Class 307 AM7 / PCV

The Class 307 EMU, originally known as the AM7, was built for London Liverpool Street-Southend Victoria services. Originally they operated off 1500V DC overhead supply but in the early 1960s were converted to AC electric, first at 6.25kV and later the standard 25kV [1]. They were built to the then-standard EPB style of Southern Region though operated on Eastern Region rails.

Preserved DTBS 75023

Information
Number built:	128 (32 4-car sets)
Built:	1954-56 (PCV conversion) 1994-96
Builder:	BR Ashford/Eastleigh (PCV conversion) Hunslet-Barclay
Engine:	4 GEC WT44 traction motors (1500V DC OLHE later 6.25/25kV AC OLHE)
Power:	700 hp (520 kW)
Formation:	(original) Driving Trailer Standard Open (DTSO)+ Motor Brake Standard (MBS)+Trailer Composite (TC)+ Driving Trailer Standard (DTS) (AC conversion) Driving Trailer Brake Standard (DTBS)+ Motor Standard (MS)+TC+DTS (refurbished) DTBS+MS+Trailer Standard (TS)+ Driving Trailer Composite (DTC)

The Class 307s were refurbished in the 1980s, which introduced gangways between the vehicles, improved interiors and new bogies. They continued to be used on Great Eastern routes throughout the 1980s, some also working on the Wakefield Line for a time. All were withdrawn from passenger service in the early 1990s.

Originally it was planned to rebuild the Class 307s for parcel traffic as the Class 300 but the Class 325 was built instead for this work. However forty-two were rebuilt as Propelling Control Vehicles (PCV) for use on the end of locomotive hauled mail trains (the other end from the locomotive obviously) with the cab allowing for the train to be controlled at slow speeds [2], the PCV itself is unpowered. All but two were withdrawn from use in the early 2000s and many scrapped though some remain in storage. One PCV has also been preserved as well as an unconverted driving trailer as shown below.

Front view of the preserved car

Another view, at the time the car was at the Electric Railway Museum (now closed)

[1] Alec Swain, Overhead Line Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1990) p. 28
[2] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 221

SR/English Electric 1,750/2,000hp 1Co-Co1 Diesel-Electric (Class D16/2)

As with the LMR with what became the Class D16/1, the Southern Railway also looked into diesel main line locomotives in the final few months of the company's existence before nationalisation. These locomotives were designed by Oliver Bulleid, and similar in appearance to Bulleid's electric Class 70 locomotives, though did not arrive until the early days of British Railways. The first two were built at Ashton Works with the third, which followed a couple of years later, built at Brighton. Unlike other early diesel locomotives, they were geared for express passenger services and could reach 180 km/h though this was later reduced to 140 km/h when the gear ratios were reduced to better suit mixed-traffic work.

10201 after delivery [2]

Information
Number built:	3
Built:	1950-54
Builder:	BR Ashton & Brighton Works
Motor:	English Electric 16SVT diesel
Power:	1, 750 hp (1, 300 kW) / 2, 000 hp (1, 500 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	1Co-Co1

The first two locomotives were rated for 1, 750 hp (for one hour) [1] though after 1957 were downrated to 1, 600 only. The third locomotive had a number of modifications ands refinements and was rated at 2, 000 hp. All three locomotives worked on the Southern and London Midland regions of British Railways. The power train and bogie design of the third locomotive became the basis of the highly successful Class 40.

Being non-standard the locomotives did not have a long life. All three were withdrawn in the early 1960s and scrapped a few years later.

One of the locomotives at work [3]

10202 [3]

Under construction [2]

[1] Brian Haresnape, Early Prototype & Pilot Scheme Diesel-Electrics (Ian Allan, 1981) p. 25

[2] "Southern Diesel Express Locomotives", Meccano Magazine (May 1951) p. 197

[3] S.C. Townroe, "Riding a Southern Main Line Diesel", Meccano Magazine (July 1952) p. 290

Class 70 (SR/English Electric 1,470hp Co-Co DC Electric Type CC)

These locomotives were built for Southern Railways / BR Southern Region originally intended for mixed traffic work [1]. The first, originally known as CC1, was built at SR's Ashford Works in 1941, various delays meant the second CC2 was not completed until 1945. The third locomotive was built at BR's Brighton Works in 1948 and had a number of differences over the two earlier locomotives, being slightly longer and with flatter front ends. It also had some equipment changes including a larger boiler for heating trains.

The third locomotive [2]

Information
Number built:	3
Built:	1941, 1945, 1948
Builder:	SR Ashford / BR Brighton Works
Motor:	6 EE245 electric motors (660-750v DC third rail)
Power:	1, 470 hp (1, 100 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	Co-Co

The locomotives included a flywheel driven generator, known as the "booster unit", to help prevent the locomotives being stranded by short gaps in the third rail electrification. The locomotives also had a pantograph for operating in goods yards where third rail could be dangerous to railway workers.

The locomotives spent most of their time working passenger trains and were reliable locomotives. They were withdrawn in 1968 due to the small size of the fleet. None were preserved. They were later classified as Class 70 under TOPS though did not carry TOPS numbers, Class 70 was later reused for a Type 5 diesel locomotive.

[1] Brian Haresnape, Electric Locomotives (Ian Allan, 1983) p. 36

[2] Railway Notes (Meccano Magazine January 1949) p. 13

SR/Paxman 500hp 0-6-0 Diesel-Mechanical

This locomotive was a Bulleid designed shunter also capable of branch line and trip working. Due to delays caused by economic conditions immediately after the Second World War the shunter, which was given the number 11001, was not completed until the Southern Railway had become part of British Railways [1].

11001 in BR black [2]

Information
Number built:	1
Built:	1949
Builder:	SR/BR Ashford
Motor:	Paxman Ricardo V12 diesel
Power:	500 hp (373 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-6-0

By the time it entered service in 1950, British Railways was already busy creating a standard diesel shunter (the Class 08). 11001's gearing was, like many compromises, not perfectly suited for shunting duties or trip working although was the most powerful shunter built up until then [3]. It's working life was short and it was cut up in 1959.

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 34

[2] Meccano Magazine (August 1950) p. 37

[3] J.A.M. Vaughan, Diesels on the Southern (Ian Allan, 1980) p. 6

Class D3/12 (SR/English Electric 350hp Diesel-Electric)

In the latter years of the 1930s the Southern Railway, as with the other railway companies, began to experiment with diesel traction for shunting. These three locomotives were very similar to locomotives built a couple of years earlier by English Electric and Hawthorn Leslie for the LMSR. One key difference being larger diameter wheels to allow safe operation on lines with raised third conductor rails [1].

Information
Number built:	3
Built:	1937
Builder:	Southern Railway Ashford Works / English Electric
Motor:	English Electric 6K diesel
Power:	350 hp (260 kW)
Wheel arrangement:	0-6-0

The shunters had a top speed of forty-eight km/h to allow for trip working as well as yard shunting. The shunters quickly proved their worth over steam shunters, although they were more expensive to build the running costs over a steam locomotive were much lower [3]. The three shunters were used by the War Department during the Second World War but were returned to the Southern Railway and then British Railways after the end of the conflict. They were withdrawn from service in the mid-1960s though one survived in departmental use until 1970. 

Following the war, twenty-six similar locomotives were built which became the Class 12.

Number 2 in Southern colours [2]

[1] Brian Haresnape, Diesel Shunters (Ian Allan, 1984) p. 25

[2] "Driving a diesel-electric locomotive", Meccano Magazine (April 1945) p. 112

[3] Colin J Marsden, Diesel & Electric Locomotive Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2011) p. 4