List of British Rail departmental multiple unit classes
Encyclopedia
The 900 series classes were reserved for multiple units in departmental stock, most of which were converted from old passenger units. In broad terms, classes 930-935 were allocated to Southern Region multiple units (ex-200 and 400 series), 936 & 937 to other EMUs (ex-300 and 500 series) and 960 to other DMUs (ex-100 series). In recent years, this has been less rigidly adhered to.
Diesel multiple units
- Class 901British Rail Class 901The Class 901 designation is used for two former British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units converted for departmental use. They were reclassified from the Class 960 series in early 2004 by their owner Network Rail.The two units are described below....
(Test units, ex-Class 101British Rail Class 101The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
) - Class 930 (Departmental SR DEMUs)
- Class 950British Rail Class 950The British Rail Class 950 is a diesel multiple unit that was purpose-built for departmental use as a track assessment unit. It was built in 1987 using the same bodyshell as the Class 150/1 "Sprinter" units that were built from 1985-1986....
(Purpose-built test unit, similar to Class 150British Rail Class 150The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
) - Class 951British Rail Class 951The British Rail Class 951 was reserved for former diesel-electric multiple units converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, de-icing duties, and use as tractor units to tow other trains...
(Sandite/De-icer units, ex-Classes 201British Rail Class 201The British Rail Class 201 six-car diesel-electric multiple units were built in 1957-1958 at Eastleigh and Ashford. They were built for use on the London-Hastings line...
, 203British Rail Class 203The British Rail Class 203, initially classified 6B, was a type of diesel electric train. Seven units, numbered 1031-1037, were constructed in 1958 for use on the Southern Region...
, 205British Rail Class 205The British Rail Class 205 diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962. They were replaced by Turbostar units.-Description:This class of unit were built in four different batches for use on different lines....
, and 207British Rail Class 207The British Rail Class 207 diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962.-Technical details:Power car * Introduced: 1962* Weight: 56 tons...
) - Class 960 (Departmental DMUs)
- Multi-Purpose VehicleBritish Rail MPVThe Multiple-purpose Vehicle or MPV is a purpose-built departmental derivative of a diesel multiple unit. Twenty-five two-car units were ordered by Railtrack to enable it to replace its varied collection of ageing departmental vehicles, many of which were converted from redundant passenger...
(Purpose-built departmental vehicles)
Gas turbine multiple unit
- APT-EBritish Rail APT-EThe APT-E, for Advanced Passenger Train Experimental, was the prototype Advanced Passenger Train tilting train unit. It was powered by gas turbines, the only multiple unit so powered that was used by British Rail. The APT-E consisted of two driving power cars and two trailer cars...
(Experimental Advanced Passenger TrainAdvanced Passenger TrainThe Advanced Passenger Train was an experimental tilting High Speed Train developed by British Rail during the 1970s and early 1980s....
unit)
Electric multiple units
The original use for the Southern Region (SR) classes are included in brackets; these designations have been less rigidly applied in recent years.- Class 910British Rail Class 910The Class 910 designation is used by Network Rail for a fleet of former Class 488 Gatwick Express trailer sets, now used as Brake-force runner sets in departmental service.Current unit details are shown below....
(Test units, ex-Class 488British Rail Class 488The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport....
) - Class 920British Rail Class 445The PEP Stock were prototype electric multiple units used on British Rail's Southern Region during the early 1970s. They were forerunners of the BR Second Generation electric multiple unit fleet. Three units were built, one two-car unit , and two four-car units...
(3-Pep prototype unit) - Class 930 (SR Sandite and de-icing units)
- Class 931British Rail Class 931The British Rail Class 931 was reserved for former Southern Region electrical multiple units converted for departmental use. Originally the series was reserved for Route Learning and Stores units. In recent years, however, other types have also been given numbers in this series.The Southern Region...
(SR route learning and stores units) - Class 932British Rail Class 932The British Rail Class 932 was reserved for former Southern Region electrical multiple units and diesel electric multiple unit carriages converted for departmental use. Originally the series was reserved for Research and Tractor units...
(SR research and tractor units) - Class 933British Rail Class 933The British Rail Class 933 was reserved for former Southern Region electrical multiple units converted for departmental use. Originally the series was reserved for Mobile Instruction units. In recent years, however, this series appears to have been discontinued.The Southern Region initially...
(SR mobile instruction units) - Class 935British Rail Class 445The PEP Stock were prototype electric multiple units used on British Rail's Southern Region during the early 1970s. They were forerunners of the BR Second Generation electric multiple unit fleet. Three units were built, one two-car unit , and two four-car units...
(4Pep Research units) - Class 936British Rail Class 936The British Rail Class 936 was reserved for former electrical multiple units not from the South-East, converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, and de-icing duties.Merseyrail Units...
(Sandite units, ex-classes 311British Rail Class 311The British Rail Class 311 alternating current electric multiple units were built by Cravens at Sheffield in 1967. They were intended for use on the line from to and , which was electrified in 1967.-Appearance:...
and 501British Rail Class 501The British Rail Class 501 electric multiple units were built in 1957/58 for use on the former LNWR/LMS suburban electric network of the London Midland Region...
) - Class 937British Rail Class 937The British Rail Class 937 was reserved for former AC electrical multiple units, converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, and use as tractor units to tow other trains....
(Sandite units, ex-classes 302British Rail Class 302The British Rail Class 302 was a type of electric multiple unit introduced between 1958 - 1960 for outer suburban passenger services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway route...
and 308British Rail Class 308The British Rail Class 308 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BR at York, in three batches, from 1959–61. They were initially classified as AM8 units before the introduction of TOPS.-Class 308/1:...
) - Class 960 (Test units, ex-classes 309British Rail Class 309The British Rail Class 309 "Clacton Express" electric multiple units were built by British Rail York Works from 1962-1963. They were initially classified as Class AM9 before the introduction of TOPS...
and 310British Rail Class 310The British Rail Class 310 is a slam-door, alternating current electric multiple unit introduced in 1963 as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification project. They were initially classified as Class AM10 units before the introduction of the TOPS classification system. Constructed at BR's...
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Non-Rolling Cateman Units
As of 2011, only two different non-rolling cateman units had been used by British Rail- Exellman Class 211
- Exellman Class 211 Classic
See also
- British Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classificationBritish Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classificationA number of different numbering and classification schemes were used for locomotives and multiple units operated by British Railways , and this page explains the principal systems...
- SR multiple unit numbering and classificationSR multiple unit numbering and classificationThe Southern Railway created classification and numbering systems for its large fleet of electric multiple units that were perpetuated by the Southern Region of British Rail until the early 1980s, when the impact of TOPS was felt...