Donations for Southern Railway class 313 to be preserved

The Southern Railway class 313 trains were pulled from service last May, with their fate sealed at a scrapyard near Southampton.

But rail fan Peter Spokes is hoping to keep one of the trains in operation for future generations to enjoy.

The train at the depot (Image: Peter Spokes)

He said: "We have got to come up with a future for it which will enable it to see some use."

Peter is the chairman of railway preservation group 400 Series, which maintains old trains so they can be driven on heritage railways and on special tours.

He said he forks out almost £6,500 to preserve trains which would "otherwise be long dead and gone".

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His latest focus is on the old Southern unit 313201, which was painted in British Rail colours in 2017.

The train is currently in Eastleigh Depot, near Southampton, where it is alongside its 18 counterparts which are ready to be scrapped.

However this unit is to be saved under the latest plans from the train buff.

He has reached out to fellow enthusiasts to put their hands in their pockets and help pay for the storage of the train.

A class 313 near Bishopstone (Image: The Argus)

He has raised half of his required £2,500 to keep the train in the depot - where he and a team of enthusiasts are able to keep the train in operational condition.

Peter said: "There is a certain amount of money involved in keeping this train.

"To keep an actual train working and alive in a secure depot for this money is great.

"I'll do all the legwork, buy the train and get it working. I'll host visitor events for those supporting the project and it certainly won't be something people will never see."

So far, he has had 15 enthusiasts pledge to donate a regular sum of money to ensure the upkeep of the unit.

He said if his plan succeeds, it will be a railway first.

"To have a preserved electric unit in an operational depot will be a first on the railway.

"It's a lot of responsibility to own your own train, and I'm in a very lucky position."

313201 near West Worthing sidings (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

In his day job, Peter is a train driver. The 36-year-old grew up around the Class 313 trains which were first introduced 47 years ago.

He said: "This is just adding another thing to our collection, really. 

"I used to do this with slamdoor trains and one thing led to another.

"It all started with me just wondering what happens to old trains when the companies are done with them.

"I went down this rabbit hole where I found out at the end of it that I could just buy a train. So I asked."

The trains moved passengers for one last time on May 21, being replaced with more modern class 377 units - which have air conditioning and toilets.

For the last ten years, the class 313 trains were a staple of the commute in the region.

They ran along Southern's coastway routes between Portsmouth, Brighton and Seaford.