Delivered new to Stratford, the sets were built for services along the Lea Valley line from London Liverpool St. into Hertfordshire and Essex, serving the lines to Cheshunt, Epping and even as far east as Southminster on the Burnham-on-Crouch branch.

These entered service on 19 Jan '59, operating services to Hertford East from Stratford and Liverpool St (2 each way), increasing from the 2 Feb, with an odd Bishops Stortford service. They also worked a through train to Hertford E & Buntingford for a time, departing Liverpool St about 16.20, dividing at St Margarets.

The large Rolls Royce 8-cylinder engines allowed them the same performance as the EMUs with which they interworked between Hertford East/Bishops Stortford and Cheshunt where the electric services went off along the re-opened Southbury line. It was also very useful on the climb from Liverpool St. to Bethnal Green. When the line was electrified the sets were transferred to Finsbury Park, working on peak-hour services out of Kings Cross alongside loco-hauled sets and the odd Cravens (the off-peak service was entirely Cravens to the end). This line was also soon electrified, resulting in their withdrawal.