Hastings line
Diesel-electric era (1957–86)
### Diesel\-electric era (1957–86\)

[thumb\|6S unit *1004* at \|alt\=Photograph showing a Hastings Unit at Cannon Street.](/wiki/File:Hastings_set_1004.jpg "Hastings set 1004.jpg")
[thumb\|[Class 33/2](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_33 "British Rail Class 33")\|alt\=Photograph showing a Class 33/2 locomotive. This sub\-class were built to the Hastings line loading gauge.](/wiki/File:Hugh_llewelyn_33_202_%285657507134%29.jpg "Hugh llewelyn 33 202 (5657507134).jpg")Special narrow bodied [diesel electric multiple units](/wiki/Diesel_electric_multiple_unit "Diesel electric multiple unit") were introduced in 1957–58 to replace steam traction. [British Rail Class 201](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_201 "British Rail Class 201") (6S), [202](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_202 "British Rail Class 202") (6L) and [203](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_203 "British Rail Class 203") (6B) (the "Hastings Diesels") took over working the route. These units were constructed of narrow rolling stock. They were delivered in six\-car formations (the 6Bs including a buffet car) and two units were often operated in multiple to form twelve\-car trains. In latter years some of the units were reduced to five, and later still, to four cars.

The 6S units were intended to be introduced into service in June 1957\. On 5April a fire at [Cannon Street](/wiki/Cannon_Street_station "Cannon Street station") signal box disabled all signalling equipment there. As a result, locomotive\-hauled trains were banned from the station. A temporary signal box was commissioned on 5May and the 6S units were introduced on peak services the next day. Two units coupled together formed the 06:58 and 07:26 Hastings–Cannon Street services in the morning, and the 17:18 and 18:03 Cannon Street–Hastings services in the evening. From 17June the 6S and 6L units were working services throughout the day. The 6B units entered service between May and August 1958\.

The Hastings Diesels had almost completely replaced steam by June 1958\. With the introduction of the Hastings Diesels, an hourly service was provided. This split at Tunbridge Wells, with the front portion running fast to Crowhurst and the rear portion stopping at all stations. The service ran every two hours on Sundays. The Hastings Diesels also worked services on the Bexhill West branch line until closure on 14June 1964\. On 22December 1958, 6L unit *1017* collided with 6B unit *1035* at Tunbridge Wells Central.

In 1962, twelve [Class 33/2](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_33%23Class_33/2_%E2%80%93_narrow-bodied_locomotives "British Rail Class 33#Class 33/2 – narrow-bodied locomotives") [diesel locomotives](/wiki/Diesel_locomotive "Diesel locomotive"), were also built with narrow bodies for the Hastings line. These enabled the last steam workings, overnight newspaper trains, to be withdrawn from the Hastings line. Nineteen [British Rail Class 207](/wiki/British_Rail_Class_207 "British Rail Class 207") (3D) diesel electric multiple units were built in 1962\. They operated over the Tonbridge–Grove Junction section of the line as part of a Tonbridge–Eastbourne (later Tonbridge–Eridge) service. In 1963, Frant, Stonegate, Wadhurst and Mountfield Halt were proposed to be closed under the [Beeching Axe](/wiki/Beeching_Axe "Beeching Axe"). One special working took place on 3April 1966 when one of the ex\-[Great Western Railway](/wiki/Great_Western_Railway "Great Western Railway") [diesel railcars](/wiki/GWR_railcars "GWR railcars"), *W20W*, was worked between Tonbridge and Robertsbridge as an [out of gauge](/wiki/Loading_gauge "Loading gauge") load. The railcar had been purchased by the Kent and East Sussex Railway for £415 including delivery to Robertsbridge. After trying to "wriggle out" of the deal, British Rail eventually found a solution. The vehicle was ballasted so that it leant away from the tunnel walls by some  and was worked to Robertsbridge at a maximum of . From 1977, there were two trains an hour, one fast and one slow. In May 1980, the buffet cars were withdrawn from the 6B units, which were recoded as 5L, but retaining the Class 203 designation. The fast trains were withdrawn in January 1981, with trains now stopping at all stations.


How many cars did the Hastings Diesels have?