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The regal class 309s operating the London Liverpool St - Clacton & Walton route were the first 25Kv EMUs to be constructed by British Rail in 1962/63. Built at York Carriage Works they were designed for 100mph running and configured in three separate formations:
- 601–608 – Two-car units (309/1)
- 611–618 – Four-car units containing a griddle car (309/2)
- 621–627 – Four-car units (309/3)
While the 2-car units could be operated on their own, they were designed to be run in tandem with a pair of 4-car units so improving the power-to-weight ratio and making the rush-hour timetable more robust.
Originally classified as AM9 (pre-TOPS) they were actually designed for use on an electrified East Coast Mainline, but when the electrification project failed to get off the ground they were diverted instead to the Great Eastern Main Line and became known as the 'Clacton Express' trains. With a 10-car formation generating some 3,384 horsepower, they were significantly more powerful than the Britannia Pacifics they replaced.
In later years the formations were tweaked and the 2-car units augmented to 4-car sets. These elegant units would eventually be displaced from the Clacton route between 1992 and early 1994 with the final trains running in January 1994. Not surprisingly the contemporary class 321 replacements lacked the visual elegance of the 309s, both externally and internally, and, perhaps tellingly, became known as the 'Dusty Bins' due to the 3-2-1 class number resonating with a certain TV show of the day.
In this shot, a Clacton and Walton - Liverpool St service (1F48), unit 626 leading, is captured approaching Colchester with an up express. Colchester Depot (30E/CR) is on the right with an unidentified class 31 and class 47 resting up.
Sadly the once wrap-around front windows adorning the cab had been designed out by this time and replaced by a pair of non-curved panes on each side. Much less expensive to replace when cracked / damaged.
This image was captured on a Yashicamat 124G twin lens reflex, and cropped. A relatively cheap medium-format camera that was superb for across-the-frame sharpness for non-moving subjects and which gave the Nikkor lenses a decent run for their money. With the reverse waist-level finder however, moving subjects were tricky and, as I found, best left to the Nikkormat FT2.
Yashicamat 124G, and Ilford FP4 film (cropped from 6x6 neg).
Rescanned image, original deleted.
7th September 1976
(Technical info courtesy of Wiki)
GE Lines 'Clacton Unit' - AM9 - 626 entering Colchester station on a bright sunny day in December 1963, with driving trailer GE75974 nearest the camera. Brush Type 2 D5532 is in the loco depot, on the right..
The AM9s were later designated 'Class 309' and painted in BR Blue/Grey livery, and were refurbished in the mid-late 1980s....
After their life on the GE Lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished Class 309s went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000.
Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these were later preserved.
D5532 later became Class 31 31114, then 31453, and later 31553. It was withdrawn in November 1995, and - eventually - scrapped at the end of 2001..
Colchester MPD is still in use today (2023) for the servicing of new bi-mode diesel/electric units.
Restored from an unfocussed original..
Original slide - Property of Robert Gadsdon
Class 309 'Clacton Express' Griddle car unit No.616 forming a service to Clacton, and Stratford class 47 47135 on a Norwich service at Liverpool Street on 19th November 1983. Just look at those 'Brutes' on the platform, part of the every day scene there then In fact, I'm amazed that I used a transparency on one of these units!
© Gordon Edgar - All rights reserved. Please do not use my images without my explicit permission
GE Lines AM9 'Clacton Unit' - Class 309 - unit 625 at Liverpool Street 'West Side Suburban' in June 1976, with a Enfield Town / Chingford AM5 - Class 305 - unit on the right.
The tracks at platforms 1 and 2 originally continued under the footbridge where the photographer is standing, and linked up with the Metropolitan Railway, but this connection was removed in 1904.
After their life on the GE lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished Class 309s went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000.
Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these have now been preserved.
The station was substantially rebuilt in the mid-late 1980s, but the trainshed here still survives today, although the daylight at the end has been obscured by offices built over the tracks.
Restored from an unfocussed original.
Original slide - photographer unknown
A 1963 York built "Clacton Express" class 309/2 25 kv emu 309616 is seen within the confines of Wolverton Works, with "Essex Express" banding on it's side.
Indeed these units were British Rails first 100 mph emu's, this unit was 1 of 7 that where transfered to the North West after the class were withdrawn from Clacton duties.
This unit has the distinction of taking part in 2 farewell tours 6 years apart! firstly the "309 Farewell" on the 22nd January 1994 and also the "Class 309 Farewell" from Manchester Piccadilly to Clacton on the 13th May 2000.
This unit is now preserved (April 2016) at the Electric Railway Museum nearr Coventry.
29th March 1986
One of the refurbished "Clacton Express" class 309 EMU's is seen well out of its usual sphere of operations at Manchester Oxford Road. From construction in 1962-63 up until 1994 these units were exclusively used between London Liverpool Street, Clacton and Walton-on-Naze.
On this occasion the unit was part of a 2x4-car consist coupled with 309 615 forming the Hertfordshire Railtours 'Network Exile' railtour covering electrified routes in the West Midlands and North West which was a first for the class. Ironically in the early part of 1994 as the class were being withdrawn from service as new class 321 units took over their work on the services out of London Liverpool Street. The remained eight serviceable 4-car sets of class 309 stock were transferred to Manchester Longsight Depot to replace aging class 303 and 305 units. They took over Manchester - Crewe, Stoke and Stafford services lasting until May 2000. 309 611 depicted here wasn't one of them as it had been withdrawn in December 1991 from Clacton Depot, being broken up at Mayer Newman's Scrapyard at Snailwell in March 1992.
Class 309 309608 storms through Colchester station , it being one of the units that was painted in the short-lived 'Jaffa Cake' livery.
Dating from 1962, these were British Rail's first express EMUs using the 25kv system and were initially designated AM9.
Colchester, Essex
21st June 1986
Pentax MX, Kodachrome
19860621 27531 309608 Colch clean
Best viewed 'Original size.
BR(ER) Class 309 "Clacton Express" 25kV EMU 309608 (DMBSK E61947 nearest camera) at Clacton (CC) depot - c.1981.
© 2016 - 53A Models of Hull Collection. Scanned from the original 35mm colour transparancy.
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Definitely a sight never to be repeated as we see 309618 at St Pancras on an additional service in connection with the Bedford open day on 29 May 1988.
"Clacton" unit 309611 runs through Marks Tey on 24 August 1984 working the 14.53 Clacton to London Liverpool Street. This tyoe of unit entered service in 1962 having been built at York Carriage Works.
Scanned Image of a Regional Railways Class 309 309613 in Platform 1 at Crewe Station,photographed in the 90s
Best viewed 'Original size.
BR(ER) EMUs (left to right) 312781, 308136 & 309612 at Clacton (CC) depot - c.07/1981.
© 2017 - 53A Models of Hull Collection. Scanned from the original 35mm colour transparancy.
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BR Class 309 'Clacton Unit' - with unit 608 leading - entering Shenfield station, on a soggy day in early 1983.
After their life on the GE lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished Class 309s went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000.
Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these have now been preserved.
Original slide - photographer unknown
BR AM9 'Clacton Unit' - Class 309 - at Platform 2, Liverpool Street station, in June 1976.
Possibly diverted because of weekend track maintenance at the station.
After their life on the GE lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished Class 309s went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000.
Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these have now been preserved.
Today (2019) the steam-era ticket barrier and train departure display boards have gone, but the overall roof here has survived.
Restored from an unfocussed original.
Original slide - photographer unknown
A close-up study of front ends at the stops of Liverpool Street in the evening of 28th November 1986.
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© Sean Lancastle, all rights reserved. Please do not share or post elsewhere without permission.
BR Class 309 sets, Clacton, 4th. September 1979. Both sets still have the original (and much more attractive) end window layout.
Caught in a brief April shower, an express composed of Class 309 EMUs speeds past Margaretting, bound for Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze. The Class 309s were built at British Railways’ York works, entering service in 1963. They were notable for being the first express 25kV AC units built for British Railways, as well as being the final coaching stock to feature standard class compartments. Riding on Commonwealth bogies, these were fast and comfortable trains. The Class 323 units that displaced the Class 309s from Great Eastern Line operations were inferior in those respects.
The train here is in original condition, with wrap-around windscreens. Flat glass screens were fitted later. Further changes followed from the mid-1980s, when the interiors were modernised (losing the compartments) and hopper windows replaced the sliding type. Again, passenger comfort suffered.
Withdrawals of the Class 309s began in 1992, but some units enjoyed a second career in the Manchester area until final withdrawal in 2000.
April 1978
Zorki 4 camera
Agfa CT18 film.
960101 & 102, former Class 309 EMUs carrying departmental numbers at the Electric Railway Museum, Coventry in 2017. Tehe museum closed shortly afterwards but the units are preserved elsewhere.
BR AM9 - Class 309 - EMU 624 at Platform 12, Liverpool Street station, in October 1975. The unit number has been - crudely - painted on, for some reason.
These units entered service in 1962 in fully- lined BR 'express' maroon livery, with a small yellow warning panel painted inside the corridor connector, and later appeared in blue/grey, as seen here..
After their life on the GE lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished Class 309s went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000.
Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these have now been preserved.
Today, these East Side tracks and platforms are subterranean, under offices and plazas..
Original slide - property of Robert Gadsdon
Taken on January 29th 1972
BR Class 309 611 at Thorpe-Le-Soken station, in January 1972. These units first entered service as class AM9 in 1962, and were later designated 'Class 309' and painted in BR Blue/Grey livery, and were refurbished in the mid-late 1980s.…
After their life on the GE Lines ended in the mid-90s, a few refurbished units went north to run in the Manchester area, and these were finally withdrawn in 2000. Two 3-car units were retained for track testing, and these were later preserved.
Restored from an under-exposed orange-colour-shifted original..
Original slide - property of Robert Gadsdon
BR EE Type 3 - Class 37 - 37014 at Colchester station, in 1978, with Class 309 'Clacton Unit's on the left, and a collection of BRUTE parcels trolleys on the right.
The loco - originally D6714 - was renumbered to 37709 in 1985, and in recent years was still in faded BR 'Mainline' livery, in storage, but was seen at a scrap yard in 2011, partially dismantled.
Restored from an under-exposed grainy original..
Original slide - photographer unknown
The things you find in old quarries #1... Even though it has been well publicised, the sight of a class 309 in a Shropshire quarry is nothing if not incongruous. It is, of course, a refugee from the now closed Electric Railway Museum, Coventry. It's nice to see the old "London & South Eastern" livery, a.k.a. "Jaffa Cake"... The unit consists of 75642 (nearest the camera, BDT), 61937 behind (MBSO) and, out of sight on the curve, 75981 (DTSOL)... or rather, I assume it was that, for there was no number visible. It would have been a four car set, but it was transferred to departmental use, becoming 960101 and losing a TSO in the process. Such was the scene on Sunday10th June 2018, at Nantmawr Visitor Centre, the home of the Tanat Valley Light Railway.
Best viewed 'Original size.
A second image of BR(ER) Class 309 "Clacton Express" 25kV EMU 309608 (DMBSK E61947 nearest camera) at Clacton (CC) depot - c.1981.
See also: flic.kr/p/PfrQi7
© 2017 - 53A Models of Hull Collection. Scanned from the original 35mm colour transparancy.
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An empty service runs into the sidings at Stockport on 6 September 1997, a long way from the London to Clacton route for which it was built in the early 1960s. This was one of seven previously operated by Regional Express North West which passed to North Western Trains on privatisation.
"Clacton" unit, class 309 number 626 runs non stop through Stratford on 14 July 1979 heading for Liverpool Street.
Thorpe-le-Soken station in August 1988. At the platform is a formation of Class 309 "Clacton" units led by 309605, its original "wraparound" cab windows having been replaced by windows made of flat glass.
The 309 units were built at York Works in 1962/63, and worked trains on the Liverpool-Clacton/Frinton routes until replaced by new 321 units in 1993. A final railtour in East Anglia was run on 15 January 1994. Seven units were retained for use in the Manchester area, and were used between 1994-2000.
The signal box closed in 2009, with control passing to Colchester PSB. The panel from Thorpe-le-Soken is now on display at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne.
The Electric Railway Museum at Baignton is home to a number of electric multiple units and some other items of rolling stock. It was announced in 2017 that the Museum would have to vacate the site, meaning that it's collection will have to be found new homes. Open days are being held in August and September before the final event in October.
Designed to operate at a speed of 100mph, the class 309 units operated the London Liverpool Street to Clacton route. After being displaced by new units, some of the fleet were transferred for further use in the North-West around Manchester.
DTSO 977967 originates from 309616, the unit finishing in departmental service testing signalling on the West Coast Main line as 960102, duties which is shared with 960101. Both units survived into preservation and both can be found at Baignton.
Pictured 13/08/17