Only of interest to the Veg
In June 1982, 4-VEG No.7910 arrives at Littlehampton station with a service from London Victoria.
Southern EMUs have always been something of an acquired taste. Particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s, the monotony of virtually all passenger trains carrying either blue or blue and grey livery and featuring a small number of similar designs ensured they were of limited interest.
Growing up on the Southern Electric network, for me, the nadir of these units were the 4-VEP units. By the late 1970s these high density, outer suburban units all carried blue and grey livery and could be guaranteed to invoke yawns across most of the Southern Region.
But... fear not: enter the 4-VEGs!
Passenger growth to Gatwick Airport in the 1970s convinced the Southern to 'improve' the service between Victoria and Gatwick by dedicating 12 4-VEP units to these services. To cater for the increased luggage of airport travellers, in each coach seating bays were removed and replaced by luggage racks. The fleet were reclassified as 4-VEG (with the 'G' standing for Gatwick, of course), carried "Rapid City Link Gatwick London" logos, an aeroplane symbol and were renumbered into the 79xx sequence.
While notionally dedicated to Gatwick services, occasionally they escaped onto other Central Division workings as appears to have happened here.
The VEGs were replaced in 1984 and they faded back into obscurity being converted back into VEP units and surviving until ousted by modern units in the 21st century.
Over 40 years later, while the 4-VEG are long gone, Littlehampton looks remarkably similar to this image. While the dockside crane on the river Arun on the far left has gone, the houses, semaphore signals and even the gas holder survive.
Photograph by an unknown photographer, now part of my collection.
Only of interest to the Veg
In June 1982, 4-VEG No.7910 arrives at Littlehampton station with a service from London Victoria.
Southern EMUs have always been something of an acquired taste. Particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s, the monotony of virtually all passenger trains carrying either blue or blue and grey livery and featuring a small number of similar designs ensured they were of limited interest.
Growing up on the Southern Electric network, for me, the nadir of these units were the 4-VEP units. By the late 1970s these high density, outer suburban units all carried blue and grey livery and could be guaranteed to invoke yawns across most of the Southern Region.
But... fear not: enter the 4-VEGs!
Passenger growth to Gatwick Airport in the 1970s convinced the Southern to 'improve' the service between Victoria and Gatwick by dedicating 12 4-VEP units to these services. To cater for the increased luggage of airport travellers, in each coach seating bays were removed and replaced by luggage racks. The fleet were reclassified as 4-VEG (with the 'G' standing for Gatwick, of course), carried "Rapid City Link Gatwick London" logos, an aeroplane symbol and were renumbered into the 79xx sequence.
While notionally dedicated to Gatwick services, occasionally they escaped onto other Central Division workings as appears to have happened here.
The VEGs were replaced in 1984 and they faded back into obscurity being converted back into VEP units and surviving until ousted by modern units in the 21st century.
Over 40 years later, while the 4-VEG are long gone, Littlehampton looks remarkably similar to this image. While the dockside crane on the river Arun on the far left has gone, the houses, semaphore signals and even the gas holder survive.
Photograph by an unknown photographer, now part of my collection.