Thumperfest

Class 205 "Thumpers" at Ashford, Rye and Uckfield. Plenty of engine noise and a few views inside the trains. Finishes off with a quick view of St Pancras before it became "international"

[@hans2406]

Love the engine sound

[@1paultay]

Perfect introductory soundtrack

[@TimS366]

The thumper in the rain is just magic. Very much how I remember them.

[@OlafProt]

I grew up in Dorking and we had the Tadpole Class 206 units on the Reading-Tonbridge line so this is the sound of my childhood!

[@bingbong7316]

I had to travel on Tadpoles to get to and from school. Too early for comfort, but a Hastings unit was first train of the day Tonbridge-Redhill-Tonbridge. Nicer, I have to say.

[@gainsbourg66]

Whoever made this has a natural talent for filmng and editing. Captures the essence.

[@ianwalmsley2]

Well it was me, a long time ago.

[@fishbert17]

Used to see these going through East Croydon on their way to Uckfield. Loved the noise!!

[@jonathanbutson1385]

Ian, that was nostalgia par excellence! I worked on the Uckfield line 1991-92. on morning shifts i worked Crowborough ticket office until 10.00, then went out on the trains checking / selling tickets. Late shifts were all spent on the train. When there was any problem with points etc i would wind the points, pilot work etc. The sight and sound of the thumpers was unforgettable, thanks for rekindling the happy memories. Standing on Crowborough footbridge with the exhaust underneath, the bridge would shake. Travelling with the driver as we thumped through the night. Doing the Oxted shunt. I was on the last train out of the old Uckfield station when they shut Uckfield signal box, every detonator was put on the track, the train jumped from detonator to detonator. Those were the days. When the points at Greenhurst jn didn't work i would have to jump off the train and wind them by hand. At night in the pitch black all you could hear were heavy breathing cows and the train thumping up the hill from Buxted, the sound echoing off the hillsides. After finishing a late shift i would sometimes travel back to East Croydon with the driver, going down hill through Upper Warlingham you were doing 90MPH (Thumpers are 75MPH units) the train would thump and wouldn't so much ride the curvature of the track, as bounce round the curves. You could write a book on the staff on that line, Thanks!!😃

[@ianwalmsley2]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@Martindyna]

It seems that some Thumpers had the original Surburban gearing changed to Express as per the edited extract from the Watercress Line website below. Not sure if this only applied to the Watercress Line. The original power bogies on the units had suburban gearing (design speed 75 mph). During 1959 these bogies started to be removed for use in the new 4EPB EMU’s. The DEMU’s received new power bogies which carried express gearing (design speed 90 mph). On the Mid Hants line units fitted with express geared bogies, especially the three coach units, started to struggle on the steeply graded line. In the leaf fall season the situation became quite desperate. Some units were re-geared back to suburban ratios but still difficulties remained on Mid Hants services. Courtesy Watercress Line (edited).

[@stephenpowell5912]

Remember 1984/86 time When travelling on these Commuter trains from school and back with my Mum or Dad from East Grinstead to London Bridge,Loved the sounds they made when I was a kid born in 1973 time ,Feel a certain sense of Nostalgia when I think of the 1980s with these 1950s Trains still operating back then .❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@philipadams5386]

The sound of these trains is so evocative for me. I lived close to the Portchester-Cosham line and these things formed part of my childhood soundtrack. I took one of these when I left home permanently in 1974, aged 19, with my parents waving me goodbye from the platform at Portchester.

[@v6200man]

love everything about this video - captures the flavour of the stock and the lines served to perfection

[@1973ts]

What a lovely film. The Thumpers were lovely, such a nice sound.

[@TerryTheNewsGirl]

Don't Thumpers make the most delicious sound when they start to move? I miss them too.

[@justinobrien3593]

they just remind me of a chopper/class 20 locomotive if you closed your eyes for a few seconds then sound the same 😍🥰🥰

[@stephenpowell5912]

You can always tell a Thumper Clag albeit Approaching or leaving with Classic Clag, Miss these on the Railways Going from East Grinstead to London Bridge in 1984 /86 time when I was a kid going from school During the Holiday seasons with Mum or Dad Taking me from East Grinstead to London.

[@nigelarmstrong252]

Don't remember them being 2 car units. Great footage.

[@leeosborne3793]

A lot of them were in the final years.

[@leeosborne3793]

Top video! I spent lots of time Thumper chasing in their last days. I live in Scotland now but recently took a trip down to the Spa Valley Railway and had a great trip on 1317/207017 now in blue and grey. Magic! I enjoyed footage of the only VEP in Southern livery too.

[@stephenpowell5912]

Always love the Classic clag of the Thumper Units in South East England in the Early 1980s Going from East Grinstead to london Victoria or london Bridge .A Classic sound that is seen nowadays in Private Railway excursions .

[@buffscrag71]

Not usually a big unit fan, but I do like Thumpers! Great video.

[@john-of-the-north]

Well done for editing - makes such a difference: we want action and noise and that's what we get. Also interior shots, doors slamming etc - a bit more creative than most enthusiast vids, well done - this is now a good historic record.

[@ianwalmsley2]

Thanks. They had the same engine as a 37 but smaller. The triange indicated which end the brake van was.

[@HSTHoward]

207017 was the last train nto run on the tunwells west - eridge and is now on the spa valley railway line being resotred to BR blue and grey. and what an awosme sound. thumper 1001 is out this weekend

[@james123212]

i saw 205205 at 0:54 which is now preserved at the EOR

[@21C123]

Superb stuff!

[@formidable38]

They share the same pistons and cylinder heads as a 37 and other EE engines but there the simularity ends. They use a '4SRKT' engine (4 cylinder, 600HP).

[@jasonl4411.]

Super video

[@Electricfox]

I remember taking a 117 on the old Gospel Oak to Barking. I miss the seats on the old units, much more springier than the rigid ones on the modern units.

[@alijanlondon]

Didn't they end their days in a sorry state - awful Connex livery, bars on the windows, florescent lights. Can remember day trips to portsmouth on them from winchester. It was always a thumper that came from Alton, change at Eastleigh and another thumper to Portsmouth. I remember being really excited seeing one in the then new BR Blue

[@Electricfox]

Aaah, fantastic sounds, and well done for recording the opening and closing of the old slam doors, sadly now gone from the main line.

[@jlewis997]

Nice little vid

[@is1943]

Excellent video,wel lmade.

[@DieselDudeRailway]

Great Video.

[@ianwalmsley2]

Thank you, that was the idea and it was a fun day out.

[@formidable38]

No probs, i know you didnt! Tell you what, i sure miss these old things now! Just had a trip behind the Dartmoor railways example, bought it all back!

[@ianwalmsley2]

That is a 4-VEP EMU - pretty common at the time but somehow found its way into the video.

[@glurbpot]

I just love the sound of thumpers. Uckfield has lost part of its charm now they are no longer used. I live at the top of the town, and always remember the sound of an approaching train on a summers evening. Good for telling the time too.... well approximately. The new ones have no charm at all. Bit like the railway station!!!! Used to stand on the footbridge to listen to them by the station, before it was systematically vandalised.. oops, wonder what I meant by that?

[@pophamblowhard3057]

I presume you mean Newtown top of the town. I used to live up the other top - off Church street. I remember steam working, gas lighting on the station, and took a thumper daily to Lewes and back from 65 until it closed. Also remember Manor Park going up and the population doubled.

[@Martindyna]

Nice video; can just about hear the traction motors 2:35

[@craignicklin4573]

the triangle is to tell people whitch end the gaurds in

[@DaveInBridport]

The triangle is a coupling code

[@craignicklin4573]

www.bloodandcustard.com/tadpoles001.html gaurds end

[@philforder7958]

Guards end. Fact.

[@bingbong7316]

The triangle indicates that there is no guards brake at the other end, thereby informing postal staff of which end for mailbags. This principle all fell apart with the Tadpoles, which had 3 bays at the fat end specifically converted for mail traffic.

[@daffyduk77]

I noticed the guy with headphones on at the start ... or were they ear-defenders :->

[@steveallen808909]

great video at around 3 mins 5 secs looks like a four car thumper i thought they only came in 2 or three car rakes are they running as 2 x 2 car units or is there another reason hope u can help cheers, thumbs up

[@Martindyna]

Usually run as 2 or 3 car sets but on hilly routes 3 cars per power car was found to be a struggle so changed back to 2 cars for those routes. 12 car trains were not uncommon from London to Kent; I believe the maximum permissible was 15 cars. To see 12 cars search `Hastings DEMU c1986' and go to 6.47

[@psd3210]

nice, are you tresspassing on the bridge bit? Looks great though

[@mekydro]

I miss that lovely whining sound they made when idling

[@Deliciouscreamsponge3034]

what class are they ?

[@clonSanG]

Where bumpers turbocharger nice wine of a turbo fan

[@mehdi6005]

They need to bring back the slam door trains they are much better

[@UKWMO]

Anyone able to tell me what the difference between a Class 205 and a Class 207 is?

[@47606odin]

+UKWMO the 207's are smaller in loading gauge for use between tonbridge and Tunbridge wells west on the tight loading gauge hastings line. that have a more rounded appearance due to having fibreglass cab fronts with recesses for the hoses and jumper cables. the 207's had first class and toilets in the centre car, whereas the 205 units had them in the driving trailer.

[@UKWMO]

+47606odin : Many thanks

[@MoonwalkerG]

Multiple units don't usually interest me. Give me a locomotive over a few coaches with bus engines turned on their side any day of the week. These 'Thumpers' on the other hand are incredible. The engines sound a lot like a Class 31, I don't know a lot about them, but have they got the same or similar engines? Great video by the way.

[@jonathanbutson1385]

The thumper engine was a turbo charged 4 cylinder English Electric engine. The 31s had a 12 cylinder English Electric engine, so had a lot of common parts, hence there was a similarity in the sound

[@starstorm55522]

All you ThumperHolics should get yourselves over to northern Ireland where the mechanically identical 80 & 450 class are stil banging their way around the place. KZbin search for NIR 80 Class & NIR 450 class

[@daffyduk77]

opening the doors through the window & the outside handle - definitely not for the old & infirm, they'd be on the platform before you could say "multiple unit"

[@cedriclynch]

British Rail slam-doors originally had handles on the inside as well, but these were removed (in the 1970s if I remember correctly) after being blamed in some accidents in which doors opened on moving trains and people fell out. The inside handles did need quite a strong squeeze to work them, but not beyond what I could do at the age of 10.

[@daffyduk77]

@@cedriclynch yes, I remember them. It's possibly precisely because of the strong squeeze aspect, people were too focussed on the squeezing, esp. if they had luggage to hand also, & weren't taking care in the balance dept

[@Deliciouscreamsponge3034]

were did thumpers used to run ?

[@blacktiger955i]

Hampshire units were Salisbury to Reading via Basingstoke and also down to Southampton. Sussex units were based at Hastings and ran to Ashford across the Marshes. They also at times ran to Eastbourne and Brighton along the coast. I worked the Hampshires as a Guard and the Hastings units as a driver.

[@jonathanbutson1385]

Also the Hampshire units worked the Watercress line before closure, and Portsmouth to Southampton until it was electrified. The Sussex units ran from Tumbridge wells to Brighton via Uckfield until closure of Uckfield to Lewes in 1960, and Tunbridge Wells to Eridge in 1980s. They also ran East Grinstead and Uckfield to London Bridge/ Victoria

[@scopex2749]

Beautiful sound what a shame they are gone :( WOW was that the old 442 Wessex units at 4:33? I worked for SWT for 5 years an engineer got a chance to have a cab ride in one before they also got binned due to the disgusting German DESIROS :( The old Wessex were so modern looking and streamlined!!

[@davidrobert2007]

Never come accross these before - what's with that triangle? Great sound, sounds a bit like a 37, but in a DMU? Great vid!

[@justinobrien3593]

they sound more like a chopper a class 20 locomotive especially at power 😎

[@bingbong7316]

​@@justinobrien3593 Class 20 use a 8SRKT, same engine but twice the number of cylinders. The 4SRKT is still used in all the Class 73 except 73/9.

[@justinobrien3593]

@@bingbong7316 I knew that but they sound cool would like to hear a thumper and chopper working together that would be hell-fire 🔥

[@jonathanbutson1385]

The triangle is to denote that there isn't a guards van at the other end of the unit, this helped the staff to know which end to rush too when loading parcels etc.

[@ianwalmsley2]

No, always the right side of the fence.

[@ianwalmsley2]

Yes, sorry. I didn't really mean exactly the same; very similar but a lot shorter.

[@davidfalconer8913]

Not an easy colour scheme to keep clean ( ? ) ... DAVE™ 🛑

[@sussexmews]

stoatfest more like

[@thumpergriddle123]

sad too see 205012 shame they got rid

[@fakelol699]

What is 450 class rip off branch line looking ahh