WOKING ASLEF BRANCH No235

It is reckoned Drivers have been based at Woking Station since sometime during the early 1930’s, most likely from when the line was electrified down to Pirbright Junction, Aldershot and Alton.

When steam ended on the Southern in 1967 men were transferred from Guildford Loco (steam shed) to Woking taking their work with them, Woking then gained ‘Mixed Traction’ (MT) status working both Diesel and Electric Traction.

Woking already had a small complement of ‘Motormen’ (Drivers of Electric Multiple Unit Traction/EMUT), although based at Woking these men were members of Guildford Electric No 093 Branch of ASLEF. When the men transferred from Guildford Loco to Woking there were enough ASLEF members based at the one location to form their own Branch and Woking Branch No 235 was established. ASLEF records indicate the first entry regarding Woking Branch to be from the 1967 Financial Report and directory. The first Branch Secretary was Mr H (Harry) Piercy and the Branch met at 6.30pm on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Labour Club, Mount Street, Guildford. Harry was one of the 'Motormen' based at Woking prior to 1967 and Guildford Loco closure, he retired in 1994.

So from 1967 the men, though all part of the same ASLEF Branch and based at the same location kept their separate work (EMUT & MT) as before and also separate messroom accomodation no doubt due to the PT&R and 1965 manning agreements in force at the time. At some point before 1970 the MT & EMUT parts of the Depot (both work and accomodation) were merged.

Throughout the 70’s, 80’s & early 90’s Woking were responsible for manning (as well as Passenger Trains) a fair percentage of Freight, Parcels/Mail and Ballast/Engineers trains running on the South Western Division, CCE Trip workings to Eastleigh, Tonbridge, Three Bridges to name a few and also Channel Tunnel works trains during the early 90’s.

Shadow Franchising came about in 1995 prior to full blown Privatisation, staff were transferred from British Rail/Network South East to a Train Operating Unit (TOU) called ‘South West Trains’ (similar things were happening all over the UK) initially the Ballast/Civil Engineers work remained, with Woking Crews being ‘hired’ from SWT to Trainload Freight and Mainline Freight who were TOU’s responsible for operating these trains, eventually South West Trains called time on the hiring of its Crews at Woking to other TOU’s for other work, this was also tied in to the proposed closure of Woking & Farnham Depots, with Drivers, Trainmen and Guards moving to a proposed ‘Super’ Depot at Guildford.

These closure proposals were vigorously contested by Local ASLEF Representatives at Woking & Farnham with the support of ASLEF Members at these locations, the projected savings of the closures were proved by the Local Reps to be inaccurate and unattainable, common sense prevailed and the spectre of closure lifted.

To our knowledge Woking, Farnham and Three Bridges are the only Depots in history to escape closure after the formal closure proceedings had been initiated.

If you have any more information to add please let us know!

Thanks go to Jane Pimlott and Sarah Francis from ASLEF Head Office for their assistance in finding historical info and linking this site from the ASLEF site.