Oldest stock you've travelled in on the network.

[fyldetrainfan]

Oldest trains I remember travelling in would be the class 101s that still lingered around the Manchester area, in the mid to late 90s. They were about 40 years old by then.

 

[30907]

None of the Bulleid-designed 4-SUBs and 4-EPBs were built on second-hand underframes, were they?

Yes they were. And bogies. Typically dating from late 1920s.

Last pre-grouping bodied stock was withdrawn at the end of 1959 but pretty much all the frames were reused. The 1925-6 new builds lasted into 1962.

Source: David Brown, Southern Electric volume 1.

 

[steamybrian]

The oldest stock I travelled on was ...
On the Isle of Wight in 1966- Hauled with the 02 class 0-4-4T with pregrouping LBSCR non-corridor stock a few of which were preserved by the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
Also travelled many times on the former LT 1920s built Standard Tube stock which were introduced with electrification in 1967.
On the mainland I travelled many times in the former LNER Gresley buffet cars which were still operating into the 1970s.
On the former Southern Region travelled many times in pre-war EMUs which were withdrawn in the 1970s such as 4- LAVs, 2 BILs, 4 BUFs/CORs, 6 PUL/PAN ,etc

 

[AJM580]

In my case the oldest stock at the time I travelled in it is the 1938 tube stock on the Isle of Wight, 76 years old on the latest occasion (although I'm not sure whether every vehicle dates right back to 1938). The earliest-built stock I've travelled in is I think the previous generation of IoW trains, which were about 60 years old at the time of my journey.

However, it occurs to me that the Vale of Rheidol Railway was part of BR until 1989, and according to Wikipedia a few of its carriages date back to 1923, older than most of the Standard tube stock, so that could possibly be the earliest-built for me and probably quite a few other people. (The other VoR carriages were built in 1938 and so 51 years old when they ceased to be part of the national network).

None of the Bulleid-designed 4-SUBs and 4-EPBs were built on second-hand underframes, were they?

Ditto for me, I'm glad I read this thread through as at first glance I would have said possibly the 4-Subs that I did in 1973, followed by the Cravens 105 sets in East Anglia. But now I can add the V of R (1985) and the 1938 stock on the IOW. Also did 306017 on the mainline in 1988, pretty sure that dates from late 40s (1949?)

 

[tramdan]

Mine would likely be the mk1s that the NYMR use on the NR line to Whitby.

 

[theageofthetra]

When that EPB hit the buffers at Cannon St in the early 90's weren't the frames found to be rotten (& a contributing factor to the number of injuries) & dated from pre-grouping?

 

[30907]

When that EPB hit the buffers at Cannon St in the early 90's weren't the frames found to be rotten (& a contributing factor to the number of injuries) & dated from pre-grouping?

No and no. I refer you to my previous reply (post #12)

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=140321

 

[RichmondCommu]

What ever was operating on the Waterloo and City in the late 1980's which must have surely been pre WW2.

Edit Just realised that Mr Cowley is asking for mainline stock so that would be Mk1s in the 1970's.

 

[steamybrian]

What ever was operating on the Waterloo and City in the late 1980's which must have surely been pre WW2.

.........

In the 1980s the Waterloo & City Line was operated by class 487 units built in 1940.

 

[gg1]

1938 tube stock on the IoW for me. In mainland Britain it was 306017 which spent a day in 1990 shuttling between Rugby and Northampton.

 

[sk688]

313s on GN suburban between New Barnet - Finsbury Park/Highbury Islington/Moorgate

319s and 321s on London Midland

 

[D6975]

Drain units 1940
IOW 1938
The Gresley buffet that used to be in the Bristol excursion rake.
Not sure of the number, so it could be the oldest, I think the first ones were built in 1936? - no 1935 managed to look up the date, But I think the St Philips Marsh one may have been from the 1937 batch.

 

[robbeech]

Being in my early 30s (i can't say that much longer so i am making the most of it) and not having had the time to go on many trains until a few years back my answer will not be as old as a lot of people here (some younger than me no doubt) but i guess it is interesting to see the variation on stock with age of the forum member and how it often doesn't follow.

So like many the IOW stock and the MKII stock on the West Coast will be the oldest stock i have been on for normal service running.

Rob

 

[D1009]

The original Mersey Railway electric stock, the earliest of which dated back to 1903. They were replaced by the second batch of class 503 stock which entered service in 1956. Before this, IIRC on weekdays the Mersey Railway stock was used exclusively on the New Brighton and Rock Ferry routes, with the class 503s working the longer West Kirby route. On Sundays both types were seen on the whole network as the diagrams were not self contained. I was 9 when the old sets were withdrawn, I remember they had inward opening doors which were not necessarily closed when the train was moving, and clerestory rooves.

 

[47271]

No debate in my mind - by far the oldest for me are the lounges of the Caledonian Sleeper, running at anything up to 45 years old as of now.

Prior to that it was probably a Class 303 in their last days in 2002, but even that wouldn't quite have been as old then as the lounges are now.

At the other extreme, I did travel in a Scotrail 170 on its very first public service in 2003.

 

[Ash Bridge]

No debate in my mind - by far the oldest for me are the lounges of the Caledonian Sleeper, running at anything up to 45 years old as of now.

There are of course some later design vehicles still in everyday 125mph. service that at 45 years of age at least rival these, that being the prototype HST trailer cars, could imagine it's easy to travel in one without realising if not noting the vehicle number.

 

[trash80]

Class 483, just last year.

But apart from the Isle of Wight... Mark 1s back in the 80s.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Yes, I know it isn't strictly 'national network' but there is still 19th century stock in normal (seasonal) service in the Isle of Man. Great rides to be had there.

Some of the cast of The Titfield Thunderbolt film, in 1953 (sadly no longer with us and hence unable to post on this forum) had the pleasure of travelling on the footplate of the steam locomotive "Lion", dating from 1838, when it was already over 114 years old.

 

[Cowley]

Yes, I know it isn't strictly 'national network' but there is still 19th century stock in normal (seasonal) service in the Isle of Man. Great rides to be had there.

Some of the cast of The Titfield Thunderbolt film, in 1953 (sadly no longer with us and hence unable to post on this forum) had the pleasure of travelling on the footplate of the steam locomotive "Lion", dating from 1838, when it was already over 114 years old.

That's an interesting point about Lion Dr Hoo. It must have been some treat for the people that got a chance to ride with it.

 

[kermit]

1931 Manchester - Altrincham units - or possibly IOW stock, which I travelled on in about 1975 - would that have been 1923 units?

 

[222ben]

1931 Manchester - Altrincham units - or possibly IOW stock, which I travelled on in about 1975 - would that have been 1923 units?

Aren't the 1931 Manchester-Altrincham trains class 505?
As for oldest stock I've been on, probably a 508.

 

[D1009]

Aren't the 1931 Manchester-Altrincham trains class 505?

If they were, they certainly weren't referred to as such.

 

[222ben]

I read it in a book, might not be correct

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

For me steam hauled Irish Mail and various relief boat trains in the 50s. Also various tube stock from the 1950s to date and the IoW stock plus various slammers on southern from the 1960s onwards.

 

[kermit]

Aren't the 1931 Manchester-Altrincham trains class 505?

Technically yes, but being withdrawn en masse in April 1971, they didn't get to be renumbered for the TOPS system, which was 1973. Though interestingly, their 1500v DC Manchester cousins, the LNER Bo Bo Woodhead electrics, got "TOPSed" early, in 1970. Apparently.

 

[SouthDevonian]

Sometime in the mid 1950s, when I was about 7, I went on an old LSWR gated coach (images are on Google if interested) on the Callington branch (on which my uncle was a driver). I don't know when they were built but they seemed pretty old, even then. Each coach had a lattice metal gate on each side, rather than doors, into a vestibule. From this, there were doors either side into (I think) the saloons on either end of the coach.

 

[30907]

Sometime in the mid 1950s, when I was about 7, I went on an old LSWR gated coach (images are on Google if interested) on the Callington branch (on which my uncle was a driver). I don't know when they were built but they seemed pretty old, even then. Each coach had a lattice metal gate on each side, rather than doors, into a vestibule. From this, there were doors either side into (I think) the saloons on either end of the coach.

LSWR "gate" stock railmotor sets 372-4 from 1914 (just checked with Mike King's OPC book SR Push and Pull sets. As these were basically unaltered in their lives I think these beat the SR electrics discussed.
I've posted elsewhere (can't find the thread ATM) about travelling on the Westerham branch, possibly in set 481/2 which were converted by the SR from steam railmotor built in 1906 - but these weren't in original condition. So LSWR beats SECR

 

[Cowley]

LSWR "gate" stock railmotor sets 372-4 from 1914 (just checked with Mike King's OPC book SR Push and Pull sets. As these were basically unaltered in their lives I think these beat the SR electrics discussed.
I've posted elsewhere (can't find the thread ATM) about travelling on the Westerham branch, possibly in set 481/2 which were converted by the SR from steam railmotor built in 1906 - but these weren't in original condition. So LSWR beats SECR

I've seen photos of the old gate stock and it almost looks like something from a foreign land. Did any of them enter preservation?

 

[pinkpanther]

I'd guess it would have to be either the occasional pre-nationalisation (buffet?) coach on the ECML in the very early 80s (I definitely remember seeing E suffixes on some, but can't be sure of dates), or the class 485/486 EMUs on the IOW at the time.

Runner up would have to go to the class 506 Hadfield/Glossop DC units at around the same time. I only travelled on one once in 1981, but it was certainly memorable!

 

[30907]

I've seen photos of the old gate stock and it almost looks like something from a foreign land. Did any of them enter preservation?

From memory (I think King's book) the last set (373 at Yeovil, which lasted well into 1959?) was earmarked for preservation but was in too poor condition.