From: sgamble@crc.ac.uk (Steve Gamble x3293)
Newsgroups: rec.railroad
Subject: Re: Queries about some obscure Brit-Rail stuff (NOTE: Long)
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:26:55 GMT
Reply-To: sgamble@crc.ac.uk (Steve Gamble x3293)
Organization: MRC Human Genome Mapping Project Resource Centre, Harrow, UK

In article <2447@tymix.Tymnet.COM>, burke@doright.Tymnet.COM (John Burke) writes:
> Can anyone answer either of these questions:
> 
>   o I heard a rumor there are trains of particular interest to rail
>     buffs on the Isle of Wight, but got no details.  Does anyone know
>     something specific?
> 
>   o I heard that some old London Transport cars are in use in remote
>     (i.e. far from London Transport) locations around the British
>     Isles.  Anyone know any details on
>     this?  My lapsing memory suggests that this was what was on the
>     Isle of Wight, but it ain't sure.
> 

They are both really the same question.

In 1966/67 with the end of routine steam operation on standard gauge
British Rail, there was a problem what to do with the Isle of Wight.
The island railways had been built to a slightly smaller loading gauge 
than most of the rest of BR so standard DMUs or EMUs could not be used.

At about the same time London Transport was disposing of 1927 tube rolling
stock. Although designed/ordered in 1927 most of the stock then running
was built between 1931 and 1935. BR purchased a number of these redundant
coaches and converted them from 4 rail to run on standard BR Southern
Region 3-rail system. The main electrical equipment on these trains is
located in a large equipment room behind the driving cab.

I believe there were enough coaches to make up 5 or 6 seven coach trains.
The seven coach trains were made up of a 3-car unit and a 4-car unit.
Under the then Southern Region naming scheme these were called 3-vec and
4-tis (possibly other way around). Vectis was the roman name for the Isle 
of Wight.

Most of the islands railway was closed but the section from Ryde (including
the Pier) to Shanklin was electrified using 3rd rail. The 'new' trains
were taken over on low-loaders on the road ferry, the old stock being
taken back on the return trip. There has been recent talk of reopening
the line further south.

Although initially from 1967 trains operated as 3+4 formations in more recent
years with falling passengers and poor reliability trains seem to have
operated as any mix of 3, 4 or 5 coach units, depending on what would
run.

About 2 years ago BR purchased some new old rolling stock from LT in the
form of 1938 design. These are the first of the modern design tube trains
with the equipment located under the floor. (There were prototypes built
in 1935) I think something like 24 coaches were purchased to make 9 dual
driving motor coach sets, the rest providing spares. (At least two of the
spare coaches have been kept completely intact in case of serious damage
to one of the service sets requires substitution). The two complete
coaches are at Ryde depot.

Whilst most of the VECTIS stock was withdrawn one unit has been kept as
a 'Heritage' unit to be used on special occasions. The other units were
returned to the mainland due to lack of siding space, one new coach in
one old back. For some time the old units were stored at Strawberry Hill
in s. London as were the spare 1938 units.

Also the Isle of Wight Steam Railway retains one of the LSWR O2 tank locos
which ran the services until 1967. They also have a couple of early Isle of 
Wight coaches and a number of other locos etc. They have just extended
their line from Haven Street to Smallbrook where they have a joint
station with the British Rail service.

Apart from preserved units in the London Transport Museum and the Science
Museum, I believe that there are some Metropolitan units preserved at the
Buckinghamshire Railway Museum at Quainton Road. Although now only next to
a BR freight only line this used to be part of the Metropolitan Railway.
Also a couple of 1938 tube stock coaches are operated by I believe the
Chatham Railway centre.

Until 1963 LT operated the Chesham branch with a steam push-pull train.
The six coaches from this all went for preservation, 4 of them being at
the Bluebell Railway in Sussex.

Also of interest to tube stock fans might be the stock on the Waterloo
and City Railway. This is the only tube line in London NOT owned by
London Transport but by British Rail. The current stock is 1940 design
Bullied stock built by the Southern Railway. The five car trains are
made up of two driving motors with three trailers between. At the end of 
this year the line will be converted from 3-rail to 4-rail operation and
brand new stock built to the same design as LT's new Central Line stock
will be introduced. Perhaps BR could be persuaded to send one of these
trains to the Isle of Wight as another Heritage unit, it might generate
some income from railfans.

All of this is from memory, so feel free to correct detail, the main points
should be correct.

Steve.

this stock is being  
-- 
(Disclaimer: These are not my employer's opinions, they may not even be mine!)  
Steve Gamble, Computing Services, Clinical Research Centre and Human Genome  
Mapping Project Resource Centre, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ, UK.
Phone: +44 81 869 3293  JANET: s.gamble@uk.ac.crc INTERNET: s.gamble@crc.ac.uk