British Rail Class 415
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British Rail Class 415 (or 4EPB) was a suburban 750V DC third rail electric multiple unit commissioned by the Southern Region of British Railways. Built between 1951 and 1957, it became the most numerous class on the region after the withdrawal of the 4Subs. The final trains were withdrawn in the 1990s, replaced by Class 455, 456, 465 and 466
[edit] Construction
The 4EPB units (4-car Electro-Pneumatic Brake) were a development of the Southern Railway (SR) 4Sub design, but incorporating electro-pneumatic brakes, unit-to-unit buckeye couplings, motor generators for the lighting and current control, roller blind headcode displays in place of the stencil holders used previously, and without external doors to the driver's cab.
The first type of 4EPB and 2EPB stock were built in 1951 on former SR Class 2Nol underframes, with a modified version of the 4Sub bodyshell. They are recognisable from BR-design EPB stock by the rounder body profile, small "skylight" windows above the passenger door opening windows, and the narrow ridge between cab windows. They are often referred to by enthusiasts as "Southern" or "Bulleid" design EPBs.
The second type of EPB stock is the BR "standard" design. In basic, they are 4 (or 2) BR Mark 1 suburban coaches. The train equipment is slightly different from Southern designed stock, the bodies are longer and squarer in profile. This was one of the first EMUs built to Standard BR design. These units were built from 1954 to the end of production in 1957.
Some coaches were compartment stock with access only from the passenger doors; there was no gangway down the coach and each compartment seated 10. However tragically a woman was found murdered in a compartment EPB car which led to NSE reconfiguring their existing units; as a result all compartment stock ran limited workings in busy periods and had a red stripe at the cantrail. This stock did not work after 8pm. On the Eastern region, this stock was known as 4COM. This resulted in some stock being a BR/SR hybrid.
EPB stock was being withdrawn from the region from the late 1980's. By 1991 all EPB stock was on the south eastern region, and the final units were decommissioned by 1995. 4COM stock was removed from service by 1991.
Summary of sub-classes
415/1 - unrefurbished 4EPB stock of Southern Design.
415/2 - unrefurbished 4EPB stock of BR Design.
415/4 - refurbished 4EPB stock of Southern Design (from 1980).
415/5 - Consolidated compartment 4EPB stock of both designs.
415/6 - refurbished 4EPB stock of BR Design.
415/7 - refurbished 4EPB stock of BR Design, with express gearing to 90mph.
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