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British Rail Class 205

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British Rail Class 205 (3H)
205029 in BR green livery at Reading in 1992
In serviceSeptember 1957 –
December 2004
ManufacturerBR Eastleigh
Number built34 trainsets
Formation2/3 cars per trainset
Capacity114 2nd class, 13 1st class[1]
Operators
Specifications
Car length
  • 19.51 m (64 ft 0.1 in)
  • 19.34 m (63 ft 5.4 in)
  • 19.51 m (64 ft 0.1 in)
Width2.8 m (9 ft 2.24 in)
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight
  • 56 t (55.1 long tons; 61.7 short tons)
  • 30 t (29.5 long tons; 33.1 short tons)
  • 32 t (31.5 long tons; 35.3 short tons)
Prime mover(s)English Electric 4SRKT Mark II (4-cylinder diesel)
Power output600 shp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
Coupling systemDrophead buckeye[2]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Class 205, no. 205032 at London Bridge on 15 August 2003, with a service to Uckfield. This unit is now preserved on the Caledonian Railway.

The British Rail Class 205 (3H) diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957 to 1962, and in service for 47 years from BR Southern Region to Connex South Central and finally to the Southern franchise. They were eventually replaced by Class 171 Turbostar units.

Description

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This class of unit was built in four different batches for use on different lines.

The Southern Region class 201 to 207 DEMUs are nicknamed 'Thumpers' owing to the noise they made while in motion.[3][4]

The first batch of units, numbered 1101–1118, was built in 1957 as two-car units and classified as 2H. They were built for services in Hampshire on the non-electrified routes between Portsmouth Harbour, Salisbury and Andover and between Alton, Winchester and Southampton Terminus. The first units entered service in September 1957. However, owing to increasing passenger numbers, all eighteen units were strengthened to three cars in 1958 and 1969, with the addition of a centre trailer, and therefore were reclassified as 3H units. Upon the introduction of TOPS they were reclassified as Class 205. Some of these were later converted back to 2 car sets, but they retained their Class 205 designation.[5]

The second batch of 2H units, numbered 1119–1122, was built as 2-car units in 1958. These units were built for services on the Marshlink Line from Hastings to Ashford, and associated branch lines. These units remained as two-car sets until 1979, and were reclassified as Class 204 upon the introduction of TOPS. In May 1979, following the disbandment of the four Class 206 units, they were strengthened to three cars and redesignated as Class 205s.[5]

The third batch of units was built as three-car sets in 1959, and numbered 1123–1126. These units were built to supplement the first batch on services in Hampshire. Collectively, the first and third batches are often called Hampshire sets. The final batch of units, numbered 1127–1133, was built in 1962 as three car sets. These units have some detail differences from the earlier batches, such as a different internal layout, and smaller route indicators. They were built for services from Reading to Salisbury, and other services in Berkshire. The final batch of units is sometimes referred to as Berkshire sets.[5]

Technical details

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Power car (one per set)

  • Introduced: 1957
  • Weight: 56 t (55.1 long tons; 61.7 short tons)
  • Engine: English Electric 4-cylinder type 4SRKT Mark II of 600 bhp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
  • Transmission: Electric, two English Electric type EE507 traction motors rated at 250 hp (190 kW) each.
  • Maximum tractive effort: 12,500 lbf (56 kN)
  • Driving wheel diameter: 42 in (1,067 mm)
  • Coupling code: Standard "Buckeye" compatible with contemporary Class 20x and 4xx units.
  • Train heating: Electric

Number 1129 was experimentally fitted with a Dorman 12QTCW V-12 diesel engine of 725 shp (541 kW)

Operations

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The first examples of the class entered service in September 1957 after a month of testing. They were initially used on services linking Portsmouth and Southampton to Salisbury, as well as those between Southampton and Portsmouth Harbour and from Southampton to Alton/Andover. Journey times were around two-thirds of those required by the steam locomotives which the units replaced. The new services proved so popular that the class was temporarily taken off the route to Alton and Andover to provide extra capacity on the other lines prior to the fitting of a third carriage to the first 18 units.[5]

The delivery of the second batch of four units saw the class introduced to the Marshlink Line between Ashford and Hastings. These units also ran on the Bexhill West Branch Line and the short line to New Romney and Littlestone-on-Sea, and a Sunday-only service on the Fawley Branch Line. All of these routes except for the Marshlink Line had been closed by 1967, by which time the route between Reading and Salisbury was also operated by the class. The units also operated on the Wareham to Swanage route from 1966 until its closure in 1972. Other routes served included the Steyning Line between Brighton and Horsham, which closed in 1967; the Cuckoo Line, which closed in 1968; the Lymington Branch Line, which was served by the units for two months in 1967 prior to its electrification; and some journeys on the Oxted Line, which was also served by the newer Class 207 units. In 1973 some services from Portsmouth to Bristol Temple Meads and Weston-super-Mare were converted to Class 205 operation.[5]

1126 (205026) in BR blue at St Denys, 1979

Soon after introduction, an orange "V" shape was painted on the motor-coach in order to provide an early visual indication to station staff that there was no brake van at the other end of the unit. With the introduction of yellow warning panels the orange V was replaced by an inverted black triangle; this being extended at this time to all Southern Region two- and three-car multiple units.

The electrification of the line to East Grinstead in 1987 saw the majority of the class withdrawn. Those which survived largely operated on services from Ashford to Hastings and from London to Uckfield. The privatisation of British Rail in 1995/6 saw the surviving Class 205s, most of which now carried Network SouthEast livery, pass to the new Connex South Central franchise.[5]

In 1966, unit number 1102 was used in the film "The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery".

205009 in Connex South Central colours in 2004 at East Croydon prior to preservation.

When Govia won the South Central franchise in 2001, a franchise commitment was to replace all Mark 1 rolling stock by 2005, as it did not meet modern health and safety requirements. Southern ordered Turbostar trains of Class 171 and Class 170 (later converted to Class 171) from 2003 onwards to replace the Class 205s. The final units, numbers 205001/009/033 were withdrawn in mid-December 2004.

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 31 July 1989, unit 205101 collided with a van on the level crossing at Appledore.[6]
  • At 08:27 on 15 October 1994, the Cowden rail crash occurred, involving a head-on collision between two trains in heavy fog. The branch line is from Hurst Green junction near Oxted, south to Uckfield and at this point is single track. The northbound train failed to wait at the Ashurst loop and entered the single line section at Blackham junction against the red signal at OD58. The southbound train driver, unaware of the train coming towards him on the same track, pulled away from Cowden and the two units collided around 269 m (294 yd) south of the station. Units involved were 205029 with 205032 and 205018 with 205001.[7]

Fleet details

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Key: In service Withdrawn Preserved Rebuilt Reformed Departmental Use Scrapped


Unrefurbished Class 205/0[8]

Unit No. Batch Year Built Final Livery DMBSO TSO DTCsoL Withdrawn Status
New Old
205001 1101 Batch 1 1957 BR Blue 60154 - 60800 12/2004 Preserved, at The East Kent Railway
205002 1102 Batch 1 1957 NSE 60155 60651 60801 1991 Scrapped
- 1103 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60102 60652 60802 1979 Converted to Class 204 no. 1403
- 1104 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60103 60653 60803 1979 Converted to Class 204 no. 1404
205005 1105 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60104 60654 60804 08/1987 Scrapped
205006 1106 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60105 60655 60805 09/1987 Scrapped
205007 1107 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60106 60656 60806 09/1987 Scrapped
- 1108 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60107 60657 60807 1979 Converted to Class 204 no. 1401
205009 1109 Batch 1 1957 Chocolate & Cream 60108 60658 60808 12/2004 Preserved at the Eden Valley Railway
205010 1110 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60198 60659 60809 09/1987 Scrapped
- 1111 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60110 60660 60810 1980 Rebuilt to become 205101
205012 1112 Batch 1 1957 Connex 60111 60661 60811 02/2004 Scrapped 2005
- 1113 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60112 60662 60812 04/1986 Scrapped
205014 1114 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60113 60663 60813 10/1989 Scrapped
205015 1115 Batch 1 1957 NSE 60114 60664 60814 10/1993 Scrapped
205016 1116 Batch 1 1957 NSE 60115 60665 60815 08/1994 Scrapped
205017 1117 Batch 1 1957 Blue/Grey 60116 60666 60816 09/1987 Scrapped
205018 1118 Batch 1 1957 BR Blue 60117 - 60828 08/2004 Preserved at Lavender Line.
205019 1119 Batch 2 1958 Blue/Grey 60118 60653 60818 08/1987 Scrapped
205020 1120 Batch 2 1958 Blue/Grey 60119 60652 60819 09/1987 Scrapped
205008 1121 Batch 2 1958 NSE 60120 60657 60820 10/1993 Preserved at Lavender Line
- 1122 Batch 2 1958 Blue/Grey 60121 - 60821 See Class 204 (never officially classified as a 205)
205023 1123 Batch 3 1959 BR Green 60122 60669 60822 01/1999 Preserved, unit split up. 60822 under restoration.[9]
205024 1124 Batch 3 1959 NSE 60123 60668 60823 07/2000 Scrapped.
205025 1125 Batch 3 1959 BR Green 60124 - 60824 05/2004 Preserved at Mid-Hants Railway.
205026 1126 Batch 3 1959 Blue/Grey 60125 60671 60825 11/1990 Scrapped
205027 1127 Batch 4 1962 - 60145 - - 08/1994 Sandite unit 930301. 60145 at St Leonards.
205028 1128 Batch 4 1962 Faded Connex 60146 60673 60827 11/2004 Formerly preserved at Dartmoor Railway, sold to the Caledonian Railway in 2021.[10]
205029 1129 Batch 4 1962 BR Green 60147 60667 60817 1994 Scrapped after Cowden rail crash
205030 1130 Batch 4 1962 NSE 60148 60675 60829 11/1992 Scrapped
205031 1131 Batch 4 1962 Blue/Grey 60149 - - 07/1993 Sandite unit 930301. 60149 at St Leonards.
205032 1132 Batch 4 1962 BR Green 60150 60677 60831 10/2004 Formerly preserved at Dartmoor Railway, sold to the Caledonian Railway in 2021.[10] Operational
205033 1133 Batch 4 1962 BR Green 60151 - 60832 12/2004 Preserved, at The Lavender Line


Refurbished Class 205/1

Unit No. Batch Year
Converted 		Final Livery DMBSO TSO DTSOL Withdrawn Status
205101 1111 Batch 1 1980 NSE 60110 60660 60810 1995 Converted to 205205


Refurbished Class 205/2

Unit No. Batch Year
Converted 		Final Livery DMBSO TSOL DTSOL Withdrawn Status
205205 205101 Batch 1 1995 NSE

(Connex before preservation)

60110 - 60810 07/2004 Preserved at Epping Ongar Railway


Departmental Units

Unit No. Batch Year
Converted 		Final Livery DMB T DMB Withdrawn Status
930301 951069 Batch 4
(*Batch 1) 		1993 Railtrack Brown 977939
(60145) 		977870
(60660*) 		977940
(60149) 		- Withdrawn from St Leonards TMD

Preservation

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Due to a generous disposal policy by Porterbrook Leasing, nearly all of the final units in service were preserved. The only unit not preserved was no. 205012, which had poor bodywork and donated its engine to the only surviving unrefurbished Class 207 unit.

Models

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An OO gauge kit is available from DC Kits. Dapol announced (May 2008) that a limited edition OO RTR model (to be followed by an N gauge version) of the Class 205 would be produced in collaboration with Kernow Model Rail Centre.[17] Manufacture was switched to Bachmann in March 2010[18] and the model was released in February 2013.[19] The model was produced in BR green and Connex white/yellow liveries.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Railway Magazine December 1957 p. 878
  2. ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Preserved Thumpers". Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  4. ^ "Epping Ongar Railway - Rolling Stock Department - Diesel-Electric Multiple Units". Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Welch, Michael (2004). Southern DEMUs. Capital Transport. pp. 12–19. ISBN 1-85414-287-9.
  6. ^ McCrickard, John P (6 October 2016). "January 1989 to December 1989". Network South East Railway Society. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  7. ^ "The Cowden Collision". Preserved Thumpers. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  8. ^ Withdrawal dates from H. Longworth, British Railways First Generation DMUs, 2011 Oxford Publishing Company ISBN 978-0-86093-612-1
  9. ^ "BR 60822 Class 205 DEMU: Driving Trailer Composite built 1959".
  10. ^ a b c d White, Cameron (22 June 2021). "Caledonian Railway welcome Thumpers 1132 and 1128 from the Dartmoor Railway". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Pres 1121".
  12. ^ "Replacement carriage arrives at Swindon and Cricklade Railway as arson investigation continues". 19 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Pres 1123".
  14. ^ "BR 60669 Class 205 DEMU: Trailer Standard built 1959".
  15. ^ "Pres 1127".
  16. ^ "Pres 1131".
  17. ^ "Dapol".
  18. ^ "Bachmann Europe Press Releases - BACHMANN TO PRODUCE OO SCALE CLASS 205 FOR KERNOW MODEL RAIL CENTRE". Archived from the original on 9 March 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  19. ^ "Class 205 Thumper : Welcome to Kernow Model Rail Centre". Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  20. ^ Leigh, Chris (Spring 2013). "Bachmann/KMRC Class 205 DEMU". Model Rail. No. 181. Peterborough: Bauer. pp. 12–15. ISSN 1369-5118. OCLC 173324502.

Further reading

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