List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes

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This article 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, North Clyde 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

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First generation

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TOPS class Pre-TOPS class Name or Information Built Quantity (sets) Notes Image Withdrawn Scrapped
  ex-Ex-MR units Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham 1908 3 (4-car) 1953 All
Class 300   Proposed parcels units Planned parcels conversation from Class 307 Never built Never built
  AM1 25 kV AC prototype units 1952 4 1966 All
Class 302 AM2 London-Tilbury-Southend 1958–1960 112 1999 About 110
Class 303 AM3 Strathclyde. Also on Greater Manchester area services during 1980s/early 1990s. 1959–1961 91 75613 from unit 303013 is still in use with the British Transport Police. 1974–2002 90
Class 304 AM4 Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham
1959 EMU
1960 45 1992–1996 All
Class 305 AM5 Chingford, Enfield
1959 EMU
1959 71 1992–2002
Class 306 AM6 Shenfield (inner-suburban) 1949 92 Ordered by LNER in 1938, but construction was delayed due to World War II. 1981 91
Class 307 AM7 Southend (outer-suburban) 1954–1956 32 1990–1993
2000 (parcel units)
31
Class 308 AM8 Eastern Region lines
1959 EMU
1959 45 1983
1992
2001
All
Class 309 AM9 Clacton Express. 1962–1963 76 1994–2000
2004 (departmental use)[1]
About 74
Class 310 AM10 Euston outer-suburban. Also West Midlands 1965–1967 50 1967 (1)
1989 (1)
2001–2002
2005 (departmental use)
All
Class 311 AM11 Strathclyde 1966–1967 19 1990
1999 (departmental use)
18
Class 312 Great Eastern suburban
Great Northern suburban
West Midlands (four units)
1975–1978 49 2003–2004 49

Second generation

[edit]
TOPS class Built for Current Operator(s) Builder Number built Image Withdrawn Scrapped
Class 313[a] BR Eastern Region
(Great Northern suburban)
BREL York 1976-1977 64 x 3-car sets 2019 (GN)
2023 (Southern)
62
Class 314 BR Scottish Region
(Argyle Line)
BREL York 1979 16 x 3-car sets 2018–2019 15
Class 315 BR Eastern Region
(Great Eastern suburban)
BREL York 1980-1981 61 x 4-car sets 2018–2022 53
Class 316 (I) proposed units for Picc-Vic services - (never built) - Never built 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 Out of service 1
Class 316 (III) (test unit) (never used in passenger service, scrapped 2006) converted from class 307 1 x 3-car set 2006
Class 317 Class 317/1 London Midland Region
Class 317/2 Network SouthEast
(Bedpan and Great Northern lines)
BREL York 1981-1982 (317/1)
1985-1987 (317/2)
72 x 4-car sets 2020–2022 65
Class 318 Provincial ScotRail
(for Strathclyde PTE)
ScotRail BREL York 1985-1986 21 x 3-car sets still in use None
Class 319[a] Network SouthEast
(Thameslink services)
Rail Operations Group BREL York 1987-1988 (319/0)
1990 (319/1)
86 x 4-car sets still in use 33
Class 320 Provincial ScotRail
(for Strathclyde PTE)
ScotRail BREL York 1990 22 x 3-car sets still in use None
Class 321 Network SouthEast
(Great Eastern and Euston services)
Regional Railways
(for West Yorkshire PTE)
Varamis Rail BREL York 1988-1991 117 x 4-car sets 2021–2023 12 TSOs
64 units
Class 322 Network SouthEast
(Stansted Express service)
BREL York 1990 5 x 4-car sets 2022 All
Class 325[a] Rail Express Systems
(for Royal Mail)
ABB Derby 1995-1996 16 x 4-car units 1995-2024 1

Modern/Third generation

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These use solid state switching devices (thyristors and transistors) and have electronic power control.

TOPS class Built for Current Operator(s) Builder Number Built Image Withdrawn Scrapped
Class 323 Regional Railways
(for West Midlands PTE and Greater Manchester PTE)
Northern Trains Hunslet Transportation Projects/Holec[2][3][4] 1992-1995 43 x 3-car sets still in use None
Class 331 (I) proposed units for London, Tilbury and Southend
Original classification of Class 332
(never built) Never built Never built
Class 331 (II)
Civity
Arriva Rail North Northern Trains CAF 2017-2020 31 x 3-car units
12 x 4-car units
still in use None
Class 332 Heathrow Express Siemens Transportation Systems/CAF 1997-1998, 2002 9 x 4-car sets
5 x 5-car sets
2020 58 cars
Class 333 Arriva Trains Northern
(for West Yorkshire PTE)
Northern Trains Siemens Transportation Systems/CAF 2000-2003 16 x 4-car sets still in use None
Class 334
Juniper
ScotRail
(for Strathclyde PTE)
ScotRail Alstom Birmingham 1999-2002 40 x 3-car sets
Class 341
Networker
proposed units for Crossrail (never built) Never built Never built
Class 342
Networker
proposed units for Channel Tunnel Rail Link Domestic Services Never built
Class 345
Aventra
Elizabeth line Elizabeth line Bombardier Derby 2015-2019 70 x 9-car sets still in use None
Class 350 (I) Original classification of Class 325
Class 350 (II)[a]
Desiro
Silverlink
Central Trains
West Midlands Trains Siemens Transportation Systems 2004-2005
2008-2009
2013-2014
87 x 4-car sets still in use None
Class 357
Electrostar
LTS Rail c2c Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2002 74 x 4-car sets
Class 360
Desiro
First Great Eastern
Heathrow Connect
East Midlands Railway Siemens Transportation Systems 2002-2003
2004-2005
21 x 4-car sets
5 x 5-car sets
2
Class 365[a]
Networker
Network SouthEast
(Great Northern and South Eastern services)
ABB York 1994-1995 41 x 4-car sets 2021 161 cars
Class 371[a]
Networker
proposed units for Thameslink 2000 - (never built) - Never built Never built
Class 375[a]
Electrostar
Connex South Eastern
South Eastern Trains
Southeastern Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2005 10 x 3-car sets
102 x 4-car sets
still in use None
Class 376[a]
Electrostar
South Eastern Trains Southeastern Bombardier Derby 2004-2005 36 x 5-car sets
Class 377[a]
Electrostar
Southern Southeastern
Southern
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[a]
Capitalstar
London Overground London Overground Bombardier Derby 2008-2011 57 x 5-car sets
Class 379
Electrostar
National Express East Anglia None Bombardier Derby 2010-2011 30 x 4-car sets 2022
Class 380
Desiro
First ScotRail ScotRail Siemens Mobility 2009-2011 22 x 3-car sets
16 x 4-car sets
still in use
Class 381[a]
Networker
proposed Network SouthEast express units - (never built) - Never built Never built
Class 385 AT200
Abellio ScotRail ScotRail Hitachi Kudamatsu & Hitachi Newton Aycliffe 2015-2019 46 x 3-car sets
24 x 4-car sets
still in use None
Class 387[a]
Electrostar
Thameslink
Great Western Railway
c2c
Gatwick Express
Great Northern
Great Western Railway
Heathrow Express
Bombardier Derby 2014-2017 107 x 4-car sets
Class 700[a]
Desiro City
Thameslink Thameslink
Great Northern
Siemens Mobility 2014-2018 60 x 8-car sets
55 x 12-car sets
Class 701[a]
Aventra
South Western Railway South Western Railway Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2019- 30 x 5-car sets
60 x 10-car sets
Class 705 Original classification of Class 701[5]
Class 707[a]
Desiro City
South West Trains Southeastern Siemens Mobility 2015-2018 30 x 5-car sets still in use None
Class 710[a]
Aventra
London Overground London Overground Bombardier Derby 2017-2020 48 x 4-car sets
6 x 5-car sets
Class 711 Original classification of Class 701[5]
Class 717[a]
Desiro City
Great Northern Great Northern Siemens Mobility 2018-2019 25 x 6-car sets still in use None
Class 720
Aventra
Greater Anglia
c2c
Greater Anglia
c2c
Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2018-2020 145 x 5-car sets
Class 730
Aventra
West Midlands Trains West Midlands Trains Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2020-2021 36 x 3-car sets
45 x 5-car sets
Class 745
FLIRT
Greater Anglia Greater Anglia Stadler Rail 2018-2020 20 x 12-car sets
Class 755
FLIRT
Greater Anglia Greater Anglia Stadler Rail 2018-2020 14 x 3-car sets
24 x 4-car sets
Class 756
FLIRT
Transport for Wales Rail Stadler Rail TBC 7 × 3-car sets
17 × 4-car sets
Class 768 Rail Operations Group Rail Operations Group BREL York 1987-88
Brush Traction 2020- (conversion)
10 x 4-car sets
Class 769[a]
Flex
Great Western Railway
Northern Trains
Rail Operations Group
Transport for Wales Rail
Northern Trains BREL York 1987-88
Brush Traction 2017-2020 (conversion)
35 x 4-car sets 1 car
Class 777[a]
METRO
Merseyrail Merseyrail Stadler Rail 2018-2021 52 x 4-car sets None
Class 799[a]
HydroFlex
Porterbrook Porterbrook BREL York, 1987
Quinton Rail Technology Centre 2019 (conversion)
2 x 4-car sets 1

High speed trains

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High speed multiple unit or fixed formation trainsets, capable of operating at speeds above 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph).[6]

TOPS class Built for Current Operator(s) Builder Number Built Image Withdrawn Scrapped
Class 370
APT-P
prototype APT BREL Derby 1979 6 x 7-car half sets
2 spare cars
1985–1986 35 cars
Class 373
TGV
Eurostar Eurostar GEC Alsthom, La Brugeoise et Nivelles 1992-1996 14 x 8-car half sets
62 x 10-car half sets
1 spare car
still in use 16
Class 374
Velaro UK
Eurostar Eurostar Siemens Mobility 2011-2018 34 x 8-car half sets still in use None
Class 390
Pendolino
Virgin Trains Avanti West Coast Alstom Birmingham 2001-2004
Alstom Savigliano, Italy 2010-2012
22 x 9-car sets
35 x 11-car sets
1
Class 395[a]
Javelin
Southeastern Southeastern Hitachi, Japan 2007-2009 29 x 6-car sets None
Class 397
Civity
TransPennine Express TransPennine Express CAF 2017-2019 12 x 5-car sets
Class 800
AT300
London North Eastern Railway London North Eastern Railway Hitachi, Kudamatsu & Newton Aycliffe 2014-2018 34 x 9-car sets
46 x 5-car sets
Great Western Railway Great Western Railway
Class 801
AT300
London North Eastern Railway London North Eastern Railway Hitachi Kudamatsu & Newton Aycliffe 2017-2020 30 x 9-car sets
12 x 5-car sets[7]
Class 802
AT300
Great Western Railway Great Western Railway Hitachi Kudamatsu & Hitachi Rail Italy 2017-2020 46 x 5-car
14 x 9-car sets
Hull Trains Hull Trains
TransPennine Express TransPennine Express
Class 803
AT300
Lumo Lumo Hitachi Newton Aycliffe 5 x 5-car sets
Class 805
AT300
Avanti West Coast Hitachi Newton Aycliffe 13 x 5-car sets
Class 807
AT300
10 x 7-car sets Not in service yet
Class 810
Aurora
East Midlands Railway 33 x 5-car sets
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u DC 600-750 V 3rd rail support.

DC EMUs

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Southern Region units

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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

[edit]
4Sub unit no. 8143 at the National Railway Museum
TOPS class SR class Name or Information Built Quantity (sets) Withdrawn Notes Image Scrapped
Class 401 2-Bil 1935–38 152 1965–71 151
Class 402 2-Hal
  • 1938–1939
  • 1948
  • 1955
100 1969–71 All
2-Pan[citation needed]
2-Nol 1934–36 78 1956–59
2-SL South London 1929 8 1954
2-Wim Wimbledon-Croydon 1929 4
3-Sub 1946–51 184 1976–83
4-Buf 1937–38 85 1964
Class 404 4-Cor 1968–71 28
4-DD Double Deck EMU 1949 2 1971
4-Gri All
4-Lav
  • 1930–32
  • 1939–40
35 1968–69
4-Res
Class 405 4-Sub About 184
Class 403 5-Bel Brighton Belle London Victoria-Brighton 1932 15 1 (p) 2
6-Cit London Bridge-Brighton 38 in total
6-Pan Pantry units
6-Pul Pullman London Victoria-Brighton

Mark 1 and 2 bodyshell

[edit]
Gatwick Express Class 489 unit no. 489110 at London Victoria
TOPS class SR class Name or Information Image Scrapped
Class 410 4-Bep About 114 in total
Class 411 4-Cep
Class 412 4-Bep
Class 413 4-Cap 2 x 2Hap permanently coupled All
Class 414 2-Hap 207
Class 415 4-EPB 282
Class 416 2-EPB 121
Class 418 2-Sap 2Hap units with declassified 1st Class accommodation All
Class 419 MLV London-Dover/Folkestone boat trains 2
Class 420 4-Big About 140 in total
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
About 188 in total
Class 427 4-Veg First stock used for Gatwick Express
Class 430 4-Rep 14
Class 431 6-Rep
Class 432 4-Rep
Class 438 3-TC
4-TC
27
Class 480 8-Vab -
Class 482 (I) 8-Mig
Class 488 Gatwick Express Trailers 14
Class 489 GLV Gatwick Express driving trailers 3
Class 499 (I) TLV All

Tube Stock

[edit]
Island Line Class 483 unit no. 483004 at Smallbrook Junction
TOPS class Number Built SR class Name or Information Image Number Scrapped
Class 482 (II) 10 x 4-car Waterloo & City line
sold to London Underground
None
Class 483 10 x 2-car Island Line
ex LU 1938 stock
4
Class 484 5 x 2-car Island Line D-Train
ex-LU D78 Stock
None
Class 485 6 x 4-car 4-Vec ex LU Standard stock about 5
Class 486 6 x 3-car 3-Tis ex LU Standard stock All
Class 487 28 x 1-car Waterloo & City Line 27

Note that TOPS class 499 is currently allocated to London Underground owned stock that needs to use Network Rail owned tracks. This does not involve any renumbering of the stock involved, and is only for electronic recording purposes.[8]

Modern EMUs

[edit]
South West Trains Class 455 unit no. 455713 at Wimbledon railway station
Southeastern Class 466 unit no. 466018 at Bromley North railway station
TOPS class SR class Number Built Name or Information Image Scrapped
Class 424 1 Networker Classic Prototype 1
Class 442 5-Wes 24 Wessex Express 119 cars
Class 444 5-Des 45 Siemens Desiro None
Class 445 4-Pep 2 Second Generation EMU prototype - 4 car All
Class 446 2-Pep 1 Second Generation EMU prototype - 2 car
Class 447 Never Built Proposed Battersea Bullet Never built
Class 450 4-Des 127 Siemens Desiro None
Class 455 137 54
Class 456 24 All
Class 457 1 DC Networker prototype 1
Class 458 5-Jop 36 Juniper None
Class 460 8-Gat 8 Juniper - Gatwick Express DMLFOs

(4 cars)

Class 465 147 Networker - 4 car None
Class 466 43 Networker - 2 car
Class 471 Never Built Proposed Networker - Main Line Express Never built


Other DC units

[edit]

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.

Merseyrail Class 507 unit no. 507009 at Liverpool Central railway station
TOPS classes
Class Info Image Number Built Withdrawn Notes Scrapped
Class 501 North London stock 57 1985 650 V Third & Fourth Rail 56
Class 502 Liverpool-Southport/Ormskirk stock 61 1980 650 V Third Rail 150 cars
Class 503 Mersey-Wirral stock 45 1985 650 V Third Rail 44
Class 504 Manchester-Bury stock 26 1991 1.2 kV Side Contact Third Rail
(Unique on BR network)
25
Class 505 Manchester-Altrincham stock 22 sets 1971 1.5 kV OHLE ?
Class 506 Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock 8 1984 1.5 kV OHLE About 7
Class 507 Merseyside stock 33 2022– 750 V Third Rail 27
Class 508 Merseyside stock 43 2022–2024 750 V Third Rail 41
Class 510 Original classification of Class 455
Pre-TOPS classes

Battery electric multiple unit (BEMU)

[edit]

The original BEMU was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS. A new generation battery EMU (called an Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit) was created in 2014, converted from a Class 379.[citation needed]

Class Info Image Notes
BEMU Experimental 2 Car
Class 230 D-Train DEMU
DMU
Diesel-Battery hybrid

Non National Rail units

[edit]

All rail vehicles operating on Network Rail infrastructure are required to be given TOPS codes. For this reason, London Underground, Sheffield Supertram and Tyne & Wear Metro trains have their own TOPS classes:

Class Info Image Notes
Class 398
CITYLINK
Transport for Wales Rail tram-train stock Planned use on Valley Lines services with street running through Cardiff
Class 399
CITYLINK
Sheffield Supertram tram-train stock Used for service to Rotherham via the Dearne Valley line
Class 499 (II) London Underground rolling stock Classification given to all London Underground stock operating on Network Rail, regardless of line
Class 555
METRO
Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stock Replacement Tyne and Wear Metro fleet
Class 599 Runs on Network Rail tracks between Pelaw and Sunderland

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Train Control System Testing". www.old-dalby.com. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Class 323". Modern Locomotives Illustrated. No. 228. December 2017. pp. 49–53.
  3. ^ Webber 1999, Table 1 'Chronology'. "Hunslet TPL (Engineering and Project Management) becomes Holec Ridderkerk (Birmingham) Limited, latterly Holec Ridderkerk UK Limited: 15 March 1994".
  4. ^ "Hunslet has had enough of 'misery line' battles". Birmingham Post. 23 March 1994. p. 3. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b "South Western Franchise Agreement" (PDF). Department for Transport. 7 April 2017. p. 178. Specified Additional Rolling Stock ... Class 705 ... (5 car) ... Class 711 ... (10 car)
  6. ^ Rail Safety and Standards Board (June 2020). Rail Industry Standard RIS-2453-RST: Vehicle Registration, Marking and Numbering (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "EMU Formations". Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  8. ^ "LUL stock given TOPS numbers". The Railway Magazine. No. 1145. September 1996. p. 27.

Sources

[edit]
  • Webber, B. (1999). "Class 323 Electric Multiple Units". Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit. 213 (1): 49–62. doi:10.1243/0954409991531029. S2CID 109704714.



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