The London Bridge commuters

The London Bridge commuters

33204 at London Bridge with the last commuter for East Grinstead on April 2nd 1974. A John Williams photo with thanks

Commuter Memories

Many of us will remember the manic London Bridge evening rush hour spotting sessions we all did. The pages of unit numbers are punctuated by the odd 33 and 73 working the ECS and the commuters themselves. From memory it was 33’s on the first 3 ECS turns from New Cross Gate with a 73 on the last. Looking at my logs this wasnt always the case for on June 4th 1976 i recorded the following evening hauled workings

73105n33056, 33060n33048, 33207, 73124…2 top and tail and 2 EDs on the emcars.

My first evening commuter was after a spotting session at London Bridge on April 22nd 1977 and from the choice of 4 33’s i had 33054 on 8 Mk I’s on the 1815 London Bridge – East Grinstead. I was impressed with the thrash the 33 working hard virtually to Norwood Jn on the long climb out of Central London.

My only morning rush hour “commuter” session was on December 13th 1977. The last commuter was booked into Victoria mornings only back then and was pleased to rake Victoria in for loco haulage. Hither Green 33’s were quite hard to get at the time so to rake 4 in “fresh” off my overnight from South Wales.

13/12/77 Tu

33207 0719 East Grinstead-London Bridge Oxted – Woldingham

33035 0802 East Grinstead-London Bridge Woldingham – Upper Warlingham

33048 0812 East Grinstead-London Bridge Upper Warlingham – East Croydon

33038 0841 East Grinstead-Victoria East Croydon – Victoria

From then on the evening commuters were raked in on occasions, the hauled 1659 East Grinstead – London Bridge allowing extra mileages. Sometimes it was a simple leap at East Croydon, Oxted, Hurst Green and East Grinstead. The memories of watching the 33s leave Hurst Green as the commuters scurried home on winter evenings remain particulary sharp.

By 1981 the hauled commuters went down to 3, by 1983 down to 2 and finally just 1 from May 84. Although 1986 (possibly starting in January 86) saw with the following turn also hauled as late as May 8th 1986 when the rare (for the Commuters) 33105 worked 0548 East Croydon – Uckfield and the 0711 Uckfield – London Bridge. That same evening 33019 worked the 1704 London Bridge – East Grinstead. Unfortunately on May 9th the last day, a stock issue saw this turned caped

On the last ever day May 9th 1986 33201 worked the 0726 East Croydon – East Grinstead, 0826 East Grinstead – London Bridge, and the 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead for presumably a busy ECS back to New Cross Gate!

33061 at London Bridge with an evening commuter on April 2nd 1974. A John Williams phot with thanks

The Trains May 77 – May 78

0719 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0802 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0812 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0841 East Grinstead – Victoria

1912 Uckfield – Oxted

1719 London Bridge – Uckfield

1733 London Bridge – East Grinstead

1815 London Bridge – East Grinstead

1829 London Bridge – East Grinstead

May 80 – May 81

2U37 0725 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U39 0801 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U45 0825 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U43 0909 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U47 1704 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U89 1912 Uckfield – East Croydon

2U03 0729 East Croydon – East Grinstead

2U07 1553 East Croydon – East Grinstead

2U19 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield

1U21 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead

2U23 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead

2U25 1818 London Bridge – East Grinstead

May 81-May 83

2U03 0729 East Croydon – East Grinstead

2U37 0725 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U39 0801 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U45 0825 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U27 1910 Uckfield – East Croydon

2U19 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield

1U21 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead

2U23 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead

May 83 – May 84

2U05 0727 East Croydon – East Grinstead

2U35 0725 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U41 0827 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2U27 1910 Uckfield – East Croydon

2U14 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield

1U16 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead

The last booked down hauled Uckfield commuter with the rare 33107 with headboards on the 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield on May 11th 1984. An East West Divide image c/o RM web with thanks

May 84 – May 86

2L71 0726 East Grinstead – East Grinstead

2L86 0826 East Grinstead – London Bridge

2L95 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead

another hauled turn introduced possibly from Jan 86 (definitely worked March – May 8th 1986)

2L63 0548 East Grinstead – Uckfield

2L80 0711 Uckfield – London Bridge

2L87 1708 London Bridge – East Grinstead

Loco by Loco – thanks to WNXX users for their help in filling some of the gaps

Nominally all the commuters were booked for Hither Green locos although the 1720 Uckfield was an Eastleigh regular as seen in the table below. 33’2 “Slim Jims” often worked the first up commuter and the last down commuter. At least (to date) 81 different 33’s have worked the Commuters as shown below.

33001 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 091282

33002 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 171183

33003 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 200482

33004 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 020584

33005 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 190484

33006 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 120980

33007 0801 East Grinstead – London Bridge 130483

33008 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 250978

Bulled up 33008 at London Bridge with an evening Commuter on July 12th 1985, Thanks to David Malt for the photo

33009 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 100584

33010 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 140478

33011 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 020484

33012 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 020482

33013 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 110882

33014 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 110882

33015 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 030785

33016 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 091282

33017 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 270484

33018 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 190984

33019 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 260182

33020 1659 East Grinstead – London Bridge 090578

33021 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 291079

33022 1735 London Bridge-East Grinstead 231179

33023 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 171183

33024 1815 London Bridge-East Grinstead 230378

33025 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 080983

33026 1720 London Bridge-East Grinstead 231179

33027 1815 London Bridge – East Grinstead 190777

33028 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 190483

33029 1815 London Bridge – East Grnstead 040577

33030 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 170486

33031 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 190380

33032 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 181182

33033 1659 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131278

33034 1733 London Bridge – East Grinstead 300677

33035 0802 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131277

33036 0802 East Grinstead – London Bridge 100375

33037 1719 London Bridge-Uckfield 230378

33038 0841 East Grinstead – Victoria 131277

33039 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 210978

33040 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 070682

33041 0802 East Grinstead – London Bridge 110975

33041’s last commuter as she was involved in a serious collision with commuter empties later that morning. She was withdrawn as a result of this collision

33042 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 290482

33043 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 250484

33044 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 030283

33045 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 190483

33046 2U47 1658 East Grinstead-London Bridge 140879

33047 1U21 1735 London Bridge-East Grinstead 200879

33048 1705 London Bridge-Uckfield 281278

Thanks to David Hills for this nice view off 33048 at London Bridge with an East Grinstead service on July 11th 1979

33049 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 070582

33050 1815 London Bridge – East Grinstead 140377

33051 1705 London Bridge-Uckfield 131278

33052 1733 London Bridge-East Grinstead 230378

33053 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 040882

33054 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 030882

33055 0909 East Grinstead – London Bridge 250680

33056 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 190483

33057 1815 London Bridge – East Grinstead 230277

33058 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 190382

33059 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 040882

33060 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 260182

33061 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 181182

33062 1735 London Bridge – East Grinstead 061178

33063 1821 East Grinstead-London Bridge 281278

33064 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 181182

33065 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 030283

33101-4 ….

33105 0711 Uckfield – London Bridge 080586

33106….

33107 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 110584

The last booked down Uckfield turn

33108-117 ….

33118 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 221082

33119 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 300883

as 6580 worked many “commuters” with the 6TC set in the late 60s

33201 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 090586 (the end…..)

stock 4376, 3838, 13401, 21268, 3993, 3919, 3745, 3749

33202 1821 London Bridge – East Grinstead 050379

33203 1821 London Bridge – East Grinstead 080979

33204 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 131278

33205 1735 London Bridge – East Grinstead 091078

33206 0826 East Grinstead – London bridge 080586

33207 0719 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131277

33208 1821 London Bridge – East Grinstead 260978

33209 2U25 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 140879

6595 (later 33210) 1734 London Bridge-East Grinstead 051268

33211 2U25 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 200879

33212 0801 East Grinstead – London Bridge 180183

09’s and 47s on the commuters! thanks to Hank/MIB for the gen

47250 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead 270483

33026 2L95 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead 280286, 33026 failed Bricklayers Arms Jn and 09003 dragged Bricklayers Arms Jn to New Cross Gate – caped here

ex carriage workings gen

0712 ex New Cross Gate forms 0729 East Croydon – East Grinstead 8 set H forms

0825 East Croydon – East Grinstead

1910 ex Uckfield forms 2022 to New Cross Gate ex East Croydon FX to Clapham yd FO

0557 New Cross Gate – East Grinstead arr 0654

forms 0707 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0642 New Cross Gate – East Grinstead

forms 0801 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0712 up siding to East Grinstead

forms 0725 East Grinstead – London Bridge

0909 London Bridge – New Cross Gate

0933 London Bridge – New Cross Gate

1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead to up siding

1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead to 1915 to New Cross Gate/Clapham

1937 East Grinstead – New Cross Gate

2022 East Grinstead – New Cross Gate

My Commuter Loco by Loco the 70’s

33022 1735 London Bridge-East Grinstead 231179

33024 1815 London Bridge-East Grinstead 230378

33026 1720 London Bridge-East Grinstead 231179

33033 1659 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131278

33035 0802 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131277

33037 1719 London Bridge-Uckfield 230378

33038 0841 East Grinstead-Victoria 131277

33046 2U47 1658 East Grinstead-London Bridge 140879

33047 1U21 1735 London Bridge-East Grinstead 200879

33048 1705 London Bridge-Uckfield 281278

33051 1705 London Bridge-Uckfield 131278

33052 1733 London Bridge-East Grinstead 230378

33054 1815 London Bridge-East Grinstead 220477

33055 1815 London Bridge-East Grinstead 230378

33061 1750 London Bridge-East Grinstead 231179

33063 1821 East Grinstead-London Bridge 281278

33204 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 131278

33207 0719 East Grinstead-London Bridge 131277

33209 2U25 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 140879

33210 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 281278

33211 2U25 1821 London Bridge-East Grinstead 200879

33056 at Upper Warlingham with an evening East Grinstead commuter in April 1985. Thanks to RM web for the phot

My Commuter Loco by Loco the 80’s

33060 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield (lb-ec) 260182

33019 1734 London Bridge – East Grinstead (ec-ox) 260182

33038 1750 London Bridge – East Grinstead (ox-hg) 260182 0.94 miles!!!

33035 1720 London Bridge – Uckfield 190382