Network SouthEast Railway Society

"Brighton Line Replacement Stock" 4 Cig unit 1753 was built at York in 1965, originally numbered 7327 it was one of the first examples of the 1963 stock, based on BR's Mark 1 coach design. Entering service from 1965 onwards on Central Division mainline services, these units along with the Bigs and later Veps, gradually replaced the first generation pre-war "Southern Electric" stock.

7327 itself had a "paint date" of 29 November 1965, like all the Phase 1 Cigs outshopped in traditional unrelieved BR green, with small yellow warning panels. Allocated to Brighton Lovers Walk Depot, it entered service on the ex-LBSCR lines from London to the Sussex coast - services on which it was to remain for almost four decades.

The innovation of an electric parking brake, unique to the Phase 1 units, rendered them a Brighton specialty and prevented them straying to other divisions owing to driver familiarity. An unnecessary and somewhat temperamental refinement, this was not perpetuated on subsequent batches. Some were later converted to manual handbrakes, and some of these units did move to the South Eastern Division, but 7327 was to retain this feature throughout its career.

This particular unit had a notably uneventful history compared to many others. Several were reformed over the years, but not this one - except for a brief period between October and November 1978 when its motor coach was temporarily exchanged with a defective example from Big (buffet) unit 7042 in order to keep the latter in service whilst repairs were undertaken. As such 7327 never ran in this form and returned to original formation the following month.

In common with all rolling stock of such vintage, the Phase 1 Cigs - unlike the later Phase 2s - were built with blue asbestos insulation. Once the lethal nature of this material was realised, a removal program was instigated. Most units were dealt with at Eastleigh, but 7327 was one of a small number diverted to Wolverton, being incarcerated between August 1985 and February 1986. Unlike Eastleigh, Wolverton did not replace the original blue formica interior panels with a bland off white substitute. Thus these units retained an extra touch of originality - a significant factor in subsequent decisions with regard to choosing a unit for preservation.

Throughout the '70s and most of the '80s 7327 wore the standard BR blue and grey livery, but following the creation of Network SouthEast in 1986, repainting, renumbering and renovation of the Cig fleet commenced. 7327 received the new colours and assumed a new identity in June 1987, becoming 1127.

Meanwhile a "facelifting" program was underway at Eastleigh in the early '90s, in which fluorescent strip lighting replaced the tungsten bulbs and new blue-flecked NSE moquette displaced the 1950s designed Trojan pattern. A public address system was installed at the same time and the unique Phase 1 feature of reading lamps built into the luggage racks removed. 1127 was treated between November 1992 and January 1993, becoming 1753 in the process. Confusingly it was the second Cig to carry this number; former Big unit 2103 had also become 1753 upon loss of its Buffet car - thus creating an immediate recipe for misidentification.

A further alteration was the addition of a headlamp affixed to the corridor connection door at each end and following privitisation, a repaint into Connex's bland (and impossible to keep clean) white and yellow livery - its final change of appearance. By now, slam door stock was perceived as antiquated and outmoded - something that was used by Connex as an excuse for their own poor performance, despite the fact that the units were actually far more reliable than almost all modern stock. Connex's lack of care for the fleet was lamentable, units were often filthy inside and out, interior fittings broken or missing. First class was removed at one end of each unit, in the case of 1753, DTC 76102 suffered the ignominity. Damage caused by vandalism was poorly repaired (if at all) and battering ram buffet trolleys added to this further.

As luck would have it, 1753 turned out to be one of the earlier withdrawals, before the cull began to gather momentum. This was good fortune as it not only saved it from further abuse with no chance of anything more than essential repairs, but its disappearance passed without interest from souvineer hunters (later withdrawals tended to loose English Electric badges and the like). With 600 miles left until a works exam, it was withdrawn on 5th February 2004. 1753's final trip in revenue earning service was the last Sussex Coast train of the night of Friday 4th February - the 00:05 Victoria to Worthing and Eastbourne, splitting at Haywards Heath. 1753 formed the Worthing portion and upon arrival, ran empty to Lover's Walk, where it spent the weekend. Its last journey under its own power was with sister unit 1744, from Lover's Walk to Stewart's Lane, where shoegear was removed for clearance reasons prior to haulage to MOD Shoeburyness for storage. This final rail journey took place on February 18th and a photograph appeared in the Railway Magazine, showing the train at Gospel Oak. Power was provided by 37203.

And so ended some 38 years of intensive service on some of the busiest lines in the country, by an example of one of the most reliable trains ever built - an unsung hero of the railways if ever there was one.