British Rail Class 207

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

When new the class were used on the Oxted Line, and were mostly concentrated on services between and Uckfield and Eridge to Tonbridge via .^[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the Redhill to Tonbridge Line, and were known to deputise for 3R units on the North Downs Line to .^[4] Most units were withdrawn in 1987 following the electrification of the Oxted Line's branch.^[5] Four of the seven surviving units were used on the Reading to Basingstoke Line between 1988 and 1993; once this had finished three were withdrawn and the fourth sent to join the other three survivors on the Marshlink Line;^[4] between 1995 and 1998 this included through services from to . After this the class operated on the Marshlink Line between Ashford and and the Oxted Line between London Victoria and 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 The final three units were withdrawn in August 2004.^[6]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 hp (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

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

Unrefurbished Class 207/0

Refurbished Class 207/1

Refurbished Class 207/2

Departmental Units

Named units

The following units received names:^[15]

• 207201 Ashford Fayre
• 207202 Brighton Royal Pavilion

References

1. ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190. London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original 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 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 17 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
9. ^ "BR 60127 Class 207 DEMU: Motor Brake Standard Open Built 1962". cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
10. ^ "BR 70547 Trailer Second Open from Class 411 4-CEP EMU unit Built 1960". cs.rhrp.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
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
15. ^ "Class 207 (3D) 'Oxted' sets". Modern Locomotives Illustrated. No. 218. Stamford: Key Publishing. April 2016. pp. 48–60.

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. Vol. 3. Motive Power Recognition. Ian Allan. pp. 110–3. ISBN 0711012016. OCLC 16599282
• Vehicle Diagram Book No. 230 for Diesel Electric Multiple Unit Trains (including H.S.T.). British Railways Board. September 1987. DB205, DE201, DH301. – via Barrowmore MRG.