List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes
This page lists every electric-powered multiple unit allocated a TOPS classification or used on the mainline network since 1948 (i.e. British Railways and post-privatisation). For a historical overview of electric multiple unit development in Great Britain, see British electric multiple units.
British Rail operated a wide variety of electric multiple units for use on electrified lines:
- AC units operate off 25 kV alternating current (AC) from overhead wires. Where clearances for the overhead wires on the Great Eastern Main Line and London, Tilbury and Southend railway routes were below standard, a reduced voltage of 6.25 kV AC was used. The Midland Railway units used 6.6 kV AC. Under the computer numbering, AC units (including mixed-voltage units that can also work off a DC supply) were given a class in the range 300-399.
- DC units operate off 650-850 V direct current (DC) from a third rail on the Southern Region and North London, Merseyside and Tyneside networks. The Manchester-Bury Railway line used 1,200 V DC from a side-contact third rail. The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham and "Woodhead" and initially the Great Eastern Railway routes used 1,500 V DC from overhead wires. Under the computer numbering, DC units were given a class in the range 400-599.
AC EMUs and dual-voltage EMUs
First generation
TOPS class | Pre-TOPS class | Name or Information | Image | Withdrawn |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ex-MR units | Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham | 1951 | ||
Class 300 | Proposed parcels units | |||
AM1 | 25 kV AC prototype units | 1966 | ||
Class 302 | AM2 | London-Tilbury-Southend | 1999 | |
Class 303 | AM3 | Strathclyde. Also on Greater Manchester area services during 1980s/early 1990s. | 2002 | |
Class 304 | AM4 | Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham | 1996 | |
Class 305 | AM5 | Chingford, Enfield | 2001 | |
Class 306 | AM6 | Shenfield (inner-suburban) | 1980 | |
Class 307 | AM7 | Southend (outer-suburban) | 2000 | |
Class 308 | AM8 | Eastern Region lines | 2001 | |
Class 309 | AM9 | Clacton Express. | 2000 | |
Class 310 | AM10 | Euston outer-suburban. Also West Midlands | 2002 | |
Class 311 | AM11 | Strathclyde | 1999 | |
Class 312 | Great Eastern suburban Great Northern suburban West Midlands (four units) |
2004 |
Second generation
TOPS class | Built for | Current Operator(s) | Builder | Number built | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 313 | BR Eastern Region (Great Northern suburban) |
Southern, Govia Thameslink Railway |
BREL York 1976-1977 | 64 x 3-car sets | |
Class 314 | BR Scottish Region (Argyle Line) |
Abellio ScotRail | BREL York 1979 | 16 x 3-car sets | |
Class 315 | BR Eastern Region (Great Eastern suburban) |
London Overground, TfL Rail |
BREL York 1980-1981 | 61 x 4-car sets | |
Class 316 (I) | proposed units for SELNEC "Picc-Vic" services | - | (never built) | - | |
Class 316 (II) | (AC Networker prototype) | (never used in passenger service, now out of service) | converted from class 210 and 313 cars | 1 x 4-car set | |
Class 316 (III) | (test unit) | (never used in passenger service, scrapped 2006) | converted from class 307 | 1 x 3-car set | |
Class 317 | Class 317/1 London Midland Region Class 317/2 Network SouthEast ('Bedpan' and Great Northern lines) |
Abellio Greater Anglia, Govia Thameslink Railway, London Overground |
BREL York 1981-1982(317/1) 1985-1987(317/2) |
72 x 4-car sets | |
Class 318 | Provincial ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE) |
Abellio ScotRail | BREL York 1986-1987 | 21 x 3-car sets | |
Class 319 | Network SouthEast (Thameslink services) |
Govia Thameslink Railway, Northern Rail |
BREL York 1987-1988(319/0) 1990(319/1) |
86 x 4-car sets | |
Class 320 | Provincial ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE) |
Abellio ScotRail | BREL York 1990 | 22 x 3-car sets | |
Class 321 | Network SouthEast (Great Eastern and Euston services); and Regional Railways (for West Yorkshire PTE) |
Abellio Greater Anglia, Northern Rail, London Overground, Govia Thameslink Railway Abellio ScotRail |
BREL York 1988-1991 | 117 x 4-car sets | |
Class 322 | Network SouthEast (Stansted Express service) |
Northern Rail | BREL York 1990 | 5 x 4-car sets | |
Class 325 | Rail Express Systems (for Royal Mail) |
DB Schenker | ABB Derby 1995-1996 | 16 x 4-car units |
Modern/Third generation
These use electrical switching devices (thyristors and transistors) and have electronic power control.
TOPS class | Built for | Current Operator(s) | Builder | Number Built | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 323 | Regional Railways (for West Midlands PTE and Greater Manchester PTE) |
Northern Rail, London Midland |
Hunslet 1992-1993 | 43 x 3-car sets | |
Class 331 (I) | Original classification of Class 332 | ||||
Class 331 (II) Civity |
Northern | Northern | CAF | 31 x 3-car units 12 x 4-car units |
|
Class 332 | Heathrow Express | Heathrow Express | Siemens/CAF 1997-1998 | 9 x 4-car sets 5 x 5-car sets |
|
Class 333 | Arriva Trains Northern (for West Yorkshire PTE) |
Northern Rail | Siemens/CAF 2000 | 16 x 4-car sets | |
Class 334 Juniper |
ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE) |
Abellio ScotRail | Alstom Birmingham 1999-2002 | 40 x 3-car sets | |
Class 341 Networker |
proposed units for Crossrail | - | (never built) | - | |
Class 342 Networker |
proposed units for CTRL Domestic Services | - | (never built) | - | |
Class 345 Aventra |
Crossrail | Bombardier Derby, 2016-2019 | 66 x 9-car sets | ||
Class 350 (I) | Original classification of Class 325 | ||||
Class 350 (II) Desiro |
Silverlink, Central Trains |
London Midland, First TransPennine Express |
Siemens 2004-2005 2008-2009 2013-2014 |
87 x 4-car sets | |
Class 357 Electrostar |
LTS Rail | c2c | Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2002 | 74 x 4-car sets | |
Class 360 Desiro |
First Great Eastern, Heathrow Connect |
Abellio Greater Anglia, Heathrow Connect |
Siemens 2002-2003 2004-2005 |
21 x 4-car sets 5 x 5-car sets |
|
Class 365 Networker |
Network SouthEast (Great Northern and South Eastern services) |
Govia Thameslink Railway | ABB York 1994-1995 | 41 x 4-car sets | |
Class 371 Networker |
proposed units for Thameslink 2000 | - | (never built) | - | |
Class 375 Electrostar |
Connex South Eastern, South Eastern Trains |
Southeastern | Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2005 | 10 x 3-car sets 102 x 4-car sets |
|
Class 376 Electrostar |
South Eastern Trains | Southeastern | Bombardier Derby 2004-2005 | 36 x 5-car sets | |
Class 377 Electrostar |
Southern | Southern, Govia Thameslink Railway |
Bombardier Derby 2001-2005 2008-2009 2013-2014 |
28 x 3-car sets 177 x 4-car sets 34 x 5-car sets |
|
Class 378 Capitalstar |
London Overground | London Overground | Bombardier Derby 2008-2011 | 57 x 4-car sets | |
Class 379 Electrostar |
National Express East Anglia | Abellio Greater Anglia | Bombardier Derby 2010-2011 | 30 x 4-car sets | |
Class 380 Desiro |
First ScotRail | Abellio ScotRail | Siemens 2009-2011 | 22 x 3-car sets 16 x 4-car sets |
|
Class 381 Networker |
proposed Network SouthEast express units | - | (never built) | - | |
Class 385 A-Train |
Abellio ScotRail | Hitachi Rail Newton Aycliffe 2015-2018 | 46 x 3-car sets 24 x 4-car sets |
||
Class 387 Electrostar |
Govia Thameslink Railway | Govia Thameslink Railway | Bombardier Derby 2014-2015 | 56 x 4-car sets | |
Class 700 Desiro City |
Govia Thameslink Railway | Govia Thameslink Railway | Siemens 2016-2018 | 60 x 8-car sets 55 x 12-car sets |
|
Class 707 Desiro City |
South West Trains | Siemens 2016-2018 | 30 x 5-car sets | ||
Class 710 Aventra | London Overground | Bombardier Derby, 2016-2019 | 45 x 4-car sets |
Tram-Trains
TOPS class | Built for | Current Operator(s) | Builder | Number Built | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 399 Citylink |
Supertram | Supertram | Vossloh España 2014-2015 | 7 vehicles |
High speed trains
TOPS class | Built for | Current Operator(s) | Builder | Number Built | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 370 APT-P |
prototype APT | (out of service) | BREL Derby 1979 | 6 x 7-car half sets 2 spare cars |
|
Class 373 TGV |
Eurostar | Eurostar | various builders 1992-1996 | 14 x 8-car half sets 62 x 10-car half sets 1 spare car |
|
Class 374 Velaro UK |
Eurostar | Eurostar | Siemens 2012-2015 | 34 x 8-car half sets | |
Class 390 Pendolino |
Virgin West Coast | Virgin Trains | Alstom Birmingham 2001-2004 Savigliano, Italy 2009-2012 |
22 x 9-car sets 35 x 11-car sets |
|
Class 395 Javelin |
Southeastern | Southeastern | Hitachi 2007-2009 | 29 x 6-car sets | |
Class 800 Super Express |
Virgin Trains East Coast | Hitachi 2014-2019 | 13 x 9-car sets 46 x 5-car sets |
||
Great Western Railway | |||||
Class 801 Super Express |
Virgin Trains East Coast | Hitachi 2016-2019 | 51 x 9-car sets 12 x 5-car sets[1] |
||
Great Western Railway | |||||
Class 802 A-Train |
Great Western Railway | Hitachi 2016-2020 | 27 x 5-car 7 x 9-car sets |
||
Hull Trains |
DC EMUs
Southern Region units
The Southern Railway and its successor, the Southern Region of British Rail, used three letter codes to classify their DC EMU fleets, as shown after the TOPS class numbers. Southern Region EMUs were classified in the 400 series under TOPS.
Pre-Nationalisation
TOPS class | SR class | Name or Information | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Class 401 | 2-Bil | ||
Class 402 | 2-Hal | ||
2-Pan[2] | |||
2-Nol | |||
2-SL | South London | ||
2-Wim | Wimbledon-Croydon | ||
3-Sub | |||
4-Buf | |||
Class 404 | 4-Cor | ||
4-DD | Double Deck EMU | ||
4-Gri | |||
4-Lav | |||
4-Res | |||
Class 405 | 4-Sub | ||
Class 403 | 5-Bel | Brighton Belle London Victoria-Brighton |
|
6-Cit | London Bridge-Brighton | ||
6-Pan | Pantry units | ||
6-Pul | Pullman London Victoria-Brighton |
Mark 1 and 2 bodyshell
TOPS class | SR class | Name or Information | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Class 410 | 4-Bep | ||
Class 411 | 4-Cep | ||
Class 412 | 4-Bep | ||
Class 413 | 4-Cap | 2 x 2Hap permanently coupled | |
Class 414 | 2-Hap | ||
Class 415 | 4-EPB | ||
Class 416 | 2-EPB | ||
Class 418 | 2-Sap | 2Hap units with declassified 1st Class accommodation | |
Class 419 | MLV | London-Dover/Folkestone boat trains | |
Class 420 | 4-Big | ||
Class 421 | 4/3-Cig 3-Cop |
Last 2 units of this type in service were withdrawn in 2010 | |
Class 422 | 4-Big 8-Dig |
||
Class 423 | 4-Vep 4-Vop |
||
Class 427 | 4-Veg | First stock used for Gatwick Express | |
Class 430 | 4-Rep | ||
Class 431 | 6-Rep | ||
Class 432 | 4-Rep | ||
Class 438 | 3-TC 4-TC |
||
Class 480 | 8-Vab | ||
Class 482 (I) | 8-Mig | ||
Class 488 | Gatwick Express Trailers | ||
Class 489 | GLV | Gatwick Express driving trailers | |
Class 499 (I) | TLV |
Tube Stock
TOPS class | SR class | Name or Information | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Class 482 (II) | Waterloo & City Line sold to LU |
||
Class 483 | Isle of Wight ex LU 1938 stock |
||
Class 485 | 4-Vec | ex LU Standard stock | |
Class 486 | 3-Tis | ex LU Standard stock | |
Class 487 | Waterloo & City Line |
Modern EMUs
TOPS class | SR class | Name or Information | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Class 424 | Networker Classic Prototype | ||
Class 442 | 5-Wes | Wessex Express | |
Class 444 | 5-Des | Desiro | |
Class 445 | 4-Pep | Second Generation EMU prototype - 4 car | |
Class 446 | 2-Pep | Second Generation EMU prototype - 2 car | |
Class 447 | Proposed Battersea Bullet | ||
Class 450 | 4-Des | Desiro | |
Class 455 | |||
Class 456 | |||
Class 457 | DC Networker prototype | ||
Class 458 | 4-Jop | Juniper | |
Class 460 | 8-Gat | Juniper - Gatwick Express | |
Class 465 | Networker - 4 car | ||
Class 466 | Networker - 2 car | ||
Class 471 | Proposed Networker - Main Line Express |
Other DC units
The 500 series classes were reserved for miscellaneous DC EMUs not from the Southern Region. This included the DC (third/fourth rail) lines in North London, Manchester and Merseyside and the OHLE lines in Greater Manchester. The DC electric network around Tyneside had been de-electrified by the time TOPS was introduced, and the stock withdrawn or transferred to the Southern Region.
- TOPS classes
Class | Info | Image | Withdrawn | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Class 501 | North London stock | 1985 | 650 V Third & Fourth Rail | |
Class 502 | Liverpool-Southport/Ormskirk stock | 1980 | 650 V Third Rail | |
Class 503 | Mersey-Wirral stock | 1985 | 650 V Third Rail | |
Class 504 | Manchester-Bury stock | 1991 | 1.2 kV Side Contact Third Rail (Unique on BR network) | |
Class 505 | Manchester-Altrincham stock | 1971 | 1.5 kV OHLE | |
Class 506 | Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock | 1984 | 1.5 kV OHLE | |
Class 507 | Merseyside stock | 750 V Third Rail | ||
Class 508 | Merseyside stock | 750 V Third Rail | ||
Class 510 | Original classification of Class 455 |
- Pre-TOPS classes
- Ex-LNER Units (Tyneside stock)
- Ex-LNWR Units (North London stock)
- Ex-LOR Units (Liverpool Overhead Railway stock)
- Ex-LYR Units (Manchester-Bury stock)
- Ex-Mersey Railway Units (Merseyside DC stock)
- Ex-W&CR Units (Waterloo & City Railway stock)
Battery electric multiple unit (BEMU)
The original BEMU was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS.
- 79998/79999
A new generation battery EMU (called an Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit) is being created in 2014, converted from a Class 379.
Non National Rail units
All rail vehicles operating on part of the National Rail network are required to be given TOPS codes. For this reason, both London Underground and Tyne & Wear Metro trains have their own TOPS classes:
Class | Info | Image | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Class 499 (II) | London Underground rolling stock | Classification given to all LU stock operating on NR, regardless of line | |
Class 994 | Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stock | Used for operation between Pelaw and Sunderland |
See also
- British Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classification
- SR multiple unit numbering and classification
- British Rail coach designations
References
- ↑ http://www.abrail.co.uk/emuformations.htm
- ↑ Atkinson, John. "Southern Railway's 2 HAL Units". Retrieved 15 March 2014.
External links
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