British Rail Class 207 Explained

British Rail Class 207 (3D)
Manufacturer:	BR Eastleigh
Formation:	3 cars per trainset
Numberbuilt:	19 trainsets
Service:	1962-2004
Weight:	561NaN1
Maxspeed:	75mph
Poweroutput:	600abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 850 rpm
Engine:	English Electric 4SRKT Mark II (4-cylinder diesel)
Coupling:	Drophead buckeye^[1]

The British Rail Class 207 (3D) diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962. The fleet had a lifespan of 42 years. The Southern Region class 201 to 207 DEMUs are nicknamed 'Thumpers' due to the noise their engine units make.^{[2] [3]}

Operational history

When new the class were used on the Oxted Line, and were mostly concentrated on services between and Uckfield and Eridge to Tonbridge via .^[4] Other routes that the units operated included occasional workings on the Marshlink Line, the Three Bridges to Tunbridge Wells Central Line and the Cuckoo Line. Following the closure of the last two of these routes the unit gained workings on the Redhill to Tonbridge Line, and were known to deputise for 3R units on the North Downs Line to . Most units were withdrawn in 1987 following the electrification of the Oxted Line's branch.^[5] Four of the seven surviving units were used on the Reading to Basingstoke Line between 1988 and 1993; once this had finished three were withdrawn and the fourth sent to join the other three survivors on the Marshlink Line; between 1995 and 1998 this included through services from to . After this the class operated on the Marshlink Line between Ashford and and the Oxted Line between London Victoria and for privatised companies Connex South Central and Southern. The final three units were withdrawn in August 2004.^[6]

Technical details

Power car (one per set):

• Introduced: 1962
• Weight: 56LT
  • Engine: English Electric 4-cylinder type 4SRKT Mark II of 600bhp at 850 rpm Transmission: Electric, two English Electric type EE507 traction motors rated at 250hp each.
• Maximum tractive effort: 12500lbf
• Driving wheel diameter: 3feet
• Coupling code: Standard 'Buck eye' compatible with contemporary Class 20x and 4xx units.
• Train heating: Electric

Preservation

Three complete units have been preserved:

• 207017 – Spa Valley Railway (3-car unit)
• 207202 – Formerly owned by Coulsdon Old Vehicle & Engineering Society, Bicester (2-car unit numbered 1305);^[7] purchased by and moved to the Bluebell Railway in January 2023.^[8]
• 207203 – Swindon and Cricklade Railway (2-car unit) – DMBSO 60127 damaged by fire on 20 May 2016.^[9] Class 205 DTCsoL 60822 will be added to replace DTSO destroyed by fire. This vehicle had been stored at Pershore (ex unit 1123) and arrived at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway on 17 June 2016. TS 60669 (ex unit 1124) also stored at Pershore arrived at the same time and will be stripped of usable spares to restore 60822.^[10]

In addition, driving motor vehicle from unit 207013 has also been preserved:

• 207013 – DMBSO 60138 (cab only) – Reduced to just a cab in May 2016 and remaining section at the South Wales Cab Preservation Group.^[11]

The centre trailer from unit 207203 has been at a private location:

• 207203 – TSOL 70547 – Private site, Hungerford

DTSO 60901 from 207203 was preserved until it was damaged beyond repair in an arson attack on 20 May 2016; it was scrapped on 22 June that year.^{[9] [12]}

Fleet details

Unrefurbished Class 207/0

Unit No.		width=150 rowspan=2 align=left	Name	width=75 rowspan=2 align=left	Final livery	width=50 rowspan=2 colspan=2	DMBSO	width=50 rowspan=2 colspan=2	TCsoL	width=50 rowspan=2 colspan=2	DTSO	Withdrawn^[13]	width=150 rowspan=2 align=left	Status
width=50	New	width=50	Old
207001	1301	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	NSE	60126	60600	60900	04/1994	Scrapped
207002	1302	style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=left	-	NSE	60127	60601	60901	1992	Converted to 207103
207003	1303	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60128	60602	60902	09/1987	Scrapped
207004	1304	style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=left	-	NSE	60129	60603	60903	07/1991	Converted to 207101
207005	1305	style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=left	-	NSE	60130	60604	60904	07/1991	Converted to 207102
207006	1306	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60131	60605	60905	09/1987	Scrapped
207007	1307	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60132	60606	60906	09/1987	Scrapped
207008	1308	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60133	60607	60907	05/1988	Scrapped
207009	1309	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60134	60608	60908	09/1987	Scrapped
207010	1310	style="background-color:#fee7e6" align=left	-	NSE	60135	60609	60909	09/1993	Tractor unit 951070
207011	1311	style="background-color:#fee7e6" align=left	-	NSE	60136	60610	60910	05/1990	Sandite unit 1068
207012	1312	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60137	60611	60911	09/1987	Scrapped
207013	1313	style="background-color:#fee7e6" align=left	-	NSE	60138	60612	60912	03/1994	Tractor unit 951070
207014	1314	style="background-color:#fee7e6" align=left	-	NSE	60139	60613	60913	05/1990	Sandite unit 1068
207015	1315	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60140	60614	60914	9/1987	Scrapped
207016	1316	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60141	60615	60915	10/1987	Scrapped
207017	1317	style="background-color:#eaf3ff" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60142	60616	60916	03/2004	Preserved
207018	1318	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60143	60617	60917	09/1987	Scrapped
207019	1319	style="background-color:#CECECE" align=left	-	Blue/Grey	60144	60618	60918	05/1988	Scrapped

Refurbished Class 207/1

Unit No.		width=150 align=left	Name	width=75 align=left	Final livery	width=75 colspan=3	DMBSO	width=75 colspan=3	DTSO	Withdrawn	width=150 align=left	Status
width=50 style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=center	207101	width=50 style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=center	207004	Ashford Fayre	NSE	60129	60903	1995	Converted to 207201
207102	207005	Brighton Royal Pavilion	NSE	60130	60904	1995	Converted to 207202
207103	207002	style="background-color:#d5fdf4" align=left	-	NSE	60127	60901	1995	Converted to 207203

Refurbished Class 207/2

Unit No.		width=150 align=left	Name	width=75 align=left	Final livery	width=50 colspan=2	DMBSO	width=50 colspan=2	TSOL	width=50 colspan=2	DTSO	Withdrawn	width=150 align=left	Status
width=50 style="background-color:#CECECE" align=center	207201	width=50 style="background-color:#CECECE" align=center	207101	Ashford Fayre	Connex	60129	70286	60903	2003	Scrapped
207202	207102	Brighton Royal Pavilion	Connex	60130	70549	60904	08/2004	Preserved
207203	207103	style="background-color:#eaf3ff" align=left	-	Connex	60127	70547	60901	08/2004	Preserved, 60901 destroyed by fire.

Departmental Units

Unit No.		width=75 align=left	Final livery	DMB	T	DMB (DT*)	Withdrawn	width=150 align=left	Status
width=50 style="background-color:#CECECE" align=center	-	width=50 style="background-color:#CECECE" align=center	1068	NSE	977700 (ex-60139)	bgcolor=cecece colspan=2 align=center	977696 (ex-60522)	977701* (ex-60910)	1992	Scrapped
width=50 style="background-color:#eaf3ff" align=center	951070	width=50 style="background-color:#eaf3ff" align=center	1070	NSE	977906 (ex-60135)	style="background-color:#CECECE" colspan=2 align=center	-	977907 (ex-60138)	1998	Preserved

Further reading

• Book: Fox, Peter. Multiple Unit Pocket Book. British Rail Pocket Book No.2. Summer/Autumn 1987. 1987. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd.. 47. 0906579740. 613347580.
• Book: Multiple Unit Pocket Book. British Rail Pocket Book No.2. Summer 1988. 1988. Peter. Fox. Steven. Knight. Platform 5 Publishing Ltd.. 56. 0906579856. 655236737.
• Book: Marsden, Colin J.. DMUs. Motive Power Recognition. 3. Ian Allan. 1982. 110–3. 0711012016. 16599282.
• Book: Vehicle Diagram Book No. 230 for Diesel Electric Multiple Unit Trains (including H.S.T.). Barrowmore MRG. British Railways Board. September 1987. DB205, DE201, DH301.

Notes and References

1. Book: System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 . 22 June 2011 . SD001 . Rail Safety and Standards Board . London . 4 . 22 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120401203135/http://www.rssb.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/rv_coupling_system_data/SD001.pdf . 1 April 2012 . dead.
2. Web site: Preserved Thumpers. Preservedthumpers.com. 11 October 2017. 19 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083721/http://www.preservedthumpers.com/. dead.
3. Web site: Epping Ongar Railway - Rolling Stock Department - Diesel-Electric Multiple Units. Paul. Skinner. Eorailway.co.uk. 11 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20150217032221/http://eorailway.co.uk/departments/rolling-stock/demus/. 17 February 2015. dead.
4. Book: Welch, Michael. Southern DEMUs. Capital Transport. October 2004. 19–22. 1-85414-287-9.
5. http://www.hsups.org/history_207.htm Hampshire & Sussex Units Preservation Society: Sussex Units History
6. http://www.daveh.org.uk/demu/207info.html Class 207 Overview
7. News: Smith . Roger . Plans to restore Oxted Line 2-car "Thumper" DEMU . 12 November 2022 . RailAdvent . 12 November 2022 . Leyland.
8. News: The Bluebell Railway Acquires Heritage Southern Region DEMU . 17 January 2023 . Bluebell Railway . 16 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117113444/https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-railway-press-releases/ . 17 January 2023 . Uckfield . live.
9. News: Robins . Tina . Blaze destroys vintage train . 11 October 2017 . Swindon Advertiser . Newsquest Media Group . 20 May 2016 . High Wycombe.
10. News: Robins . Tina . Replacement carriage arrives at Swindon and Cricklade Railway as arson investigation continues . 11 October 2017 . Swindon Advertiser . Newsquest Media Group . 19 June 2016 . High Wycombe.
11. Web site: News – Update time . South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group . 11 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171012000017/http://www.traincabs.co.uk/?page_id=615 . 12 October 2017 . dead.
12. Web site: BR 60901 Class 207 DEMU: Driving Trailer Standard (scrapped) built 1954 . Carriage Survey Project . Railway Heritage Register Partnership . 11 October 2017.
13. Withdrawal dates from H. Longworth, British Railways First Generation DMUs, Oxford Publishing Company, 2011,