one of the best DEMU still running not only is this loco suited for all routes it was a major selection of headboards and perfect for rail tours heritage events and rescues also one of these units towed a derailed 375 once so would be a perfect scenario for it comes in two liveries being in IRL BR blue and southern green (correct me if i am wrong) this also would be good to support the HDL (Hastings diesel limited) at refurbishing these beasts. please tell i said anything wrong or to add onto this
We need much more than just 1001. All DEMUs from Class 201 to 207 were similar in many ways with only a few differences. To create any one of them, it would surely be wise to do the ground work for all of them. As far as helping with the refurbishment (assuming you mean a charitable donation from profits to the project) I have suggested similar schemes to assist other preservation and rebuild projects before.
I would love to see the Hastings demu come to tsw. If my memory serves me correctly, it's a unique unit. Designed specifically for clearance in the narrow tunnels on the 1066 line. Or was it low tunnels? As I remember they was a bit tight on the budget when they bored the tunnels.
Class 201, 202 and 203 were built to the narrow Hastings gauge (tunnels were bored cheaply) and were either 5 car or 6 car on short or long frames.
Yeah that's it, then they was reduced to single track when the emus came along. The demu's was fitted with window bars, you literally couldn't open the doors in the tunnels, they was that narrow.
When the contractors built the tunnels they lined them with four layers of brick instead of the specified six. This was only discovered when one of the tunnels collapsed. Only narrow stock could be used once rectified, until the tunnels were singled when electrified.
