ED50.
Class 1040 [1]
Information
Number built:
17
Built:
1923
Builder:
English Electric / North British Locomotive
Motor:
4 DK86 electric motors (1500v DC OHLE)
Power:
1, 200 hp (865 kW)
Wheel arrangement:
B-B
Between 1930 and 1931 the locomotives were rebuilt as the ED17, they were regeared for their new role hauling mostly freight traffic along the Chuo Line. Two locomotives (classified as ED18) were later modified with A1A-A1A bogies to reduce the axle load on the Iida Line which was more lightly built than other lines. Most of the ED17 fleet survived the war and continued to be used on the Chuo Line but were gradually replaced by more modern types by in mid-1960s. The final ED17s and ED18s were retired from service in 1972. One ED17 has been preserved.
Another view of a Class 1040 locomotive [1]
[1] "Electric locomotives of the Imperial Government Railways of Japan", English Electric Journal Vol. 2 Issue 6 (1924) p. 294
