Sayonara '183'

A real unexpected treat today. After several weeks of 'nose to the grindstone' writing at home I had to make a trip into Tokyo and on the way home I had to change trains at Tsudanuma ...

Just a few moments before our 'kaisoku' showed up this old 183 class drew up for a signal on the opposite platform. It was travelling light somewhere, maybe into Tokyo to handle one of the afternoon expresses standing in for a more modern unit under repair.

I love these '183's - classic Japanese 1970's express EMU developments and in a classic livery too. They handled all the expresses on our line until 255 class took over in December 2005 and I miss them rumbling through our village. Makuhari deport still seem to have at least two kept for emergency stand-by though. Long may it last ...

Surely in a land so full of rail enthusiasts at least one of these sets will be preserved for posterity?