British Rail Class 207

British Rail Class 207 (3D)
South Central 207202 at Hurst Green in 2002
In service	1962-2004
Manufacturer	BR Eastleigh
Number built	19 trainsets
Successor	Class 170
Formation	3 cars per trainset
Operators	Southern Region of British Railways Network South East Connex South Central Southern
Specifications
Maximum speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight	56 long tons (56.9 t; 62.7 short tons)
Prime mover(s)	English Electric 4SRKT Mark II (4-cylinder diesel)
Power output	600  shp (450  kW) at 850 rpm
Coupling system	Drophead buckeye [1]
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

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 distinctive sound of their engines. ^{[2] [3]}

Operational history

207013 3D East Sussex DMU at Eastleigh. The black triangle was an indication to station staff that the guard's compartment was located at this end of the unit.

When new the class were used on the Oxted Line, and were mostly concentrated on services between London Victoria and Uckfield and Eridge to Tonbridge via Tunbridge Wells. ^[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. ^[4] 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 Reading. ^[4] Most units were withdrawn in 1987 following the electrification of the Oxted Line's East Grinstead branch.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surviving units were used on the Reading to Basingstoke Line between 1988 and 1993; once this had finished three were withdrawn and the fourth sent to join the other three survivors on the Marshlink Line; ^[4] between 1995 and 1998 this included through services from Ashford International to Brighton. After this the class operated on the Marshlink Line between Ashford and Hastings and the Oxted Line between London Victoria and Uckfield 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 The final three units were withdrawn in August 2004.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: 56 long tons (57 t; 63 short tons)
• Engine: English Electric 4-cylinder type 4SRKT Mark II of 600 bhp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
• Transmission: Electric, two English Electric type EE507 traction motors rated at 250 hp (190 kW) each.
• Maximum tractive effort: 12,500 lbf (56,000 N)
• Driving wheel diameter: 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
• Coupling code: Standard 'Buck eye' compatible with contemporary Class 20x and 4xx units.
• Train heating: Electric

Preservation

Unit 1305 (207202, with a former Class 411 centre coach in place of the original) operating at the East Lancashire Railway, Bury.

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]
• Motor car 60127 from unit 207203 resides at the Spa Valley Railway as a source of spares for resident unit 207017. ^[9] The unit was originally located at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway paired with a former Class 205 driving trailer car. The former 4-CEP centre trailer car, TSOL 70547 is situated on private land in Hungerford, Berkshire. ^[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]

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. ^{[12] [13]}

Fleet details

Key:	Preserved	Rebuilt	Departmental Use	Scrapped

Unrefurbished Class 207/0

Unit No.		Name	Final livery	DMBSO		TCsoL		DTSO		Withdrawn [14]	Status
New	Old
207001	1301	-	NSE	60126		60600		60900		04/1994	Scrapped
207002	1302	-	NSE	60127		60601		60901		1992	Converted to 207103
207003	1303	-	Blue/Grey	60128		60602		60902		09/1987	Scrapped
207004	1304	-	NSE	60129		60603		60903		07/1991	Converted to 207101
207005	1305	-	NSE	60130		60604		60904		07/1991	Converted to 207102
207006	1306	-	Blue/Grey	60131		60605		60905		09/1987	Scrapped
207007	1307	-	Blue/Grey	60132		60606		60906		09/1987	Scrapped
207008	1308	-	Blue/Grey	60133		60607		60907		05/1988	Scrapped
207009	1309	-	Blue/Grey	60134		60608		60908		09/1987	Scrapped
207010	1310	-	NSE	60135		60609		60909		09/1993	Tractor unit 951070
207011	1311	-	NSE	60136		60610		60910		05/1990	Sandite unit 1068
207012	1312	-	Blue/Grey	60137		60611		60911		09/1987	Scrapped
207013	1313	-	NSE	60138		60612		60912		03/1994	Tractor unit 951070
207014	1314	-	NSE	60139		60613		60913		05/1990	Sandite unit 1068
207015	1315	-	Blue/Grey	60140		60614		60914		9/1987	Scrapped
207016	1316	-	Blue/Grey	60141		60615		60915		10/1987	Scrapped
207017	1317	-	Blue/Grey	60142		60616		60916		03/2004	Preserved
207018	1318	-	Blue/Grey	60143		60617		60917		09/1987	Scrapped
207019	1319	-	Blue/Grey	60144		60618		60918		05/1988	Scrapped

Refurbished Class 207/1

Unit No.		Name	Final livery	DMBSO			DTSO			Withdrawn	Status
207101	207004	Ashford Fayre	NSE	60129			60903			1995	Converted to 207201
207102	207005	Brighton Royal Pavilion	NSE	60130			60904			1995	Converted to 207202
207103	207002	-	NSE	60127			60901			1995	Converted to 207203

Refurbished Class 207/2

Unit No.		Name	Final livery	DMBSO		TSOL		DTSO		Withdrawn	Status
207201	207101	Ashford Fayre	Connex	60129		70286		60903		2003	Scrapped
207202	207102	Brighton Royal Pavilion	Connex	60130		70549		60904		08/2004	Preserved
207203	207103	-	Connex	60127		70547		60901		08/2004	Preserved, 60901 destroyed by fire.

Departmental Units

Unit No.		Final livery	DMB		T		DMB (DT*)		Withdrawn	Status
-	1068	NSE	977700 (ex-60139)		977696 (ex-60522)		977701* (ex-60910)		1992	Scrapped
951070	1070	NSE	977906 (ex-60135)		-		977907 (ex-60138)		1998	Preserved

References

1. System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
2. "Preserved Thumpers". Preservedthumpers.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
3. Skinner, Paul. "Epping Ongar Railway - Rolling Stock Department - Diesel-Electric Multiple Units". Eorailway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
4. Welch, Michael (October 2004). Southern DEMUs. Capital Transport. pp. 19–22. ISBN   1-85414-287-9.
5. Hampshire & Sussex Units Preservation Society: Sussex Units History Archived 2 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
6. Class 207 Overview ^{[ usurped ]}daveh.org.uk
7. Smith, Roger (12 November 2022). "Plans to restore Oxted Line 2-car "Thumper" DEMU". Leyland: RailAdvent. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
8. "The Bluebell Railway Acquires Heritage Southern Region DEMU". Uckfield: Bluebell Railway. 16 January 2023. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
9. "BR 60127 Class 207 DEMU: Motor Brake Standard Open Built 1962". cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
10. "BR 70547 Trailer Second Open from Class 411 4-CEP EMU unit Built 1960". cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
11. "News – Update time". South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
12. Robins, Tina (20 May 2016). "Blaze destroys vintage train". Swindon Advertiser. High Wycombe: Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
13. "BR 60901 Class 207 DEMU: Driving Trailer Standard (scrapped) built 1954". Carriage Survey Project. Railway Heritage Register Partnership. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
14. Withdrawal dates from H. Longworth, British Railways First Generation DMUs, Oxford Publishing Company, 2011, ISBN   9780860936121

Further reading

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