Newhaven Nonsense, Hastings DEMU No 1001, 12/8/23.

Filmed at Hastings and Southease:

 

Non-steam trips don't get a lot of coverage on here, but this one deserves some coverage and, as someone who was on it, it behoves me to contribute.
I don't think I ever rode on a Hastings unit when they were in regular service, so that was a new experience. I was in the trailer next to one of the driving motor coaches and the engine seemed very noisy, so presumably even noisier if you were in the motor coach. The itinerary was a good one for a multiple unit, with multiple reversals.
We had fun and games at the Newhaven aggregate terminal. First we ran right to the buffer stops. Two of the staff of the terminal were filming us from a cherry picker. Then two of them drove their machines (one an enormous dumper truck) round and round in circles for fun and for our entertainment. When we set off back towards the main line we ran onto the headshunt, then back to the end and only then out on the road that we had come in on.
As we approached Lewes on the way back we were notified of serious disruption around Brighton caused by trespassers (reportedly football fans). We sat still for some time and then took the obvious route home by turning right at Lewes.
Going up the Brighton Main Line we stopped for a while somewhere (I think Gatwick, for much longer than the half minute shown at https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U54696/2023-08-12/detailed ) watched by loads of people on the platform who were waiting for delayed service trains, some of whom neverthless waved cheerfully to us when we eventually moved off. The trip ended with what must be a rare bit of track for a passenger train nowadays, from Linford St Jn into Waterloo,

 

Pretty sure it was Haywards Heath where you stopped, I was following the train on Traksy while waiting for it at the Ouse Valley Viaduct.

Teston Bridge


Southease on the way down to Newhaven.


On the viaduct.

 

The planned stop at Gatwick on RTT was 16 minutes I think, of which only three were used. After a 63 minute late departure from Lewes, it was only 29 late by Earlswood - seen here.

 

I was onboard too & can confirm we stopped at Haywards Heath due to the meltdown of services caused by the trespass incident at Falmer earlier. I was chatting to a fellow enthusiast for a while before we departed again.

The train was stopped very briefly at Gatwick to allow myself & 2 other gentleman to disembark, so as to avoid having trouble getting home due to the delays on the Brighton mainline & due to short notice cancellations out of Waterloo (very grateful to all staff concerned for their help)

A great day out and I highly recommend a trip out on the DEMU for those who’ve never been on it & are considering it.

Cheers

Ben

 

Thanks for the corrections about where we stopped, for how long. RTT does not show the stop at Haywards Heath.