Hastings DEMUs c1986 

I vividly remember these passing through Waterloo East in the 60s and 70s as a kid. I used to try and stand where the 2 units were coupled, the noise from the 2 adjacent engines was incredible. These units were often stored in sidings at Grove Park at the time.

Priceless footage. Interior too! Wow.

A different world then. Those old girls were full of character.

I grew up in Croydon and so I lived on the Brighton line -- my mum's friend lives in Davidson Road, right on the eastern side of the big junction north of East Croydon. I used to see the DEMUs go past on the way to East Grinstead every day -- as I recall they were 3-car units which were often coupled together. I don't remember ever seeing 12-car diesel units though. I'm pretty sure they used class 205 units on that line; they were standard width unlike the Hastings units which were narrow so as to fit through the tunnels (no longer an issue since they reduced those stretches to single track when they electrified). Noisy buggers those trains were. I bet the drivers were glad when the class 171 units came as was everyone who lived near the track. Regardless of the disadvantages, the old slam door stock had the most comfortable seats I've ever sat on in a train carriage. Much more so than the seats on the new Electrostar units or whatever they're called. Never rode in a Hastings DEMU but the seats on that train at the start reminded me of it.

5:57 - its amazing how much east croydon has changed in a relatively little amount of time, fantastic shot the train coming !

Use to love listening to these pulling away from Wadhurst

If you show this to Americans they think it is colorized film from before World War 1! I love it !!!! These knackered old trains were great, even if they showed up, you never knew if they would fall apart before reaching their destination

Those Croydon shots must have been taken during a Sunday engineering diversion via Redhill. Always thought these units worked best in 12-car formations, got a nice double-blast of engine in the middle of the train as it pulled away too.

Thanks for uploading this fantastic footage of these evocative old units (dating back to 1957). They were rather under powered by modern standards (600 HP power car so 200 HP per car for a six car train) but were allegedly an improvement on steam regarding acceleration, certainly when fitted with Surburban traction motor gearing (top speed 75 mph; Express gearing increased the design speed to 90 mph). What a shame your camera had no sound facility! Sitting in the power car accommodation of these DEMUs one could occasionally hear `engineering in action' i.e. not only the sound of the English Electric 4SRKT 4 cylinder turbocharged Diesel engine thumping away but also, on part load, the whine of the electric traction motors. Fond memories of these on the Basingstoke to Reading service (replaced by noisy characterless Sprinter style units).

wow thank you for sharing this. brings back memories from when I was a kid.

Thank you for sharing. I lived near the Portsmouth to Southampton line near Fareham station and the three car DEMU units are a staple of my childhood memories. Wonderful!

This is the kind of production I expect from you.

It’s a shame these never got repainted in NSE livery

Ah, the times I watched the Thumpers traverse the curve from Filsham Road bridge, the North side of West St. Leonards station. A good thrash was had going Northbound with 12 carriages up that gradient. I think the final frames were filmed at the Bulverhythe depot? As a schoolboy I had the pleasure of being shown round; Well before H&S! On a technical note, I see the transfer on this reel was done at 30 fps; I'm guessing that the original film was run at 18 fps, so was there an engineering reason why you couldn't use 18 or 36fps for transfer if that was the case? Not a criticism, because the transfer works well and the colour is very good indeed; certainly better than video of the day.

I used to live in Orpington when this was filmed. Really excellent quality pictures. What camera/format were you using and would I be correct in thinking you added the music because the camera didn't have a sound facility. How we forget how much technology has advanced since 1986. There's an excellent cab ride video on RU-vid running from Cardiff to Newport. Repaint in NSE colours? No, no, no, no, no.

This is a brilliant film, much appreciated 👍 But, how is it put together? Is it a team of several camera people, each positioned at various stations? Or, is it all different trains, all filmed by the same person? I am from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and used to re-visit the town around 1986, so I am very familiar with these old trains. And the introduction of "1066 Electrics" around 1986 - and the introduction of the famous Jaffa Cake painted trains. My favourite railway line, Charing Cross to Hastings. And, nice to see the original Charing Cross railway station, before it was ruined by that giant office monolith above the tracks.

wheres the sound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why the music, let’s hear the beat of those engines.

Good footage! Such a SHAME about the music.