Class 503 EMU

Impossible to 'like' this. However we got here, how is this preservation? The unit was built pre-WW2 and was intact...

 

It’s very simple. Actions have consequences and so does inaction. No where near enough people gave a damn about it so this is the consequence.

A rescue needs participants and this just had too many spectators.

 

Same problem with most of the 'preserved' EMU stock (the Bluebell's VEP is an exception). Host railways don't want them as they take up valuable siding space and have little or no chance of revenue earning. As the units don't earn any money the owners are unable to invest in their restoration/upkeep so they slowly deteriorate until scrapping is the only choice. Very sad to lose any historic rolling stock but that's the way it is.
Ray.

 

And that is why we have things like the NRM. Or should be. Lets face it, nobody would much care if they got rid of their Deltic, 40, 47, 52 or indeed their Black 5, Schools, or even some (more) of the frankly-fairly-similar Victorian 4-4-0s; all of these would find good homes and the majority of those I mentioned are not unique. However, if they got rid of their 2-BIL the world would be a poorer place. The 503 is from the same era (but different technology) and should, after surviving this long, be similarly cared for.
@SERA01UK It's all very well to say that "nowhere near enough people gave a damn", and you may be right; but I don't recall seeing any urgent appeal for funding or a home for this unit. This morning I searched for it on Facebook; the last post from its support group was from 2018 celebrating it going into covered storage in Margate. Anyone reading that would feel that the unit was safe and subject to some sort of long term conservation plan.

 

If you go on the Class 503 Unit Facebook page you will see the following on the timeline:


05/06/18 -

Announcement that the whole unit has moved to Margate


09/01/20

Launch of the 750 Supply Scheme that aimed to generate monthly income of £750 per month to cover the cost of storage of both units at Margate. Pledges invited from 503 supporters.

64 likes/8 shares - NIL RESPONSE


23/01/20

Follow up post on the launch of 750’Supply

1 like/1 share - NIL RESPONSE


24/01/20

Repeat of previous post but with picture for attention.

54 likes/1 share/5 comments - NIL RESPONSE


01/07/20

Post alerting that the 503 had received no supporters and this needed to change.

64 likes/5 shares/7 comments - NIL RESPONSE


03/11/20

Post advising that the SUB would be remaining at Margate but the 503 would be moving to an alternative site based upon low level of support and that HETT was open to the idea of working with any other groups or individuals to find a future for the unit.

109 likes/23 shares/30 comment - NIL RESPONSE


19/09/21

The 503 page reached 750 likes so a timely reminder that 750 Supply remained open to 503 supporters, any future home would be based upon the level of support the unit had, HETT could accept one off donations to as a registered charity.

79 likes/4 shares/10 comments - NIL RESPONSE


Then followed a series of posts in May and June 2023 after the attempted move of the unit to Sellindge was cancelled because of mechanical failure by the haulier. The situation with the future of the unit was serious, at this stage it had ONE supporter.


26/05/23

HETT was open to the idea of working with any other groups or individuals to find a future for the unit.

112 likes/11 shares/50 comments


27/05/23

What possible options existed for the future of the unit, what would people like to see

85 likes/19 shares/37 comments


The above two posts resulted in two new 503 subscribers to 750 Supply


29/05/23

Post asking the community what sites existed that would be suitable for the 503 in or around Merseyside?

112 likes/8 shares/55 comments


30/05/23

Post asking that now the page had 903 followers could we get just four new pledgers to 750 Supply for the 503?

16 likes / 11 comments - This post attracted two more subscribers.


13/06/23

Positive post saying we had new subscribers, were there anymore out there?

16 likes/1 share/2 comments - No further responses.


We certainly tried…..

 

Interesting, and thanks for summarising that. When I searched this morning none of this showed up... now it does. Strange.
Well, the preservation movement as a collective whole should be ashamed of this outcome. These aren't a unit that has any particular resonance with me, I'll admit (wrong era/region for me to have ever seen one), but it is (was) a stylish looking thing and to have survived 86 years (including a World War) just to get turned into razorblades due to, essentially, economics, seems pretty devastating. The trouble is, without the other two cars, the one survivor, although now unique (or about to be), is perhaps even less appealing.
Preservation as a movement needs to get a lot smarter at fundraising. That's the long and the short of it, really.

 

"Smarter at fundraising" ? Or perhaps we should just be more realistic about the limited amount of money available to try to preserve anything. Where is all this money going to come from?

I don't see any suggestions about how we could be "smarter" either.

 

Whilst it may not have been your intention, I think you've got the nail on the head with the above sentence in bold...

A Liverpool 3rd rail emu ultimately appears just too niche to have a wider following with enough people willing to put their hands in their pockets or get stuck in sadly for the emu.

 

I think it’s reasonable to assume that, once their operational life ends, most recent, current and future third rail emus will go extinct, with none surviving into preservation. The fate of this much older and arguably more interesting example highlights this.

I expect the same is true of most overhead emus, and most dmus as well.

There’s neither the supporter base to maintain and run them, anywhere to keep or run them, nor interest from the general public in travelling on them.

There’s already, arguably, a surplus of classic diesels locos and steam engines, the last thing the movement needs is loads of forgettable powered carriages consuming space and money that could be better used to restore the stuff people actually want to see and ride on.

I shudder at the prospect of visiting a railway with a siding taken up with a faded SWR 455 or a 159 rotting away to no purpose.

Simon

 

First, I think you are too dismissive of the value of DMUs.

Second, if heritage railways claim to be museums, one of their challenges is in how to embrace the post-1968 part of railway history. That will require different approaches to the classic "collector buys from scrapyard" model, and we're seeing (for example) how the Bluebell are working with others to restore the 4-VEP. But I'd be concerned if none of the PEP derived EMUs (classes 313/4/5, 507/8) survived, because they do represent an important part of the evolution. At the same time, I see no reason why one of each is necessary or desirable.

 

It is a sad fact of life that we can't 'save' everything. What we can try to do is preserve the best/most representative examples. The 502, once worthy of inclusion in the National Collection, is a better representative of an LMS designed 3rd rail EMU and it hasn't been disfigured by the emergency end doors of the 503. It is under cover and being actively restored by a group funding the work themselves. 'No brainer' really.
Ray.

 

Without wishing to sound like a Hester, but if someone preserves a Voyager I’ll be coming over with matches and accelerant…

Simon

 

I think an EMR Meridian in current run down condition would be a valuable museum exhibit - preferably to be kept in a "frozen" state, a bit like the L&B carriage in the NRM.

 

I can’t tell if you’re joking… :lol:

I can see a role for the NRM in obtaining and protecting ‘important’ examples for the historic record, and maybe a knackered Meridian would meet that description…

But individual groups hoovering up one of everything for the sake of ‘preservation at all costs’ feels like a hiding to nothing, and can easily move from being benign to actively harmful before eventually ending with something being cut up in situ.

Folk might regret the ones that got away from the golden steam days (eg A1 or Clan) but ain’t no one gonna be faffing around creating a new build Turbostar in 50 years time as the originals have all gone to the scrapper…

Simon

 

A calasssic exa,mple of the myhticla "they" should do something, whithout realisign that "they" means "you".

 

However, museums & heritage railways might decide, quite legitimately, to limit their period of interest to the pre-1968 era or thenabouts especially if that's what continues to attract their members, donors and customers the most. Time will tell but I suspect there might always be a greater degree of public, and volunteer/donor, interest in the "steam age" compared to what followed. If that's true subsequent eras, together with (it seems) electric traction of all eras, will always have less money, space and time devoted to their preservation. Their story may have to be be represented far more by writings, pictures, videos & models with relatively few full-size locos and trains.

 

I'll respond to this, as representative of a wider range of comments.

There's a fair challenge about the era represented by a railway; if it wants to show it's history pre-closure, then that is absolutely it's prerogative. On the other hand, those more modern units are part of our history, and we have the knowledge of regret that history hasn't been preserved a while later. I personally prefer the approach of the KWVR, who have chosen to preserve a Pacer unit. They accept that these are part of the area's railway history (I've travelled through Keighley more than once in a 142 or 144), even if they did not operate up the branch.

At the same time, I agree completely that the demand for these is much more niche, and that multiple preservation attempts will risk none being preserved. We see the consequences with SR EMUs, and with the 503.

I'm a Bluebell member. I expect that, in my lifetime, the Electrostars will be withdrawn and replaced - they're already at half life. If (and it's a very big IF) the Ardingly branch is preserved, I would be pleased to be transported to Horsted Keynes in a class 377.