Class 309 - The Clacton Express

In order to help to save 309624 and find this unit a good home for restoration and a return to working order, be sure to check out the Clacton Express Preservation Group website, Facebook and Twitter at the following links, and donate a little something to secure the future of this important piece of British railway history!

Website: https://www.clactonexpresspreservatio...
Twitter:   / cepg_309624  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CEPG.309624/...
PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...

Today, we look at the history of the Class 309, one of the most revolutionary express trains to come out of the Modernisation Plan era, and a machine which powered top line expresses out of London Liverpool Street for over 30 years as the first electric multiple unit capable of 100mph in the UK.

Special thanks to the Clacton Express Preservation Group for getting in touch and requesting this video be produced, providing me invaluable information about the history of these trains as well as many pieces of media which have been used to complete this work - their assistance is greatly appreciated, and I wish them the best for their fundraiser to save 309624.

Special thanks also goes out to Anbrico Felixjaz Transport Films for allowing permission to use footage from their superb The Great Eastern Class 309 (1988 - 1994) documentary now available for sale at Videoscene.co.uk. If you're a fan of Network Southeast era slam-door units, I thoroughly recommend this title as it contains over 60 minutes of fantastic footage of the Class 309s during their final years, both on the Great Eastern and in the Manchester area - check it out at the following link: https://www.videoscene.co.uk/the-grea...

Further thanks goes to Colin Brooks on Flickr for allowing permission to use photos from his extensive collection. Be sure to check out his Flickr page at the following address to see dozens of superb images of Class 309s in action across the UK: https://www.flickr.com/groups/1683283...

Base artwork for the diagrams used of the Class 309 formations were by Paul Cooper from Traincrew Graphics - his highly detailed work which perfectly captures the layout and design of the units is greatly appreciated.

All video content and images in this production have been provided with permission wherever possible. While I endeavour to ensure that all accreditations properly name the original creator, some of my sources do not list them as they are usually provided by other, unrelated YouTubers. Therefore, if I have mistakenly put the accreditation of 'Unknown', and you are aware of the original creator, please send me a personal message at my Gmail (this is more effective than comments as I am often unable to read all of them): [email protected]

The views and opinions expressed in this video are my personal appraisal and are not the views and opinions of any of these individuals or bodies who have kindly supplied me with footage and images.

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Thanks again, everyone, and enjoy! :D

References:
Clacton Express Preservation Group (and their respective sources)
M.W.Wilson at Gensheet (and their respective sources)
Wikipedia (and its respective references)