File:17.03.84 Chessington South 73126 (6727788393).jpg

On 17 March 1984, the Southern Electric Group (SEG) chartered 2 x 4TC sets worked with 73126 (as seen here) and 73138 at the opposite end. The tour was named the "JA Jambouree", JA being the original classification for the first 6 English Electric built electro-diesel locos later to become class 73/0. The remainder of the class, originally JB, later 73/1, were in fact utilised for the tour as 73/0s cannot work in push pull mode. This was a bit of an oversight from a society whose prime objective was following the Southern Region 3rd rail system!

On the day the tour traversed freight and passenger lines of the South Western division of the Southern Region. The plan was to visit Chessington Goods further on from Chessington South. However, just a few days before the tour ran, the line was refused by the civil engineers due to poor track condition and as such, it went no further than Chessington South station. The continuation to the goods depot was traversed a couple of years later on another Southern Electric Group tour.

Note the disused platform and concrete shelter to the left. The station was finished in 1939 just before the outbreak of WW2. With plans for the line to continue on to Leatherhead construction was stopped and once the war was over this section was never built. As such passenger trains have, since opening, only ever used the platform next to the station building crossing over to the up line north of the station. In the meantime, a goods depot and later coal depot was opened up with traffic continuing until the late 1980s.