A Stock withdrawals - Discussion

Shunting was done via a Tractor pulling with a chain on the far side out of shot.

Wouldn't it have been easier and safer to have a shunting loco stationed at the end of the siding to draw them forward and push them back?

I feel the A Stock were really withdrawn when the last 'silver' unit was defaced with graffiti back in the 1980s and the then ineffective, spineless, Met Line management sat back and let this happen. The refurb brought back a presentable extrernal image (until recently) but the original design concept - unpainted aluminium, Train Red fleetname and car numbers, crew-operated; had been lost. In contrast the CO/CP and R Stock looked almost original when it was their turn to go. I shall mourn the last A Stock like many on here, and did work on them for a while, but to me they actually went years' ago!...

No, it was because the A stock could be got there easily, loaded on to the lorries without a separate crane and suitable, if tight, road access.

A stock has been up to Derby by rail before and can travel on NR on several selected routes

Which "small branch lines" are they? Booths is off the Sheffield - Donny line and I believe stock has been transferred by rail before - there is a connection. I'd assume they could go up the MML.

perhaps bronzeonion should get his facts right and brush up his knowledge before he jumps in the deep-end! lol

The TrainSpots website says that Booth's are open on Sat morning for enthusiast visits. Since this is so out of keeping with modern H&S practice I wonder if this was true, and is true now? I've emailed Booth's website but presently await their reply. Now would be a good time to go with both 67TS and A Stock cars being scrapped there.

I apologise for this being OTT but re the EE Type 3 per Norbitonflyer (37): a railtour ran in the early 1980s with 2 x EE Class 1s (Class 20) from Marylebone through Amersham to Aylesbury and on. Perhaps the last time that this has been possible? Also a Class 25 [25306, 17th December 1981] was trialled on the Met including Uxbridge branch and down to Neasden.

Nope. Its the only place on the MET with road rail access.

A class 37 is a Type 3 - the only Type 2s supplied to BR by English Electric were the ten "Baby Deltics" D5900 class (Class 23). Not a huge success: I understand the duty cycles typical for a Type 2 (lots of stopping and starting) were unkind to the Deltic design, which was better at sustained high speed running. Nevertheless, someone is trying to recreate one by putting a 9cyl Napier Deltic engine into a shortened Class 37 bodyshell sitting on Class 20 bogies.

English Electric did also supply conventional engines rated at 1470bhp, and thus Type 2, to replace the original Mirrlees engines in the D5500 class (class 30, becomiong class 31 after the transplant)

It is a thought but do keep in mind that there's the Acton meet in March, and we may possibly have something up our sleeves for the summer - we are keen to avoid too many meets right on top of one another and thus keep the "cost" of membership as low as we can (ie, cost of rail travel and drinks in pubs).

That's not to say it's not a goer, but I think it's safe to say we'd be cautious in terms of making such a visit a full on members meet....

Would anybody be able to kindly advise about the status of the following three units? I've not noted them in passenger service for the approximate number of weeks indicated:
- 5018 (5 weeks)
- 5074 (7 weeks)
- 5134 (10 weeks)
5134 was noted on this forum at the end of November as having worked to Acton with 5157. The latter unit has been back in service for several weeks now.

When you say one is still over at Upminster, this seems to be on a rolling basis now (ie, there's now always one at Upminster). They are swapped over as required during the night, engineering works permitting.

The last swap occurred on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning IIRC - I can get the unit number in there tonight, unless anyone beats me to it....