L428 Oxford April 1982
Reading's Class 117 set L428 waits at Oxford with presumably a service to Didcot although the destination blind states Radley. The set consisted of W51408, W59518 and W51366 and soon to be reallocated to Bristol. This was the same formation as when delivered new to Southall in September 1960, the Western Region rarely mixing sets up unlike the other regions. The 117's were built for the Western Region as a high density suburban unit with a Derby design and operated mainly around the Paddington/Reading area. A total of 42 of power car pairs were built by pressed steel at Linwood near Paisley and surprisingly only 39 centre cars presumable to make 3 power twins. The set was still in the same formation in November 1993 shortly before the centre car was removed and withdrawn. The twin set moved to Bletchley depot for Bedford services along with Gospel oak to Barking as set L706, later 117706. The power twin was withdrawn late 1999 and eventually scrapped at Booths Rotherham in 2009.
35mm Slide Scan
L428 Oxford April 1982
Reading's Class 117 set L428 waits at Oxford with presumably a service to Didcot although the destination blind states Radley. The set consisted of W51408, W59518 and W51366 and soon to be reallocated to Bristol. This was the same formation as when delivered new to Southall in September 1960, the Western Region rarely mixing sets up unlike the other regions. The 117's were built for the Western Region as a high density suburban unit with a Derby design and operated mainly around the Paddington/Reading area. A total of 42 of power car pairs were built by pressed steel at Linwood near Paisley and surprisingly only 39 centre cars presumable to make 3 power twins. The set was still in the same formation in November 1993 shortly before the centre car was removed and withdrawn. The twin set moved to Bletchley depot for Bedford services along with Gospel oak to Barking as set L706, later 117706. The power twin was withdrawn late 1999 and eventually scrapped at Booths Rotherham in 2009.
35mm Slide Scan