Orpington Electrification Centenary

[contrex]

It seems odd to think that scheduled electric services from Holborn Viaduct and Victoria to Orpington will have started 100 years ago on 12 July 2025. It makes me feel super old because I can remember the original electric units (all right, they were augmented from three to four cars). The last were only finally withdrawn in early 1962, when I was aged 9 3/4. I remember reading an account by OS Nock of hearing the sound of the new collector shoes 'skirling' (sounding as bagpipes do?) on the new conductor rails. It also makes me feel old that Orpington has seen four or five 'generations' of units (1925 stock, Bulleid Subs/EPBs, BR Standard EPBs, Networkers/Electrostars, and 707s).

 

[alf]

What about Bulleid’s 4 SUBs?
I travelled on them from 1959 to 1964 from Charing Cross to Grove Park & they terminated at Orpington & were interchangeable with the Holborn Viaduct trains.
They had great passenger capacity. Each unit of four 63 foot coaches had seats for 406 well upholstered seats plus two large guard/mailbag areas.

 

[contrex]

What about Bulleid’s 4 SUBs?

I never knew SUBs to run on the Vic/Holborn to Orpington services; that doesn't mean they never did, of course. I tend to forget the types I didn't actually see or ride in, so I also didn't twig until recently that Bulleid SUBs had spells on the Holborn Viaduct - Wimbledon - Sutton - West Croydon - Victoria 'roundabouts' and also that 6-PUL/PAN type stock helped out on the Kent Coast in summer 1966 or 1967 prior to their final demise.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Were Holborn Viaduct services all day at the start of electrification? Or was the third rail only used along the “City Line” during the peaks?

 

[30907]

What about Bulleid’s 4 SUBs?
I travelled on them from 1959 to 1964 from Charing Cross to Grove Park & they terminated at Orpington & were interchangeable with the Holborn Viaduct trains.
They had great passenger capacity. Each unit of four 63 foot coaches had seats for 406 well upholstered seats plus two large guard/mailbag areas.

You will have travelled in the (almost identical) Bulleid-style EPBs, as the SUBs migrated West about 1959 - the 10-car scheme in the mid 50s needed the 2-EPBs to work. As you say, they had loads of seats - but standing between 12 seated passengers in a compartment was less fun!

Were Holborn Viaduct services all day at the start of electrification? Or was the third rail only used along the “City Line” during the peaks?

All day - though IIRC the Catford Loop terminated at St Paul's aka Blackfriars to start with.

 

[Taunton]

You will have travelled in the (almost identical) Bulleid-style EPBs, as the SUBs migrated West about 1959 - the 10-car scheme in the mid 50s needed the 2-EPBs to work.

I believe the Eastern Division was also upgraded to 750V by 1962 as part of the Kent Coast electrification, and all the pre-EPB stock there, insulated only to 650V, was cleared out to other divisions, and then prohibited from use there.

 

[contrex]

I believe the Eastern Division was also upgraded to 750V by 1962 as part of the Kent Coast electrification, and all the pre-EPB stock there, insulated only to 650V, was cleared out to other divisions, and then prohibited from use there.

On the BR(S) South Eastern Division (formerly the Southern Railway Eastern Section), only the areas electrified under the Kent Coast scheme were supplied at 750v in 1962, as far as I know. This was true until quite recently, I believe. And I gather that the prohibition of pre-1951 stock in all 750v areas was restricted to stock with series heating and lighting chains as these were not rated for the the higher voltage. Hence 6PUL/6PAN stock helping out on the Kent Coast in 1967 (I think) because they had motor-generator sets for light & heat, and SUBs only being allowed onto the Bournemouth scheme to go to Eastleigh for some reason if a member of the CM&EE staff had removed the lighting and heating fuses (although I have heard that drivers did this sometimes).

Carriage Working Notices included this appendix note: "4-(Sub) Units must not run in passenger services between Pirbright Junction and Bournemouth or below Gillingham and Sevenoaks. Empty movements within these areas may be arranged provided lighting and heating circuits are made inoperative by the CM&EE Dept. Lighting and heating will, however, be made available as necessary in the driving cabs and in these circumstances, the guard may ride in the rear driving cab".

A 4-SUB (4749) ran a tour in 1982 which ventured onto the SED's 750V territory. There was a stop at Maidstone East to pull out the lighting fuses, then the tour went Ashford - Canterbury West - Ramsgate - Faversham - Gillingham, and back into the 660V area where the fuses were put back as the tour went through several longer tunnels in the London area where lighting was deemed necessary. It was agreed that the tour could pass through the short tunnels east of Maidstone East in darkness, but routing via Tonbridge would not have been possible, as that would have meant going through Sevenoaks tunnel with no lights. It being August, the heating fuses had been removed at Selhurst prior to setting out.

I have read that trips involving the Sarah Siddons ex-Met loco were apt to be exciting on 750V, with overvoltage cutouts popping out merrily, but no damage caused.