List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes

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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). British Rail operated a wide variety of electric multiple units for use on electrified lines.

  • AC units operated off 25 kV AC from overhead wires. Where clearances for the overhead wires on the Great Eastern and London, Tilbury & Southend 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 operated off 650-850 V DC from a third rail on the Southern Region and North London, Merseyside and Tyneside networks. The Manchester-Bury line used 1200 V DC from a side-contact third rail. The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham and "Woodhead" and initially the Great Eastern routes used 1500 V DC from overhead wires. Under the computer numbering, DC units were given a class in the range 400-599.

Contents

[edit] AC EMUs and dual-voltage EMUs

[edit] First generation

First Great Eastern Class 312 units nos. 312718 and 312721 at Kirby Cross.
First Great Eastern Class 312 units nos. 312718 and 312721 at Kirby Cross.
TOPS class Pre-TOPS class Name or Information
Ex-MR units   Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham
Class 300   Proposed parcels units
  AM1 25kV AC prototype units
Class 302 AM2 London-Tilbury-Southend
Class 303 AM3 Strathclyde
Class 304 AM4 Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham
Class 305 AM5 Chingford, Enfield
Class 306 AM6 Shenfield (inner-suburban)
Class 307 AM7 Southend (outer-suburban)
Class 308 AM8 Eastern Region lines
Class 309 AM9 Clacton Express
Class 310 AM10 Euston outer-suburban
Class 311 AM11 Strathclyde
Class 312   Great Northern and Great Eastern

[edit] Second generation

Silverlink Metro Class 313 no. 313114 arriving at Clapham Junction.
c2c Class 357 no. 357036 at Southend Central.
c2c Class 357 no. 357036 at Southend Central.

[edit] Supertrains

[edit] DC EMUs

[edit] 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.

TOPS classes

South Eastern Trains Class 411 unit no. 1586 at London Victoria.
South Eastern Trains Class 411 unit no. 1586 at London Victoria.
Gatwick Express Class 489 unit no. 489110 at London Victoria.
Gatwick Express Class 489 unit no. 489110 at London Victoria.

[edit] Pre-TOPS classes

[edit] Other DC units

The 500 series classes were reserved for DC EMUs not from the Southern Region. This included the DC lines in North London, Merseyside and 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. 507026 at Liverpool Central.
Merseyrail Class 507 unit no. 507026 at Liverpool Central.

TOPS classes

Class Info Image
Class 501 North London stock
Class 502 Liverpool-Southport-Ormskirk stock
Class 503 Mersey-Wirral stock
Class 504 Manchester-Bury stock
Class 505 Manchester-Altrincham stock
Class 506 Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock
Class 507 Merseyside stock
Class 508 Merseyside stock

Pre-TOPS classes

[edit] Battery electric multiple unit

This was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

    [edit] External links

    British Rail electric multiple units
    Diesel locomotives - Electric locomotives - Miscellaneous locomotives
    Diesel multiple units
    (DMUs and DEMUs) - Electric multiple units (EMUs) - Departmental multiple units
    AC units
    Classes: 300 - 302 - 303 - 304 - 305 - 306 - 307 - 308 - 309 - 310 - 311 - 312 - 313 - 314 - 315 - 316
    317 - 318 - 319 - 320 - 321 - 322 - 323 - 325 - 332 - 333 - 334 - 350 - 357 - 360 - 365 - 370
    373 - 375 - 376 - 377 - 378 - 390 - 395
    Pre-TOPS: AM1 - AM2 - AM3 - AM4 - AM5 - AM6 - AM7 - AM8 - AM9 - AM10 - AM11 - (AM12) - CP - CW - SL
    MR Lancaster Units
    DC units
    Classes: 401 - 402 - 403 - 404 - 405 - 410 - 411 - 412 - 413 - 414 - 415 - 416 - 418 - 419 - 420 - 421
    422 - 423 - 424 - 427 - 430 - 431 - 432 - 438 - 442 - 444 - 445 - 446 - 447 - 450 - 455 - 456
    457 - 458 - 460 - 465 - 466 - 480 - 482 - 483 - 485 - 486 - 487 - 488 - 489 - 491 - 492 - 499
    501 - 502 - 503 - 504 - 505 - 506 - 507 - 508
     Original TOPS: 411 - 412 - 413 - 414/1 - 414/2 - 421/1 - 421/2 - 422/1 - 422/2 - 423 - 424 - 431/1 - 431/2
    432 - 441 - 442/1 - 442/2 - 451 - 452 - 453 - 461 - 462
     SR classes: GLV - MLV - TLV - 2Bil - 2EPB - 2Hal - 2Hap - 2Nol - 2Pan - 2Pep - 2Sap - 2SL - 2Wim - 3Cep
    3Cig - 3Cop - 3Sub - 3TC - 3Tis - 4Bep - 4Big - 4Buf - 4Cap - 4Cep - 4Cig - 4Cor - 4DD
    4Des - 4EPB - 4Gri - 4Jop - 4Lav - 4Pep - 4Rep - 4Res - 4Sub - 4TC - 4Tep - 4Vec - 4Veg
    4Vep - 4Vip - 4Vop - 5Bel - 5Des - 5TCB - 5Wes - 6Cit - 6Pan - 6Pul - 6Rep - 8Dig - 8Gat
    8Mig - 8Vab
    Pre-TOPS: BEMU - LNER Tyneside Units - LNWR Watford Units - LYR Bury Units
    Departmental units
    Classes: 910 - 920 - 930 - 931 - 932 - 933 - 935 - 936 - 937 - 960