(This article has been edited to avoid taking up the whole of this edition
of Fumes. Members wishing to hear the full unabridged version of events are
welcome to purchase a 5 hour taped monologue, recorded personally by the
Chairman. This is not recommended for the sane – Ed)
This story start towards the end of 2003, somewhere between Yeovil Junction
and Waterloo. Your chairman is heading home, and is imbibing in his favoured
snack of Stella ´n´ crisps, to help get the creative juices flowing. A
problem needs to be solved – the Thumpers have a year at most left in
service – how can H&SUPS ensure that their departure from public service is
marked in the appropriate style AND generate some useful self-publicity ?!?
A temporary mental block was eased by a second can of Stella, resulting in a
full list of potential commemorative activities being drawn up by Waterloo –
some more imaginative than others ! One common feature – all were beyond the
resources (pounds, shillings, and people) of H&SUPS alone. We needed help if
we were going to bring this off - let´s not muck about and go straight to
the top and talk to the DEMU operators themselves, Southern.
An initial letter drew an invitation to Southern Head Office in Croydon to
talk through our plans in more detail. One idea stood head and shoulders
above the rest – a railtour ! A broad agreement was reached whereby
Southern would provide the train and crew, and H&SUPS would manage the
advertising and ticket sales, in return for a fixed fee per ticket sold.
This would enable us to raise some seriously needed funds for the
restoration of 1123, without having to take the financial risk of lodging a
bond with Network Rail. The only unanswered question was timing, the tour
shouldn’t be run until the final service DEMUs were close to withdrawal,
which was expected to be November 2004. This allowed us plenty of time to
get our plans together.
We quickly decide on a name for our tour – ´The Last Thump´ !
Then, in June, disaster – or so it seemed. A Southern ´Thumper Farewell´
tour was being advertised elsewhere - had H&SUPS been usurped ?!? A phone
call quickly answered that question - ´no´! The other tour was being
organised independently of Southern, and eventually didn´t go ahead, being a
little premature - the Thumpers were definitely going to be around for a
good few months yet !
Mid August, and the date and provisional route are confirmed by Southern.
Now for an incredibly busy four weeks, with the Chairman´s PC working
overtime to design magazine advertising, booking forms, response letters,
etc etc. Also required is an ´integrated spreadsheet package´ (yawn – Ed !)
that will automatically allocate the seats against each ticket application.
We´ve decided that allocating seats is essential to avoid any fights, but
also to aim for a maximum of 80% occupancy, to provide some comfort space. A
fully loaded ´Hampshire´ can be an incredibly stuffy place to be after 1
hour, let alone 10 ! The advertising was due to hit the enthusiasts press at
the end of September – after that, no turning back !
A potential problem comes to light. A group of ´enthusiasts´ have been
running riot on the Uckfield line, abusing passengers, throwing missiles
from windows, travelling in the brake, entering the drivers cabs, etc. We
don’t want these idiots running riot on ´The Last Thump´. Fortunately, their
actions are common knowledge amongst the enthusiasts groups, and we receive
long lists of names from at least 10 sources. Even better, they have their
own web-site where photographs have been posted of their previous half-wit
activity, complete with names ! Doh - good way of remaining anonymous, lads
!
The publicity and advertising hits the magazine racks at the end of
September, with the ´hotline´ and e-mail address going live at the same
time. The Southern Electric Group also kindly posted an advert on their
web-site. One application, then two, then a couple of hot-line contacts
then – whoosh ! A flood of envelopes through the door, and there’s
absolutely no doubt that loading targets for ´The Last Thump´ would be met.
Meanwhile, Chris Dann is busy recruiting stewards to manage the train on the
day. We need to be 100% in control as the reputation of H&SUPS will be very
much in the public – and press – eye. Getting it wrong will damage the
reputation of H&SUPS irrevocably. There is absolutely no doubt that Chris
and his team got it right, and the comments made both on and after the day
is testament to Chris´s planning and preparation.
Only a few issues occur with ticket administration. First Class sold out
literally overnight - to avoid disappointment we offered an ´Exec´ class
alternative with 100% take-up. Pre-booked merchandise is proving very
popular, and the first canine booking had been received from Benn the
Collie – clearly a dog of taste as he wishes to travel ´power car´.
Strangely, member 305 Morrisey the Cat cancels his booking the very same
day.
Three weeks out, the final planning meeting with Southern, starting with the
´go/no-go´ decision. With 300+ seats booked, there´s no doubt – it’s go !
Final timings are confirmed, and permission granted to visit Selhurst on
Friday 26th to fit the train out. Also, Southern has the fabulous idea of
bottling up a limited edition commemorative ´Last Thump´ ale for sale on the
train !
Time now for Mr & Mrs Chairman to fill out & dispatch 350 ticket packs. We
don´t emerge from ´Last Thump´ HQ for 3 evenings, but the careful
administration paid off with only 2 tickets being mailed out in the wrong
envelopes. Bad news on the merchandise front though, with supply problems
taking the best part of 2 weeks to sort out, and the mugs and T-shirts
having to be designed from scratch.
A final briefing meeting with Chris, then confirmation of the formation –
205 033, 205 009, and the pioneer, 205 001. One day to go, and Chris and I
are down at Selhurst to place the seating labels in position. The train
formation had already been marshalled and is ticking over in the sidings.
Phil Best has arranged for 2 fitters to fettle the trim and ensure the units
are looking their best. Also, a ceremonial attaching of the ´Last Thump´
headboard stickers !
Saturday 27th November, and I’m on the end of platform 19 at Victoria with
last minute collection tickets. Chris and team are marshalling our
passengers as they arrive. T-shirts have been delivered but alas, no mugs.
Suddenly, a storm of flashlights accompanied by a familiar throb (?), thump
(?), thunker (?), whatever, 8 cars of DEMU are in Victoria for the very last
time, and the crowd are going wild.
To be honest, the rest of the day was a bit of a blur. I ´worked´ the train
as much as possible, shaking hands and saying ´hello´, faces old and new.
Chris and team had the stewarding down to a ´T´, with the use of whistles
ensuring everybody was on board before ´right-away´. The run across the
South Downs to Hastings was wonderful, and it was pleasant to chat to both
drivers and find they were DEMU fans.
John White at HDL had kindly run 1001 and the de-icer unit out into the
sunshine at St Leonards – our driver slowed ´The Last Thump´ to a crawl for
a drive-by photo opportunity. David and Roger started to prepare the H&SUPS
´shop´ in 001’s parcels compartment on the run back in to Brighton, then
unselfishly there for the rest of the tour. The ´Last Thump´ ale could have
sold out many many times over ! The engine room and cab visits were
extremely popular.
The final run up from Uckfield. I had by then retired to my seat for a
bottle of ´Thump´. The Spa Valley Railway had run 207 017 down to Birchden
Junction and saluted the Last Thump as we passed. Southern had kindly
diagrammed a 2 hour stopover at London Bridge for photographs when we got
in, dead to time. And no, people didn’t want to go home, and yes, we did get
a bit emotional, but why not, this was the last time we would ever see a 8
car DEMU formation in service, and Thumpers have been an integral part of
many of our lives for a very long time. And the common view, without a
doubt, was that ´The Last Thump´ was an outstanding success.
“Complaints, well, we had but two, which is far too few to seriously
mention”
(One was valid and a satisfactory resolution was reached. The other was a
moan, whinge, pure and simple – the customary Chairman’s pint to the first
member who can tell the editor what the whinge was)
What would we have done differently ? Well, not much, because everybody who
helped plan and implement ´The Last Thump´ did so in their spare time, we
all have jobs and families. The success of the tour is a clear indication
that we got it right.
Best bit(s) for me – meeting everybody, sunshine at Hastings Station,
showing the Chairman’s wife around the engine room of ´001´ at Brighton, and
final scenes at London Bridge.
And finally, thanks to….
And finally….
To my wife Louise – who said nothing, as I disappeared for night after night
under a pile of envelopes, then selflessly helped me bubble-wrap-´n´-parcel
100 mugs when they finally arrived !
