THE NETWORK SOUTHEAST ACHIEVEMENT
A CHRONOLOGY OF 12 YEARS FORWARD PROGRESS AND DELIVERY, 1982 - 1994
compiled by John P McCrickard.
January - December 1991
6 January 1991 - BR annual fares rise averages 9.5% for NSE and InterCity - with routes undergoing modernisation seeing the largest increases (announced 4 October 1990).
8 January 1991 - London Cannon Street accident - 0758 ex-Sevenoaks collides with Platform 3 buffers; 2 passengers die and 542 are injured; Class 415/416 ‘EPBs’ Nos 5618/5484/6227 form the 10-car train. The accident report issued 2 March 1992 concludes the cause was inadequate brake application - rolling stock serviceability did not contribute to the accident per se, but the obsolete EPB body design - with some vehicle underframes dating back to 1923 - was weaker than BR Mk 1 stock, meaning increased severity and number of injuries; among recommendations made is the replacement of EPB stock without further delay - as is being progressed under the Kent Link Class 465 Networker EMU programme.
21 January 1991 - West of England line timetable modifications introduced to maintain reliability in light of continuing availability problems with the ageing Class 50 fleet; some London Waterloo - Salisbury off-peak services now run as local services from Reading with connections provided at Basingstoke; a few lightly used trains are withdrawn with others retimed.
15 February 1991 - Networker train debuts, with unveiling of the first Networker Turbo DMU - Class 165 No 165001 for Chiltern Line - at BREL York; new SELCAB ATP is fitted for the forthcoming Chiltern Line pilot installation.
17 February 1991 - Island Line last passenger service by Class 485/486 ex-LT ‘Standard’ stock, all now replaced by Class 483 ex-LT 1938 stock.
8 March 1991 - Reading new Networker Turbo depot officially opened by BR Chairman Sir Bob Reid.
19 March 1991 - Stansted Airport branch opened to sub-surface station at new airport terminal; served by Stansted Express linking with London Liverpool Street in just 41 minutes.
19 March 1991 - Great Eastern recast timetable introduced coincident with Stansted Express launch.
21 March 1991 - ‘South East England by Train’ published, a joint commission between the Automobile Association and NSE, noted travel writer Paul Atterbury producing a detailed colour illustrated guidebook describing 25 of the most interesting routes in the South East, with places to visit, historic attractions, walks, etc; it follows the success of his recent similar AA venture ‘See Britain by Train’.
21 March 1991 - Brighton Line 150th anniversary unveiling of events planned for Spring-Autumn 1991.
28 March 1991 - Thames Line Class 165/2 Networker Turbo* £50m order for 65 vehicles announced for delivery from 1993 to replace existing locomotive hauled trains to Oxford and Newbury; six of the vehicles are sponsored by Regional Railways for Cotswold Line services. *re-designated Class 166 Turbo Express before delivery.
30-31 March 1991 - London Bridge terminal platforms host ‘Easter Parade’ exhibition of locomotives and rolling stock.
31 March 1991 - BR annual report 1990/1: first effects of recession sees slight reduction from 1989/90 peak of 473,000 London commuters; investment continues at £1m a day.
1 April 1991 - ‘Network SouthEast 2000’ (aka ‘Network 2000’) launched under BR Organising for Quality (OfQ) - NSE now takes over total responsibility for the costs of the track on which it is ‘prime user’ together with associated ownership of all assets and manpower to operate train services, upon abolition of the regions under OfQ. NSE sub-sectors reformed into nine Divisions (profit centres) with implementation dates:
-Great Eastern - 27 May 1991
-London Tilbury & Southend - 27 May 1991
-North - 6 April 1992
-South Central - 29 April 1991
-South East - 29 April 1991
-South West - 29 April 1991
-Thames & Chiltern - 24 June 1991
-Thameslink - 6 April 1992
-West Anglia Great Northern - 27 May 1991 (see 29 June 1990 and 6 April 1992).
2 April 1991 - London Waterloo temporary signal box closed upon WARS resignalling/remodelling of line between the terminus and Vauxhall, controlled from Wimbledon SC; new Windsor Reversible line on north side of layout provides future access for Eurostar services into London Waterloo International terminal (see 4 April and 2 May 1993).
8 April 1991 - Slade Green new Networker maintenance depot officially opened; forming Phase 1 of the works, the Fleet Manager’s staff moved into the completed building on 24 March with the new traincrew accommodation ceremonially opened on 25 April.
5-6 May 1991 - Wimbledon depot open days with a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock on display.
13 May 1991 - Class 466 ‘Networker’ 43 2-car EMUs authorised (466001-43); contract subsequently awarded to Metro-Cammell.
13 May 1991 - Uckfield station re-sited from south to north side of level crossing, permitting closure of the latter together with its gate (former signal) box on the previous day, improving both access to the station and traffic flow through the town.
14 May 1991 - Chiltern Line Networker Turbo inaugural trip by 165001/2 conveying Transport Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and invited guests from London Marylebone to Aylesbury where the new train depot is ceremonially opened.
26-27 May 1991 - Southend air show is sponsored by NSE for another year.
8 July 1991 - new timetable highlights*:
-Great Eastern: London Liverpool Street - Ipswich hourly limited stop expresses introduced, off peak on weekdays and all day Saturdays, giving improved journey opportunities and connections;
-Great Eastern: St Botolphs (renamed Colchester Town from 15 July 1991) improved services;
-North London Lines: Harringay East renamed Harringay Green Lanes.
*Great Eastern, Great Northern, London Tilbury & Southend, Thames & Chiltern, Northampton Line, North London Lines and West Anglia new timetables deferred from 13 May to commence 8 July coincident with introduction of electrified InterCity services between London King’s Cross - Edinburgh; other NSE route timetables commenced 13 May.
11-14 July 1991 - NSE again sponsors the International Flower Show at Hampton Court Palace, in its second year, following the massive success of the first in 1990; more than half of the 146,000 visitors use the enhanced train services provided.
13 July 1991 - 2-BIL 2090 and 4-SUB 4732 preserved EMUs operate a series of specials between Brighton and Seaford as part of the Brighton Line 150th anniversary, continuing on further Saturdays through to September.
15 July 1991 - St Botolphs renamed Colchester Town in official ceremony by Chris Green following completion of a £300,000 refurbishment of the Grade II listed station - and in recognition of its central location.
21 July 1991 - Smallbrook Junction opened as interchange station (no other public access) with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, extended here from Havenstreet the same date; ceremonial opening held on the previous day.
21 July 1991 - Thameslink sponsors Luton’s second International Marathon event.
27 July 1991 - London Victoria - Brighton high speed run as part of celebrations for Brighton Line 150th anniversary; unfortunately, a heavy brake application activates the emergency brake thus marring the attempt by 319176/84 - the existing 39min 14sec record (16 April 1988) thus stood unchallenged - until 26 March 1994!
26 August 1991 - Colchester depot open day held with a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock, old and new.
9 September 1991 - Chiltern Line Networker Turbos enter service when 165006 works the 1613 London Marylebone - Aylesbury.
12-13 September 1991 - Folkestone Harbour branch steam specials.
14 September 1991 - West Anglia gala day held for another year with events at Cambridge and King’s Lynn including specials over the Fen Drayton (former St Ives) and Middleton Towers freight branches; star guest is Glasgow ‘Blue Train’ EMU 303048 which works trips to Stansted Airport.
21-22 September 1991 - Brighton Line 150th anniversary gala days with special events and on the 21st a recreation of the ‘Brighton Belle’ using the Venice Simplon Orient Express.
27 September 1991 - South London Lines Class 456 EMUs enter service; the 24 new units had been delivered from early-1991, but introduction was delayed due to the need to modify the Driver’s seats following Trades Union objections to the original design.
30 September 1991 - St Paul’s Thameslink renamed City Thameslink.
30 September 1991 - Three Counties route branding is no more! Withdrawal of the last NSE local Bedford - Kettering (Northamptonshire) DMUs from this date due to the effects of the recession prunes the route to just ‘two counties’ - Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire - covering Bedford - Bletchley services. The branding had only been introduced 15 March 1990 but soon shorn of its Kettering - Corby element when these trains were withdrawn on 4 June 1990.
17 October 1991 - Rail Head Cleaning Machine ADB977695 demonstrated at Eastleigh depot; converted in Sweden from former Newspaper van No 94001, the new plant is immediately deployed during the present leaf fall season - and is quickly nicknamed the ‘Swedish Scrubber’!
-- October 1991 - London Tilbury & Southend First Class travel withdrawn due to low demand; hastened by electrical faults requiring closure of one coach on most Class 302/308/310/312 EMUs.
6 November 1991 - ‘Thameslink 2000’ launched - a major upgrade of the existing routes and services to meet unprecedented demand - since Thameslink opened on 16 May 1988 there has been a spectacular 300% growth in passengers; the proposals consist of two tiers - ‘Thameslink Metro’ improved inner suburban services based on the existing Class 319 fleet whilst ‘Thameslink Express’ will cater for longer distance travel, adding King’s Lynn, Peterborough and Stansted Airport in the north and Faversham, Horsham, Maidstone East and Portsmouth in the south, served by a fleet of new dual-voltage Class 371 Networker Express EMUs. Construction is envisaged to commence late-1993 with completion in 1998 (see 27 November 1991).
6 November 1991 - City Thameslink formal completion ceremony; it had opened 29 May 1990 as St Paul’s Thameslink, renamed City Thameslink 30 September 1991.
14 November 1991 - Class 465 Networker Driver simulator commissioned at London Waterloo Regional Operations Training Centre.
15 November 1991 - London Tilbury & Southend £50m resignalling announced in House of Commons; completion due in late-1995, the life-expired signalling on the route will be totally replaced, controlled from a new IECC at Upminster.
27 November 1991 - London Crossrail Bill deposited in Parliament - but Thameslink 2000 progress is stalled by failure of Government to back the South London Railways Bill, key to the project.
Note: Though NSE continues to vigorously plan and promote Thameslink 2000, the recession and privatisation combine to put back the project into the new Millennium, when it is re-launched as the ‘Thameslink Programme’. Now costing £6bn, funding was finally authorised in 2007, with phased completion 2011-8. Similar factors also delay Crossrail - eventually also approved 2007, services due to start in 2018.
2 December 1991 - Crossrail Class 341 Networker-based EMU mock-up - ‘341001’ Driving Trailer ‘77958’* - unveiled on concourse at London Paddington.
*Class 341 never built - 77958 used for Class 321/4 321416 Driving Trailer.
5 December 1991 - London Liverpool Street completion of reconstruction ceremonially marked by visit of Her Majesty the Queen; the 5-year, £158m project combines a refurbished original trainshed and extended platforms with greatly improved passenger facilities and new retail/commercial development at this key City of London terminus.
19 December 1991 - Networker first EMUs double hand-over ceremony to NSE - Class 465/0 465001 at BREL York followed by Class 465/2 465201 at GEC-Alsthom (Metro-Cammell) Washwood Heath; the events form part of Chris Green’s farewell tour, travelling with guests between the two venues on a special formed of Chiltern Line new Networker Turbos 165018/19 on their delivery run from York.
8 January 1991 - London Cannon Street accident - 0758 ex-Sevenoaks collides with Platform 3 buffers; 2 passengers die and 542 are injured; Class 415/416 ‘EPBs’ Nos 5618/5484/6227 form the 10-car train. The accident report issued 2 March 1992 concludes the cause was inadequate brake application - rolling stock serviceability did not contribute to the accident per se, but the obsolete EPB body design - with some vehicle underframes dating back to 1923 - was weaker than BR Mk 1 stock, meaning increased severity and number of injuries; among recommendations made is the replacement of EPB stock without further delay - as is being progressed under the Kent Link Class 465 Networker EMU programme.
21 January 1991 - West of England line timetable modifications introduced to maintain reliability in light of continuing availability problems with the ageing Class 50 fleet; some London Waterloo - Salisbury off-peak services now run as local services from Reading with connections provided at Basingstoke; a few lightly used trains are withdrawn with others retimed.
15 February 1991 - Networker train debuts, with unveiling of the first Networker Turbo DMU - Class 165 No 165001 for Chiltern Line - at BREL York; new SELCAB ATP is fitted for the forthcoming Chiltern Line pilot installation.
17 February 1991 - Island Line last passenger service by Class 485/486 ex-LT ‘Standard’ stock, all now replaced by Class 483 ex-LT 1938 stock.
8 March 1991 - Reading new Networker Turbo depot officially opened by BR Chairman Sir Bob Reid.
19 March 1991 - Stansted Airport branch opened to sub-surface station at new airport terminal; served by Stansted Express linking with London Liverpool Street in just 41 minutes.
19 March 1991 - Great Eastern recast timetable introduced coincident with Stansted Express launch.
21 March 1991 - ‘South East England by Train’ published, a joint commission between the Automobile Association and NSE, noted travel writer Paul Atterbury producing a detailed colour illustrated guidebook describing 25 of the most interesting routes in the South East, with places to visit, historic attractions, walks, etc; it follows the success of his recent similar AA venture ‘See Britain by Train’.
21 March 1991 - Brighton Line 150th anniversary unveiling of events planned for Spring-Autumn 1991.
28 March 1991 - Thames Line Class 165/2 Networker Turbo* £50m order for 65 vehicles announced for delivery from 1993 to replace existing locomotive hauled trains to Oxford and Newbury; six of the vehicles are sponsored by Regional Railways for Cotswold Line services. *re-designated Class 166 Turbo Express before delivery.
30-31 March 1991 - London Bridge terminal platforms host ‘Easter Parade’ exhibition of locomotives and rolling stock.
31 March 1991 - BR annual report 1990/1: first effects of recession sees slight reduction from 1989/90 peak of 473,000 London commuters; investment continues at £1m a day.
1 April 1991 - ‘Network SouthEast 2000’ (aka ‘Network 2000’) launched under BR Organising for Quality (OfQ) - NSE now takes over total responsibility for the costs of the track on which it is ‘prime user’ together with associated ownership of all assets and manpower to operate train services, upon abolition of the regions under OfQ. NSE sub-sectors reformed into nine Divisions (profit centres) with implementation dates:
-Great Eastern - 27 May 1991
-London Tilbury & Southend - 27 May 1991
-North - 6 April 1992
-South Central - 29 April 1991
-South East - 29 April 1991
-South West - 29 April 1991
-Thames & Chiltern - 24 June 1991
-Thameslink - 6 April 1992
-West Anglia Great Northern - 27 May 1991 (see 29 June 1990 and 6 April 1992).
2 April 1991 - London Waterloo temporary signal box closed upon WARS resignalling/remodelling of line between the terminus and Vauxhall, controlled from Wimbledon SC; new Windsor Reversible line on north side of layout provides future access for Eurostar services into London Waterloo International terminal (see 4 April and 2 May 1993).
8 April 1991 - Slade Green new Networker maintenance depot officially opened; forming Phase 1 of the works, the Fleet Manager’s staff moved into the completed building on 24 March with the new traincrew accommodation ceremonially opened on 25 April.
5-6 May 1991 - Wimbledon depot open days with a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock on display.
13 May 1991 - Class 466 ‘Networker’ 43 2-car EMUs authorised (466001-43); contract subsequently awarded to Metro-Cammell.
13 May 1991 - Uckfield station re-sited from south to north side of level crossing, permitting closure of the latter together with its gate (former signal) box on the previous day, improving both access to the station and traffic flow through the town.
14 May 1991 - Chiltern Line Networker Turbo inaugural trip by 165001/2 conveying Transport Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and invited guests from London Marylebone to Aylesbury where the new train depot is ceremonially opened.
26-27 May 1991 - Southend air show is sponsored by NSE for another year.
8 July 1991 - new timetable highlights*:
-Great Eastern: London Liverpool Street - Ipswich hourly limited stop expresses introduced, off peak on weekdays and all day Saturdays, giving improved journey opportunities and connections;
-Great Eastern: St Botolphs (renamed Colchester Town from 15 July 1991) improved services;
-North London Lines: Harringay East renamed Harringay Green Lanes.
*Great Eastern, Great Northern, London Tilbury & Southend, Thames & Chiltern, Northampton Line, North London Lines and West Anglia new timetables deferred from 13 May to commence 8 July coincident with introduction of electrified InterCity services between London King’s Cross - Edinburgh; other NSE route timetables commenced 13 May.
11-14 July 1991 - NSE again sponsors the International Flower Show at Hampton Court Palace, in its second year, following the massive success of the first in 1990; more than half of the 146,000 visitors use the enhanced train services provided.
13 July 1991 - 2-BIL 2090 and 4-SUB 4732 preserved EMUs operate a series of specials between Brighton and Seaford as part of the Brighton Line 150th anniversary, continuing on further Saturdays through to September.
15 July 1991 - St Botolphs renamed Colchester Town in official ceremony by Chris Green following completion of a £300,000 refurbishment of the Grade II listed station - and in recognition of its central location.
21 July 1991 - Smallbrook Junction opened as interchange station (no other public access) with the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, extended here from Havenstreet the same date; ceremonial opening held on the previous day.
21 July 1991 - Thameslink sponsors Luton’s second International Marathon event.
27 July 1991 - London Victoria - Brighton high speed run as part of celebrations for Brighton Line 150th anniversary; unfortunately, a heavy brake application activates the emergency brake thus marring the attempt by 319176/84 - the existing 39min 14sec record (16 April 1988) thus stood unchallenged - until 26 March 1994!
26 August 1991 - Colchester depot open day held with a wide variety of locomotives and rolling stock, old and new.
9 September 1991 - Chiltern Line Networker Turbos enter service when 165006 works the 1613 London Marylebone - Aylesbury.
12-13 September 1991 - Folkestone Harbour branch steam specials.
14 September 1991 - West Anglia gala day held for another year with events at Cambridge and King’s Lynn including specials over the Fen Drayton (former St Ives) and Middleton Towers freight branches; star guest is Glasgow ‘Blue Train’ EMU 303048 which works trips to Stansted Airport.
21-22 September 1991 - Brighton Line 150th anniversary gala days with special events and on the 21st a recreation of the ‘Brighton Belle’ using the Venice Simplon Orient Express.
27 September 1991 - South London Lines Class 456 EMUs enter service; the 24 new units had been delivered from early-1991, but introduction was delayed due to the need to modify the Driver’s seats following Trades Union objections to the original design.
30 September 1991 - St Paul’s Thameslink renamed City Thameslink.
30 September 1991 - Three Counties route branding is no more! Withdrawal of the last NSE local Bedford - Kettering (Northamptonshire) DMUs from this date due to the effects of the recession prunes the route to just ‘two counties’ - Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire - covering Bedford - Bletchley services. The branding had only been introduced 15 March 1990 but soon shorn of its Kettering - Corby element when these trains were withdrawn on 4 June 1990.
17 October 1991 - Rail Head Cleaning Machine ADB977695 demonstrated at Eastleigh depot; converted in Sweden from former Newspaper van No 94001, the new plant is immediately deployed during the present leaf fall season - and is quickly nicknamed the ‘Swedish Scrubber’!
-- October 1991 - London Tilbury & Southend First Class travel withdrawn due to low demand; hastened by electrical faults requiring closure of one coach on most Class 302/308/310/312 EMUs.
6 November 1991 - ‘Thameslink 2000’ launched - a major upgrade of the existing routes and services to meet unprecedented demand - since Thameslink opened on 16 May 1988 there has been a spectacular 300% growth in passengers; the proposals consist of two tiers - ‘Thameslink Metro’ improved inner suburban services based on the existing Class 319 fleet whilst ‘Thameslink Express’ will cater for longer distance travel, adding King’s Lynn, Peterborough and Stansted Airport in the north and Faversham, Horsham, Maidstone East and Portsmouth in the south, served by a fleet of new dual-voltage Class 371 Networker Express EMUs. Construction is envisaged to commence late-1993 with completion in 1998 (see 27 November 1991).
6 November 1991 - City Thameslink formal completion ceremony; it had opened 29 May 1990 as St Paul’s Thameslink, renamed City Thameslink 30 September 1991.
14 November 1991 - Class 465 Networker Driver simulator commissioned at London Waterloo Regional Operations Training Centre.
15 November 1991 - London Tilbury & Southend £50m resignalling announced in House of Commons; completion due in late-1995, the life-expired signalling on the route will be totally replaced, controlled from a new IECC at Upminster.
27 November 1991 - London Crossrail Bill deposited in Parliament - but Thameslink 2000 progress is stalled by failure of Government to back the South London Railways Bill, key to the project.
Note: Though NSE continues to vigorously plan and promote Thameslink 2000, the recession and privatisation combine to put back the project into the new Millennium, when it is re-launched as the ‘Thameslink Programme’. Now costing £6bn, funding was finally authorised in 2007, with phased completion 2011-8. Similar factors also delay Crossrail - eventually also approved 2007, services due to start in 2018.
2 December 1991 - Crossrail Class 341 Networker-based EMU mock-up - ‘341001’ Driving Trailer ‘77958’* - unveiled on concourse at London Paddington.
*Class 341 never built - 77958 used for Class 321/4 321416 Driving Trailer.
5 December 1991 - London Liverpool Street completion of reconstruction ceremonially marked by visit of Her Majesty the Queen; the 5-year, £158m project combines a refurbished original trainshed and extended platforms with greatly improved passenger facilities and new retail/commercial development at this key City of London terminus.
19 December 1991 - Networker first EMUs double hand-over ceremony to NSE - Class 465/0 465001 at BREL York followed by Class 465/2 465201 at GEC-Alsthom (Metro-Cammell) Washwood Heath; the events form part of Chris Green’s farewell tour, travelling with guests between the two venues on a special formed of Chiltern Line new Networker Turbos 165018/19 on their delivery run from York.