Not LU, but still railway related

[chris]

With the introduction of Class 450/1 and 444 "Desiro" trains replacing the slam door stock, the SRA have deemed the slam door stock unfit for passenger use. What have SWT done about the 3 station Lymington branch? (Brockenhurst ----> Lymington Town ----> Lymington Pier). Orginally it was operated by Class 423 or 421 slam door stock, because a 5 car 442 wouldn't have been profitable. The new trains would also be making a loss of they ran the route and only the slam door stock made it of any use. Now the slam door stock have been removed, what have they done? I last heard a rumour they may have made it a preserved line to the SRA would've allowed slam door trains to run, but this was a while ago.

[Deleted]

Apparently the branch is still run by South West Trains with a quasi-heritage service using 2 slam door trains.
The SWT website refers to them as "Class 421 Three-Coach Electric Multiple Unit ‘3 CIG’" - I hope that means more to you than it does to me!
So, how do SWT get away with running these trains on that branch when they can't run them anywhere else?

[Phil]

adw said:

So, how do SWT get away with running these trains on that branch when they can't run them anywhere else?

That branch line is run on the modern equivalent of 'one engine in steam' so collisions are impossible

[Christopher J]

adw said:

when they can't run them anywhere else?

The two 3CIGs that operate the line (1497 'Freshwater' and 1498 'Farringford') have been highly refurbished to keep them running for more time.

Take a look at paulbigland.fotopic.net/c537323.html

But on the Mainline, apparently Slam Door workings ended on Monday (Or Tuesday, can't remember)

I was at Waterloo East on Monday waiting for a train to Charing Cross, a 376 'Suburban' Electrostar turned up on the Metro platforms, as I got on and the doors closed, VEP 3454 turned up on the Mainline platforms AND got to Charing Cross quicker than us! (we had to wait for a Networker to clear our platform) So I missed my last possible ride on a SET Slammer. (I would of gone back down to Kent on it if I had the time, but I was in quite a rush)

[chris]

I saw one of those trains leaving Poole and it confused me why it was there.

[Deleted]

The South Eastern slammers aren't gone yet! There was one at Cannon Street this afternoon.

[silverbaz]

Not 100% certain but I think Southern have still got the odd 1 or 2 "Slammers" knocking about.

[Deleted]

The last slammers on South Eastern are now scheduled for withdrawal mid-September.