THE 309 GROUP

After much work behind the scenes and work clearing the whole length of our track, we were finally able to relocate the 3 x 309 EMU carriages from the closed Coventry Electric Railway Museum to our site at Nant Mawr along with the diesel shunter ‘Crabtree’. This involved some brilliant driving skills by the crew from Simon Reids transport, not only bringing 4 abnormal length loads through the roadworks at Mile End over a bank Holiday weekend but the sight of the final coach being transported up the A495 and then turning right up Blodwel Bank so it could be reversed into the quarry was something not to be missed.


So a BIG welcome to Jessi, John, Debs, Paul, Graham, John2 and the rest of the crew from Coventry, we extended the lime kiln siding and the coaches including the ‘Clacton Café’ and a museum coach are now resting in their new home.


Our unit 309616

Set: 616, 309616, 960101.

Coach numbers: 75642, 61937, 75981. (Departmental 977962, 977963, 977964)

These vehicles have been in the formation throughout its history, although it was originally a 4-car set containing a griddle car. This was replaced once in 1974 with a Class 123 DMU buffet coach, then in 1981 with a standard coach and removed altogether when it became a test train.


Livery

Presently in the short-lived but well received London & South Eastern "Jaffa Cake" livery. This was a precursor to Network South East branding introduced from 1986.

Jaffa cake livery would have been originally applied when the fleet was refurbished at Wolverton Works during the period 1985–1987.


Other liveries carried (rough dates):

Maroon (1962 - 69)

BR Blue/Grey (1969 - 85)

Jaffa Cake (1985 – 88, 2015 onwards)

Network South East (1988 - 94)

Regional Railways NW (1994 - 2000)

Train Control Systems (2001 – 2015)


Brief history of 309616

Built 1961

1963 – 1994: Based at Clacton Depot (CC).

London Liverpool Street – Clacton and other express Services.

1994: Stored at Blackpool North?

1994 -2000: Based at Longsight Depot (LG). Manchester suburban services.

Almost didn't survive - During 1995 was stored and used as a 'Christmas tree' source of spares to keep the rest of the class running.

2001 – 2004: Based at Old Dalby Test Track. Train Control Systems

2004 – 2009: Stored at MOD Pig's Bay, Shoeburyness

2/2009 – 5/2018: Preserved Electric Railway Museum, Coventry

5/2018 - present: Preserved Tanat Valley Light Railway, Nantmawr


Typical headcode: 1F37