End of the Line for Britain's OLDEST Electric Train

End of the Line for Britain's OLDEST Electric Train - Southern's Class 313!

Рет қаралды 62,001

Жыл бұрын

In this video, we'll be taking a look at Southern's elderly Class 313 units, which are due to be retired at the May 2023 timetable change. These workhorses have been on the UK's rail network for almost 50 years now and are certainly showing their age... so join me as we take one last ride on them as they reach the end of the line!
Journey Details:
Date of Travel - April 2023
Operator - Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway)
Train type - Class 313
Origin - Seaford
Destination - Brighton
Price - £23 (Southern Daysave, booked 3 days in advance)
Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed the video!
Music from EpidemicSound and is used under license.
A massive thanks to the following for their contributions to this video:
Part Time Spotter - As mentioned in the video, please do check out his blog for useful information/allocations on riding these trains ahead of their retirement: partimespotter.wordpress.com/
Coastway Will - Check him out here! coastway_will
Follow me on social media:
Twitter - midland__london
Instagram - midlandlondon
Support the channel here: ko-fi.com/midlandlondon
#southern #class313 #coastway #Brighton #travel #trains #tripreport #vlog

Пікірлер: 270

@RB-xl1nd Жыл бұрын

I love the BR livery. Simple and classic.

@leonblittle226 Жыл бұрын

It's good when clean but so miserable when it's filthy

@MASSspec1990 Жыл бұрын

@@leonblittle226 everything is miserable when filthy.

@ShodaiGojira-xn3xk Жыл бұрын

@@MASSspec1990 For a steam train, it's either heading for scrap, or have been a hard working horse.

@Sim0nTrains Жыл бұрын

Nice to see Big blue! Honestly going to miss the Class 313s. Great video

@stone_me1136 Жыл бұрын

I worked on these trains in the 1970's at the Railway Technical Centre, Derby, helping to design the interiors. Can't be 50 ago! They followed the PEP prototype units, and I remember we nicknamed PEP - Pack Em Perpendicular.

@christophermatthews6972 Жыл бұрын

I have heard the 4EPB units called Excessively Packed with Bodies.

@Chevy-jordan Жыл бұрын

Derby ❤

@trainrover Жыл бұрын

we used to take them out to Hertfordshire and back, and they made me think of that show _Space 1999_ the way they magically floated along tunnelling...they champion the metro or even the Expo-Express that had been here

@andybaker2456 Жыл бұрын

I remember when they were coming into service in South London, they were positively space-aged compared to what we were used to! I remember waiting on the platform at Clapham Junction and being so disappointed if my train pulled in and it was one of the old trains with the slam-shut doors! 😊

@avalon7902 Жыл бұрын

The slam door stock was far superior though: Luggage vans. Toilets on some stock. First Class for important people. Very simple mechanics and control gear.

@mickandmj Жыл бұрын

I was thinking this ...not sure I want to admit my age!!

@1paultay Жыл бұрын

I was 4 in 1980 when the 508s started to usurp the reign of the 4-SUBS on the Mole Valley line via Stoneleigh. I remember my dad telling me that the 4-SUBs were the "ordinary" trains and the 508s the "modern" ones on our weekly Saturday traipse up to Waterloo to see the museums etc. The 508s did indeed look space age with their magical slidey doors and smoked glass tinted windows, but I loved the aroma of brake-fluid, tobacco and mouldy upholstery of the 4-SUBS.

@1paultay Жыл бұрын

Shame the windows didn't synchronise with the seats

@soundseeker63 Жыл бұрын

You'd never guess they are THAT old just by looking at them. But thinking about it, I guess they must be! I remember seeing them as kid back in NSE days (later Silverlink) on local services out of Euston, and of course the FCC units out of King's X. I also recall the very similar 315 (25kv only) units on GE local services out of Liverpool street - They looked really good in FGE livery. Many Scottish viewers will also recognise them as very similar to their 314s, and of course the DC-only class 507/508 continue in service (for now) on Merseyrail service. Overall the 313 or PEP design and following varient classes have been a significant if unglamorous contributor to the UK rail network for 5 decades. I'm pleased to see Southern are doing something to mark their passing (and yes BR blue/grey looks far classier) and that one unit will be preserved. After the many millions of miles of basic but reliable commuter services they have put in, they deserve to be momorialised in some way. Sometimes, BR did get things right after all!

@camotech1314 Жыл бұрын

Blue livery looks great !! 😁

@peterbradburn9115 Жыл бұрын

Literal first thought was just how good that looks in its BT livery. Proper smart

@Internationale7 Жыл бұрын

I commuted on these regularly, glad to see them go, deeply uncomfortable to ride on.

@ANobodyatall Жыл бұрын

They actually look quite modern!

@MrAsBBB Жыл бұрын

The reason for the dirty seats is because of some people’s insistence on putting their feet on the seats. I’ve seen many a conductor ask someone to take their feet of the seats and after the conductor had gone they promptly put their dirty feet back on the seat. I am sure they wouldn’t want people putting muck on their seats at home? Great video BTW.

@berndbarthel6885 Жыл бұрын

Minute seven : in the late 80th I took a nightferry from Dieppe to Newhaven. The boat was late and the train already waiting in front of the station, behind the bordercontrol. This train was waiting until all passengers did pass the control-my first visit to the UK!

@barrieshepherd7694 Жыл бұрын

I remember that the original seats had separate, removable, swabs and backs - the concept being that damage could be rectified quickly to allow trains back in service ASAP.

@PeteS_1994 Жыл бұрын

I think I remember it on silverlink with occasional seat pads that were falling off as a kid

@ClinkItsNicko Жыл бұрын

The BR Blue and White was such a classic livery. RIP Class 313 (1976 - 2023)… You will be missed I remember going on them only once during their last weeks on the Overground in 2010 going to Stratford from Clapham Junction and watching them in action on the East Coastway a couple years ago.

@SMX815 Жыл бұрын

Sussex by the sea, Seaford railway station is like going back time 🙏👏

@niceuneasy Жыл бұрын

Lol these old trains i still remember old carriages having self opening doors no safety locks and windows opening up 👍👍

@francishuddy9462 Жыл бұрын

Really excellent film. As for Newhaven, I have enjoyed the privilege - back in June, 1987 - of getting the London Victoria - Newhaven - Dieppe boat-train ... (That is, a train from London Victoria to Newhaven, which draws up alongside the ferry).

@manmeetsinghmahajan6183 Жыл бұрын

Amazing.

@NickRatnieks Жыл бұрын

These trains were very light and when introduced on to Surrey commuter lines suffered from slipping due to rail conditions- mainly, leaves on the line- so many were sent to Merseyside where one assumes trees do not grow! In fact, not all the carriages went there and the new build stock that replaced the slam door trains beginning in the early 80s had one included in each set- so the roof line is lower where that carriage is in the set. Do these trains have re-cycled electric motors from earlier stock? That was the beauty of Southern electric- many key components went on forever -but not any longer, which makes so much sense in this "Great Age of Sustainability".

@jacobporrett Жыл бұрын

Glad I got to travel on them. I had a good day when I went on them.

@somax1259 Жыл бұрын

no please dont let them go i love them

@oldtechnobodycaresabout Жыл бұрын

as much as I like them... They aren't that practical compared to newer trains

@GWJUK Жыл бұрын

Having commuted on them I was more than happy to lose them on my line

@Keithbarber Жыл бұрын

Sorry, but their time is up and they gotta go

@Class777 Жыл бұрын

All good things must come to a end eventually

@EdgyNumber1 Жыл бұрын

5:45 Great shots. There's something of a romanticised feeling about being on the southeast coast, especially the closer you get to Dover. The idea that it's the frontier of the British Isles before heading off to see the rest of the world to the east. The fact that both land masses are around the same level, and the fact that in some cases the English Channel during low tide is surface shallow in some spots, shows us just how connected we are to the continent - despite the Channel separating us.

@borderlands6606 Жыл бұрын

How many men disembarked at those south coast stations in WW1 and WW2, and wondered if they'd see home again?

@markrl75 Жыл бұрын

@@borderlands6606 - There's plenty of people now disembarking daily from dinghies who never want to return home again 😂😂

@bored_12873 Жыл бұрын

Sad to see them go but also very happy to finally get new trains

@Sophiebryson510 Жыл бұрын

Going to miss them

@leonsacher3919 Жыл бұрын

i’ll miss em i’ll miss em… i just loved how they sound u got a few recordings with the 313 blasting it’s horn oh boy was i happy after watching those self recorded videos… i have also gotten footage of a farewell tour and oh boy i almost cried… may they rest in peace 1976-2023…

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

Seek medical help.

@leonsacher3919 Жыл бұрын

@@steveluckhurst2350 wat

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

@@leonsacher3919 can't you read? Obviously you can't spell.

@EricH_1983 Жыл бұрын

Sad to see them go, time has flown..

@owenbuddery3441 Жыл бұрын

I attended the class 313 farewell tour wearing my British Rail uniform on the day

@janinebedfordl Жыл бұрын

BR livery please ! I'm old enough to just think that that's what trains "should" look like

@neilmuggeridge7790 Жыл бұрын

I love the old BR blue and white.

@pn112upfast Жыл бұрын

Well explained thank you

@PeterShieldsukcatstripey Жыл бұрын

Will miss her.

@amanda_wm_3261 Жыл бұрын

Bravo! Thanks

@HSMiyamoto 4 ай бұрын

For all the criticism of BR, the liveries that came in the era of the HSTs are beautiful. Not boring, but still dignified.

@parttimespotter2027 Жыл бұрын

Excellent video as always and thanks for the mention

@lovefive5733 Жыл бұрын

A fantastic video. Thank you for your time in making this video

@gglivetv Жыл бұрын

Here in Italy you can fins a couple of locomotives from 1958...

@southern.spotter Жыл бұрын

amazing video

@Steve14ps Жыл бұрын

The Class 507 and 508 units on Merseyrail date back to the 1970s, as I write they are still in service, but are slowly being replaced

@andrewjditton Жыл бұрын

Very enjoyable video. The effort you have put into making it clearly shows. Thank you!

@andrewreynolds4949 Жыл бұрын

Great Northern has put out a tender for units, and it is speculated they will pick up the 379s and send the 387/1s south. Southern would still be short units for a year or so

@Fluteboy Жыл бұрын

I used to hate the 313's with a passion, but that was likely due to their shoddy performance on the Silverlink network. Doors that staff occasionally had to wrench open, or with *DEFECTIVE DOOR OUT OF USE* stuck on the window. Seats that wouldn't stay fixed to the base, so you were tilted sideways. Roofs that would leak in very heavy rain, which made me avoid the car with the pantograph! They always seemed to run at a snails pace too.

@stewartsteinecke7301 Жыл бұрын

Awful trains. Not sure Anyone commenting has ever travelled on one.

@Volvoman90 Жыл бұрын

Taking these units from Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton on a stopping service was the "highlight" of my week while at university.

@RoManiAC_979 Жыл бұрын

You should do Corby to London with EMR with first class if possible

@emjackson2289 Жыл бұрын

And after that, its the Tyne & Wear Metro. I never complain about the SE getting loads of £ given the Type 1 EMUs getting 51 yrs service, but its mad how many generations the SE has had vs the NE excl. the Pacer (which was crap).

@chrism2279 Жыл бұрын

Silverlink used to lock the windows to stop people throwing the easily detachable seat cushions out the window. Roasting in summer!

@jacksonandson Жыл бұрын

Hopefully the first one built will be preserved.

@danielsellers8707 Жыл бұрын

Going to the National Railway Museum.

@snafufubar 10 ай бұрын

@danielsellers8707, unfortunately not. They are sending one used by Network Rail as it still has the old seats in it. Old blue will be trashed.

@StarwarsFannick Жыл бұрын

Nice video.

@anthonytull1611 Жыл бұрын

Favourite Livery: Blue & Grey.

@crownjulesgaming542 Жыл бұрын

I’m not a huge fan of older trains but I love all of the PEP trains. The motors, the design, the sound of the resistor fans when the train sets off. I have used the merseyrail PEPs frequently and they are my favourite.

@downonthestour Жыл бұрын

Woah! Cameo with my poundland bag at the end :D Great video as per Midland!

@OMtheRails Жыл бұрын

I was wondering who’s that was 😭😅 many thanks DOTS!

@mikedurkin3654 Жыл бұрын

These trains are alike to the 507/508 class trains 🚆

@niceuneasy Жыл бұрын

Subbed 👍👍

@westyham1 Жыл бұрын

The BR livery

@marcinklimas2670 Жыл бұрын

Polish EN57-038 60 years in sevices. It is operating Tłuszcz- Ostrołęka line.

@theironlemon_4156 Жыл бұрын

as a regular on this service the BR paint job is best. as much as i hate the old things i'm sad to see them go.

@MASSspec1990 Жыл бұрын

Can they paint more in the BR scheme? Looks fantastic in its simplicity.

@bobblachford1327 Жыл бұрын

Must be time to send it to the Isle of Wight railway

@davidw1518 Жыл бұрын

Well, I remember when the 313s were first introduced (was it really 1976? I thought it was 1975). I was living in Palmers Green (London N.13) and took the train every day to Moorgate. The revolutionary characteristic of the 313s was that they could run on either an overhead wire or a third rail. At Drayton Park, the overhead pantograph would be lowered, and the third-rail shoe would pick up the power for the remainder of the journey into Moorgate. So technologically innovative! You mention, in relation to the lack of any toilets, that the 313s currently sometimes run all the way from Brighton to Portsmouth. Back in the day, they ran from Hertford North and/or Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate. Is Brighton - Portsmouth actually further than Hertford North - Moorgate? Ironically, I now live on the south coast of Sussex, not far from Seaford, and I recently travelled on a 313 from Brighton to Lewes (where I changed for a train that came from London and went on to Eastbourne and Hastings). They just won't let go of me! But they are very basic, and not very comfortable, so they won't be a big loss, apart from the nostalgia.

@ReubenAshwell Жыл бұрын

Brilliant video of the Southern Class 313's, they will indeed be missed. I like the blue livery, it's a shame I've failed to see it up close in person.

@stewartsteinecke7301 Жыл бұрын

Not missed by people that travel on them.

@darrin0044 Жыл бұрын

I used to travel on these daily when they were running from Watford Junction to Euston with Silverlink and later London Overground.

@1paultay Жыл бұрын

It would be nice to hear the old girl express herself in her own inimitably mellifluous fashion, uninterrupted by well-meaning but ultimately intrusively egotistical 21st-century tech-human interventions :)

@joshuaW5621 Жыл бұрын

I sure hope these units are preserved.

@danielsellers8707 Жыл бұрын

313001 is said to be going to the National Railway Museum, same with Northern's 150001.

@michellebell5092 Жыл бұрын

Oh and I like the current Southern livery.

@sr6424 Жыл бұрын

In the 1980s I was staying in Brighton and went on a day trip to France. In the morning our train terminated at marine. In the evening we returned from Harbour, a 5 minute walk. It did seem pretty pointless having a separate station even then. I guess since the tunnel was built, going by boat and train across that part of the channel is obsolete!

@brproductions248 Жыл бұрын

I think the modern BR livery is the best, its nice and simple and easy for a child to draw

@davidaarthur Жыл бұрын

Now I want to see some current-generation trains in that livery!

@SteamboatWilley Жыл бұрын

GBRF did a Class 66 in large logo. Does that count?

@aviano72 Жыл бұрын

Nice English weather

@gftyhify Жыл бұрын

Aside from the different interior and livery these train look very similar to the class 314s which operated in Glasgow and the surrounding towns and villages from 1979-2019. I used them a lot

@chompette_ Жыл бұрын

Wow had no idea they were from the 70's when I took them from Moulsecoomb to Brighton at uni, hopefully a set or a few get put aside for preservation.

@None-zc5vg Жыл бұрын

They're said to be trying to keep '313001' from being broken up.

@danielsellers8707 Жыл бұрын

@@None-zc5vg I read it will be presented to the National Railway Museum.

@davebirch1976 Жыл бұрын

It's hard to believe these are older than the Pacers.

@Ron_TTE Жыл бұрын

I wish I could catch313201 but wasn’t out on the day I visited them

@icenijohn2 Жыл бұрын

At 11:37 I spy with my little eye an American yellow Blue Bird school bus hiding behind the bushes. WTH? Why would someone in England want to drive a rickety rattly old Blue Bird with the steering wheel in the wrong place? I rode that line quite a few times when visiting a school friend of mine who lived in Bishopstone Village, but in those days Southease was called Southease And Rodmell Halt, and there were still the Newhaven boat trains from Victoria. The Seaford branch even had trains from Horstead Keynes before the Ardingly branch was closed to passenger trains in 1963, and they were old 2BIL and 2HAL units (with more comfortable seats than modern trains...).

@edwardvincentbriones5062 Жыл бұрын

In between the BR blue and Southern Coastway green, its a nobrainer choice. The Southern Coastway livery is always more colorful than the bland blue. The typeface will always reminds me of the old Southern Railway. Farewell, 313.

@user-is4uy5tp5n 10 ай бұрын

Sames, definitely the BR livery.

@JoeyLovesTrains Жыл бұрын

You can see the little indent on the roof where the pantograph would go

@davidfalconer8913 Жыл бұрын

Slam door trains were good ... they enabled EASY EXIT in the case of emergency ( note the recent London Underground PANIC when smoke appeared ! ) busted windows etc ... DAVE™ 🛑

@mikemulvaney3311 Жыл бұрын

Merseyrail still using them well class 507s & 508s till next year on the Southport line

@toddhunter3137 Жыл бұрын

These Trains must have been hand me downs from elsewhere, because I don't remember these trains running on the southern lines whenever I used to visit down there, it was always really rough old slam door trains . The only train i recall that was a little bit more modern was the Brighton - Bedford train.

@jsp7202 Жыл бұрын

They used to work on the London commuter lines for years. The first one I rode was out of Moorgate, although I don't remember where I alighted.

@borderlands6606 Жыл бұрын

@@jsp7202 The class will be forever associated with Broad Street Station and the North London Line. Now the 313 is following Broad Street into railway history. It's right that 3x2 high density stock is to be preserved. The modernised coaches are more comfortable, but less symbolic of the routes the 313 was developed for.

@jsp7202 Жыл бұрын

@@borderlands6606 although Broad Street is the only London termini that I had never used I always associated it with the old class 501, which I had never ridden. How I wish I had but oh well.

@borderlands6606 Жыл бұрын

@@jsp7202 The 501 was pretty horrible in reality, I travelled on them regularly into Euston. Cramped seating with "prison" bars on the windows owing to close clearances. Broad Street Station was run down in its later years, but still atmospheric until it became a temporary platform hovering over a building site.

@adam200784 Жыл бұрын

Once these go then the oldest fleet is the Class 507/508's on Merseyrail network if I remember right. They are from 1978-80 & are being replaced too

@Seagull81006 Жыл бұрын

At this rate, the class 484/230 is gonna end up being the oldest multiple units in use on national rail, which is odd as they are meant to be new

@ashleyjiscool Жыл бұрын

Unless… Network rail buys the Albany railway tracks

@Feddergenetics Жыл бұрын

THE OLDEST is the underground trains VICTORIA line 1972 !! Now still going

@Seagull81006 Жыл бұрын

@@Feddergenetics You mean Bakerloo, the victoria line have 2009 stock. Besides, i meant on national rail.

@andrewreynolds4949 Жыл бұрын

The oldest multiple units will be the Merseyrail units. Still older than those (and the 313s) are the Mark 3 stock (Scotrail will be holding on to those for quite a while too)

@Psevdonim123 Жыл бұрын

@@Seagull81006 well actually since Bakerloo line is partially on National Rail network (so is District, but it has new trains so nobody cares) from Queen's Park to Harrow & Wealdstone, 72 stock is required to have TOPS number to record data when it's on national rail tracks so technically, 1972 stock is also a BR class 499/2, thus it's the oldest EMU, not only on the Underground, but also on the National Rail as well. Ironically, the previous oldest stock on NR was Class 483, which is also a former 1938 tube stock

@nnnormski2208 Жыл бұрын

Appreciate the old BR livery , the Double Arrows would have made it look more complete though.

@SwitchbackSylveon Жыл бұрын

10:43 I once made the mistake of going to Brighton on a match day, never again, the trains were absolute chaos and I don't want to do that again.

@uk-martin4905 Жыл бұрын

It is alarming to reflect I was watching these new-fangled units from the Finsbury Park 'railway viewing platform' in 1977. I had grown up with BR South Suburban EMUs - magnificently-styled class Class 415 EPB units - and had little time for these unattractive units. Having said that, the BR livery is rather fine, although it is a shame that the passenger doors had to be painted for 'visibility' purposes. I don't recall passengers failing to locate the doors in 1977......

@davepoole9520 Жыл бұрын

I'm rather surprised you didn't mention the remains of Bishopstone Beach (aka Tidemills) station. There's certainly a bit of history behind the lost village.

@sleepyash5730 Жыл бұрын

Love the content mate can you do a video on the class 507 and class 508 on mersyeail root as they are being replaced soon id love to see a vid on them thanks

@jasongnrfan7374 Жыл бұрын

Good to see theres a conductor on board as i didnt think London train companies had any other than Gwr

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

All the conductors are being replaced by "revenue collectors" when the 313s go.

@jasongnrfan7374 Жыл бұрын

@@steveluckhurst2350 that sucks

@OllieTastersall Жыл бұрын

I never knew that there was an intention to take the line all the way to Eastbourne. The gradients alone, around the Seven Sisters and Beachyhead sections of the South Downs are probably some of the most dramatic.

@avalon7902 Жыл бұрын

We can be glad they didn't. The beauty of The Seven Sisters, Seaford Head, and Beachy Head is that it is not too easy to get to.

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

@@avalon7902 what rubbish!

@joegrey9807 Жыл бұрын

I've never heard of this before, and struggle to believe it was ever a thing (other than in the minds of a 19th century crayonista). The line was built to serve Newhaven, and extended to Seaford because it was easy to do so. To go beyond Seaford would require substantial tunnelling just to get to the Cuckmere, then along a flood prone valley to rejoin the main line near Berwick, it would serve two villages, but other than that have very little value for a great deal of expense. A more direct route from Seaford to Eastbourne would require a 7 mile tunnel, well beyond what had been done before, for very little benefit. It's worth noting that the LBSCR also built Littlehampton station as a through station, with AFAIK no plans to extend the line.

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

@@joegrey9807 This fool's research is woeful. SEF was never intended to be a through station. It had a turntable at the end of the platform!

@Westlondontransportguy7045 Жыл бұрын

Also rip the class 321

@paulanderson7796 Жыл бұрын

These were dual voltage I think? 750 vDC and 25kVAC overhead. Northern City line ran these for many years.

@roboftherock Жыл бұрын

That cacophony of train horns has replaced the cacophony of detonators which were placed on the track in previous years for a 'last train' event.

@SteamboatWilley Жыл бұрын

Guessing the seats have been replaced at some point. The Class 314s used by Scotrail had 2+3 seating with the original low-backed but well-cushioned BR seats right up to the end. As for Liveries, I've never been mad keen on BR blue (which is rather drab), and always preferred Network Southeast.

@andrewesdaile9484 Жыл бұрын

They were also used on Merseyrail until the 2004

@HeyItsAJOmega Жыл бұрын

Oh heck, the timetable change is May 21st right? I'd best hurry, I had no idea they were going so quickly!

@punkemoandy Жыл бұрын

You can see where the track would have spurred off from Eastbourne, just after the old Bedfordwell pumping station.

@leeroberts1192 Жыл бұрын

Network Rail AFAIK have got one so unless their one is being scrapped, the 313 class will continue to be the oldest class on the national network

@askinlad Жыл бұрын

we have them In Liverpool to on Mersyrail.

@harrisonsnazel7482 Жыл бұрын

My favourite is the train you were riding on. Two reasons 1. I like the colours. 2. It was the first train to be built (like you said), and it gives a lot of history

@trainspotting101 Жыл бұрын

I think some services end up going to LDN victoria

@steveluckhurst2350 Жыл бұрын

Nope

@AirTaxiA370 Жыл бұрын

0:06 crunchy third rail

@michellebell5092 Жыл бұрын

I’m getting quite nostalgic about southern EMUs. Can we start calling them “Heritage” EMUs. I keep opining about possibly having a heritage electric railway. I know of several health & safety concerns, but it would just be nice to see VEPs, Subs and455, yes 313s running for posterity !