Shortlands in 1988

SHORTLANDS

(All 9.8.1988 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

SOUTHERN REGION SCENE - 1980s

After many years of what seemed, at the time, a dull procession of blue and blue and grey, with little new on the scene, the end of the 80s saw big changes on the old Southern Region as it morphed into Network SouthEast.

Liveries began to change and new trains started to appear.

An hour or so at Shortlands in 1988 caught this process under way as Network SouthEast livery started appearing, along with class 319 units amongst the old slam door stock. In fact from these pics blue and grey may never have existed!

Liphook 1977

LIPHOOK

(All 6.7.1977 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - RAILS OF HAMPSHIRE

RAILFILE - SOUTHERN REGION

This intermediate station on the Portsmouth Direct main line was opened on 1 January 1859 and is today served by one stopping train in each direction.

Back in 1977 the station was still in nice condition with buildings intact, services provided by slam door stock. In the 30 minutes or so I was there I managed to get pics of trains in both direction but I think these were non-stoppers. I particularly like the photo of the station exterior, nicely dated (like many of my exteriors are) by a selection of contemporary cars gracing the forecourt.

Littlehampton 27.5.1986

LITTLEHAMPTON

7360 Littlehampton 27.5.1986

7334 Littlehampton 27.5.1986

7754 Littlehampton 27.5.1986

2107 Littlehampton 27.5.1986

7800 Littlehampton 27.5.1986

(All pics © Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING - ELECTRICS AND DIESELS ON SOUTHERN METALS

RAILTHING BLOG - SOUTHERN REGION

When I lived in Littlehampton a favourite afternoon excursion was to the footbridge at Littlehampton station throat, and over the years I must have taken a few hundred photos from this point. This is an unrepeatable location, the footbridge was demolished many years ago and a newer (and I suspect far less useful) bridge has since sprung up closer to the station. Amazingly the signalbox and semaphores are still there, though the trains have completely changed.

So on an afternoon in May 1986 there was a regular procession of electric slam door units, boring at the time but I understand they are a lot more popular now - just as the current 'boring' units will be to the next generation.

If you're wondering about the open connecting door in picture three this unit is being driven into the large carriage sheds just behind me.

Littlehampton had (and of course still has) regular trains to Portsmouth, Bognor, London via Arundel, Brighton and London via Hove. All in all a fantastic service if you lived there, with two separate routes to London! We were very spoiled.