Southern Electric Group
Other Third Rail
Electric Multiple Units and Locomotives
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Southern Electric GroupOther Third Rail
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Back to Southern Electric Preservation
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Two examples of 1930s built sliding door rolling stock as used on the LMSR Merseyside third rail dc network survive into preservation. The Wirral & Mersey and Liverpool & Southport lines were adsorbed into the LMSR company in 1923 and are part of today’s Merseyrail. BR Class 507 and 508 units introduced to the area in the 1980s replaced the pre-war trains. The 630V Liverpool & Southport Class 502 trains were built by the LMSR at Derby works in 1938 with English Electric traction equipment. Driving motor car 28361 and driving trailer car 29896 are two cars from a normal three car unit stopped in August 1980. This unit is currently in store at Kineton Mod Depot.
On the Wirral & Mersey lines, Class 503 650V units from Birmingham RC&W and Metropolitan Cammell with BTH electrical equipment were also built in 1938. A complete three car unit of driving motor 28690, trailer 29720 and driving trailer 29289 was saved after withdrawal in March 1985. The driving trailer car 29289 is owned by Wirral Borough Council, although it is cared for by the Suburban Electric Railway Association and is located at Birkenhead Transport Museum. The other two coaches at owned by the Suburban Electric Railway Association and are located at Coventry Railway Centre which is at Coventry Airport.
The former Liverpool Overhead Railway was never absorbed into a main line company. Car 3, a driving motor, is at the Liverpool City Museum. Trailer car 7 is owned by the Suburban Electric Railway Association and is located at Coventry Railway Centre which is at Coventry Airport.
An early survivor also from the LMSR group is ex-LNWR Oerlikon equipped car 28249 built by Metropolitan Cammell in 1915 from the Euston to Watford “new line” electrification. This car is also part of the National Railway Museum collection.
In 1957 British Railways built 3 car units similar to the Southern’s 2EPBs. These units operated the third rail dc system from Broad Street and London Euston to Richmond and Watford Junction. They were replaced by Class 313 units. 3 Coaches remain in existence: 1 coach is in departmental use; the other 2 coaches (trailer second 70170 and driving trailer second 75186) are being used as personnel carriers by the Marchwood Military Railway. The Suburban Electric Railway Association are hoping to be able to preserve all 3 coaches so that a Class 501 unit could again be reformed.
The third rail dc system around Newcastle-upon-Tyne was de-electrified by British Rail in the 1960s. The displaced 2EPB units were transferred to the Southern Region of British Rail and one unit survives. Subsequently electric traction returned to parts of the network by a further conversion of heavy rail routes to the Tyne & Wear Metro.
None of the North Eastern Railway or LNER built passenger trains survive although the standard units introduced in the 1950s found later use on the Southern Electric. However, two other items of NER remain in existance today, both part of the National Railway Museum collection.
E26500 is a BoBo electric locomotive built by the NER at Gateshead in 1903 for special work over ashort but difficult freight connection with severe grades and tunnel sections. This and a similar machine were equipped by BTH for both third rail and overhead 600/630V dc operation. E26500 was originally NER No.1 later LNER 6480 before designation as class ES1 by BR.
1904 built single motor coach numbered 900730 survived until 1938 on winter de-icing duties. This was originally a motor parcels and luggage van built by the NER at York works.