THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS

BRIGHTON MIXED TRACTION 

1988 ~ 1997 

 "THE BORN AGAIN DRIVERS"

Above Autumn 1993 Johnny Saunders re-learning steam on a Bullied's Mechant Navy "Port Line" for the Christmas steam specials on the Water Cress Line.

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 Driver Johnny Saunders (Right) and his Fireman for the day Martin (Mickey) Brown (Norwood)

Appearing through the steam is Driver Johnny Saunders 

 Johnny Saunders

BRIGHTON'S 319 PIONEER DRIVERS

 STORIES FROM THE SHOVEL

Courtsey of Ted Janes

Ted entered the footplate grades at Brighton on the 1st November 1943. Ted left Brighton Loco for Norwood Loco in April 1954 to get his Driving job. Eight months later Ted was moving to the Motorman's depot at Crystal Palace Low Level where stayed for two years to the day before moving on to Selhurst for almost eighteen months.

Ted then had an accommodation move to West Worthing, as it was impossible to get to Brighton E.M.U.T. at that time. It was 1958 and Gatwick Airport was about to open and the Railway created dozens of vacancies to cope with extra work including four vacancies at WW. Ted had fourteen years at West Worthing with twelve drivers on each shift and Ted eventually decided to do a mutual change of depots with Brighton driver Ian Munro on the 22nd July 1974.

Ted Janes with one of his beloved 319

13:30 Brighton - Bedford in August 1988, the photo taken by Brighton driver John Long.

When Ted  started driving Electirc Multiple Unit Trains in 1954 (the year Ted become a Motorman) they had old two cars which had been converted from the old L.B.S.C.R. overhead dating back to 1918 or thereabouts, which had run as far as Coulsdon North, they had been built by "Seimans" and like all the stock on the Southern if something blew up or caught fire you could always isolate the offender and get back to depot with very little delay.

Unlike his beloved 319s which in his opinion should have all been on their sides on a tip somewhere as they were certainly the poorest example of railway engineering that Ted ever had anything to do with during his 50 years on the footplate. 

 SIX BRIGHTON DRIVERS ALL RETIRING ON THEIR 65th BIRTHDAY DURING JULY 1991

Left ~ Right: Roy Swetman, John Naisby (Train Crew Manager), Cyril Hutchings, Gus Wright, Don Hill, Harry Mitchell, Norman Light & John Brookshaw (A.T.C.M.)

 Above Laurie Osman (Left) & Geoff Lovell (Bedford) This photo was taken on Laurie's last driving turn at Bedford whilst awaiting to work his return trip back to Brighton. Laurie enter the footplate grades on 4th November 1948 at Brighton. Laurie tranferred to Addiscombe and then later moving back to Brighton E.M.U.T. Laurie spent many years on the Brighton E.M.U.T. L.D.C.

 THE BORN AGAIN DRIVERS

 Class 47 training course c1990

  Class 33 training course

Left ~ Right Graham Lawrence, Neil Wallhead, John Rutter (Instructor) & Bob Schofield (Norwood)

Crompton Training (Class 33s) 1996 with Johnny Rutter (Waterloo Instructor(ex Norwood)

 Vic Clarke 

 Vic Clarke & Mac McCabe

 Left ~ Right: Bill James (Pongo) Trainman "G" (he moved up North??) & Driver Dave Knight

 arriving at Lewes with a Saturday only Inter-City to Eastbourne.

I think Dave is indicating that they are arriving on platform 2 at Lewes or they could be a couple of minutes late!!

 Ron Terrill and his trainman Jeff Edisbury at Eastbourne with the 'Sussex Belle' on the  11th September 1993

 Rex Kitchener at the North-end of Top Yard 30.11.95

Lino Aiello Collection

Lino Aiello & Ken Benfell

 Danny Lodge on the footplate of a Class 37 ballasting at Pevensey in 1995.

 Mac McCabe second manning on a Crompton (Class 33 loco).

Mac McCabe Gallery

After being a way from the footplate for over six years. Mac re-started his railway career at Brighton M.T. on the 06.05.74. Mac gained his promotion to driver on Brighton E.M.U.T. in C1978. Mac later moved to the newly open Thameslink depot in October 1997.

Ken Benfell Collection

KEN BENFELL 

 Ken Benfell Collection

KEN BENFELL & INSTRUCTOR CHOPPER HARRIS

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   Ron Hubbard's last day on the railways in 1992

Left ~ Right: Rod Constable, Ron Hubbard & Dick Lawrence.

Freddie Goff

Fred entered the footplate grades on 22th May 1944 at Newhaven Loco. With the closure of Newhaven Fred transferred to Brighton on the 9th February. Between 1970 - 1980 Fred was to serve as Brighton Branch secretary for the No. 1 branch. Fred later become the last "Royal Train Driver" for the Brighton area. 

 Fred Goff Gallery

Images taken from the Lavant & Drayton videos

CHRIS EXLEY COLLECTION

CHRIS COLLECTION 

Maurice "DOUGAL" Hunter.

Dougal entered the footplate grade on the 28.12.1970 at Brighton M.T. In C1981 Dougal transferred to Brighton E.M.U.T. as aMotormoan transferring back to the M.T. depot in c1984. 

In c2000 Dougal transferred to Hither Green E.W.S. in the hope of a new E.W.S. depot to be established at Three Bridges.  With this depot not materialising, Dougal later transferred to Eastleigh where he remained until he was offered redundancy in 2009.

 M.T. to E.M.U.T.

CHRIS EXLEY COLLECTION 

Instructor Brian Hobby

CHRIS EXLEY COLLECTION

Back Row Left - Right: Dave Pumfrey, Dickie Potts, Johnny Saunders, Peter Mantell, Unknown. & Chris Exley (Instructor)

Front Row: Left - Right: Ernie Meeds, Alan Hardiman, Mick Bassett (Chief Traction Inspector), 

Peter Staniford & Brian Young

Front Row L~ R: Russel Dare (Bognor (O.O.C.), Neal Cowdrey, Roy Swetman & Freddie Goff.

Middle Row L~R: John Lucas (Norwood), Bill Lawrence, Bernie Hayne & Ron Rabbetts

Back Row L~R: Alfie Pelling, Peter Gambling, Brian Hobby (Instructor), Reg Jarrett & Mick Neale (Horsham(Immingham)

 he last group of Brighton M.T. to learn the juice November 1988. Brian Hobby's worse nightmare coming true.

 EMUT Traction Course

Left ~ Right: Steve Jones (Norwood), Ray Oatway (Unknown), Graham Penn (Instructor) Peter Bucknell 

& Ian Glover (Redhill) and in the front, Vic Sexton & Martin Wright (Waterloo).

RON RABBETTS COLLECTION

Ron Rabbetts

 Brian Young

 Ken Benfell Collection

KEN BENFELL 

Tony Farmer above left in Horsham messroom 1992 & above right driving a class 319.

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 The pictures below were taken at the 150 years of Brighton Station.

The open day was held in the station & in Lovers Walk depot 

on the 7th July 1991.

 Ron Terrill

 Gerry Aggett

Above left Chris Newton on the footplate of "BR Standard Class 7 BRITANNIA"

Chris quailified as a Passed Engine Cleaner in 1963/64. and was quailified to volunteer to carry out caretaker duties on this locomotive for the day in Lover's Walk Depot.

 Vic Clarke

on a EDL 73101 "The Royal Alex"

(formerly The Brighton Evening Argus)

 Gordon Hoad

Dave Griffiths pictured working in his spare time on the steam railway on the Isle of Wight railway. Dave was qualified as a steam driver under British Rail whilst working at Aberyswyth.

 Dave transfered to Brighton from Westbury in C1995 and later moved to the Thameslink depot in C1998. Dave once again moved to frieghtliner at Eastliegh in 2001.

A short video clip taken on the 4th May 1994 featuring Charlie Constable, Eddie Shrubb & Matthew Cole 

 Ian Dove 1990/91

PETER DE WITT COLLECTION

Peter De Witt

Paul Evans Collection

Paul Evans 

Claire De Marinis Collection

left - right Ken Middleton, Hans Dadey, Simon Armshaw, Wayne unknown, unknown, Gill Colwell, Ken Hall (Horsham), Paul unknown, Bob Kettle Claire De Marinis & Bill Simms,

seated unknown & Andy Gregg

 THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS WEBSITE.

 HAS NOW BEEN MOVED TO A NEW SITE CALLED

IGNITING THE FLAMING OF UNITY

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

PLEASE CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW 

TO TRANSFER TO THIS NEW SITE

 

 

CLICK ON THE ABOVE IMAGE TO TAKE YOU 

TO THE NEW UPDATED COMBINED AND WEBSITE

IGNITING THE FLAME OF UNITY WEBSITE

https://ignitingtheflameofunity.yolasite.com/

THIS WEBSITE COMBINES THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES 

THE BRIGHTON A.S.L.E.&F.,  THE BRIGHTON MOTIVE POWER DEPOTS 

& THE SUSSEX MOTIVE POWER WEBSITES

WHICH EXPLAINS THE EVOLUTION OF THE FOOTPLATE GRADES AND THE 

HISTORY OF THEIR TRADE UNIONS AND THE STRUGGLES TO IMPROVE 

THEIR WORKING LIVES