Abandoned trains at Ashford (Kent)

BR Class 423 4-Vop (open plan conversion of the 4-Vep (vestibuled electro-pneumatic) four-car third rail units that were the mainstay of south east commuter services from the late 1960s through to 2005) units 3905 and 3918, formerly of South Eastern, used as tractor units for shunting at the depot. Chart Leacon recently lost 201 jobs, so whether the Vops are still used, I don't know. One was for sale not that long ago, but I don't think there was much interest. It's a shame really, I was quite attached to these rattly, breezey old MK1 commuter units; they had so much character, and a friendly "face". They hold little or no appeal to preservationists, though, as they can only be hauled by air-braked diesels, only truly driven using Class 73s or Class 33/1 "Bagpipes", and they have a million doors to cause maintenance headaches, compared to the 3-a-side of the "low density" 4-Cigs. There is one preserved 4-Vep owned by the Bluebell railway: 3417 "Gordon Pettitt", a BR blue-painted "celebrity" that can still be seen running on the juice occasionally; the Bluebell uses it on their occasional East Grinstead - Imberhorne viaduct shuttles, and it often appears at diesel galas, particularly at the Swanage railway. Interestingly, the Chart Leacon Vops are the last of their kind; 3417 retains its first class compartments.

I miss the old girls.

Apparently at the moment its in secure storage at Clapham Junction depot... according to the latest edition of RAIL (edition 683) page 35...

Sitting happily on #8 shed road today, easily phottable if you have a zoom lens.

The one at Clapham?


450030 & a slammer by Sparkyscrum, on Flickr

I got one shot or historical reasons.