SR multiple unit numbering and classification

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The Southern Railway created numbering and classification 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. Even now, some stock have still been allocated Southern-style classifications in a semi-official manner.

1 Unit numbering
2 Classification
3 See also

[edit] Unit numbering

Unit numbers were allocated in a series commencing from 1001, which followed the set numbers given to semi-fixed formations of hauled coaching stock, 1-1000. Different types of unit were given numbers according to the following division:

1001-1200	Unpowered trailer units for working with 3Sub stock (this series was later expanded to include unit numbers 989-1000)
1201-1800	3Sub stock (ex-LSWR units had 1200 added to their original number)
1801-1999	Two-car inner-suburban stock (e.g. 2Nol)
2001-2899	Two-car outer-suburban stock (e.g. 2Bil)
2901-3999	Four-, five- and six-car outer-suburban stock (e.g. 4Lav)
4001-4999	Four-car inner-suburban stock (4Sub and 4DD)
5001-5599	British Railways four-car inner-suburban stock (4EPB)
5601-6999	British Railways two-car stock (e.g. 2Hap)
7001-7999	British Railways four-car outer-suburban stock (e.g. 4Cig)
8001	Temporary eight-car formation (8Vab)
S1-S101	Departmental (non-revenue earning) stock

This series was perpetuated by the Southern Region of BR, though with modifications, as older set numbers were reused for the following different types:

001-099	Parcels and departmental stock (Former Sxxx units renumbered into this series)
301-999	Trailer Control stock (first digit indicated number of cars, e.g. 301 = 3TC)
1001-1499	Diesel Electric Multiple Units (e.g. 6S)

The 2Pep stock reused number 2001, the 4Rep stock reused numbers from 3001 and the 4Pep stock reused numbers 4001/4002. This series was abandoned only in 1983, when units were renumbered to fit in with the TOPS classification system, which had nominally been in use for a decade. Even then, many units only displayed the last four digits of their TOPS number, dropping the first two digits - e.g. unit 412 301 would have the number "2301" applied. Only with later units and the 2xx series DEMUs were the full numbers shown (e.g. Classes 455 and 456 carried full 6-digit numbers).

[edit] Classification

The early AC overhead electric multiple unit types were referred to by a two-letter code. This was adapted for the DC third-rail system that was adopted as standard by the Southern Railway, with unit type being given a three-letter code (sometimes two letters) prefixed by the number of carriages within each unit, e.g. 4Sub for a 4-car suburban set.

The Southern Region of British Rail perpetuated this method of classification, and the same principles were also adopted for diesel-electric multiple unit stock, but with single-letter codes. The last type to be officially allocated a designation in this series was the Pep stock of the early 1970s. However, some types built since then have been given semi-official designations in this style.

NB: This was different from the system used by British Rail (adopted from the LNER) to indicate the type of non-powered coach -- see British Rail coach designations.

[edit] AC overhead EMUs

SR Designation	Meaning
CP	Crystal Palace Stock
CW	Coulsdon & Wallington Stock
SL	South London Stock

[edit] DC third rail EMUs

SR Designation	BR Class	Meaning
GLV	489	Gatwick Luggage Van
MLV	419	Motor Luggage Van
TLV	499	Trailer Luggage Van
2Bil	401	Bi-Lavatory Stock
2EPB	416	Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
2Hal	402	Half Lavatory Stock
2Hap	414	Hal electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
2Nol	-	No Lavatory Stock
2Pan	402	Parcels and Newspapers Stock
2Pep	446	Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
2Sap	418	Second-Class Only Hap Stock
2SL	-	South London Stock
2Wim	-	Wimbledon Line Stock
3Cop	421	Coastway Open Plan
3Sub	-	Suburban Stock
3TC	492	Trailer Control Stock
3Tis	486	Vectis (Isle of Wight) Stock
4Bep	412	Buffet Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Big	422	Buffet Brighton Stock
4Buf	404	Buffet Stock
4Cap	413	Coastway Hap Stock
4Cep	411	Corridor Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Cig	421	Corridor Brighton Stock
4Cor	404	Coridor Stock
4Des	450	Desiro
4DD	-	Double Decker Stock
4EPB	415	Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Gri	404	Griddle Car Stock
4Jop	458	Juniper Outersuburban Porterbrook
4Lav	-	Lavatory Stock
4Pep	445	Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Rep	432	Restaurant Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Res	404	Restaurant Stock
4Sub	405	Suburban Stock
4TC	438	Trailer Control Stock
4Tep	412	Temporary Bep Stock
4Vec	485	Vectis (Isle of Wight) Stock
4Veg	427	Vep Gatwick Express Stock
4Vep	423	Vestibule Electro-Pneumatic Brake Stock
4Vip	423	Vep Intermediate Plan
4Vop	423	Vep Open-Plan
5Bel	403	Brighton Belle Pullman Stock
5Des	444	Desiro
5TCB	438	TC and Buffet Stock
5Wes	442	Wessex Stock
6Cit	-	City Express Stock
6Pan	-	Pantry Stock
6Pul	-	Pullman Stock
6Rep	431	Reformed Rep Stock
6TC	-	Trailer Control Stock
7TC	-	Trailer Control Stock
8Dig	422	Dedicated Brighton Stock
8Gat	460	Gatwick Express Stock
8Mig	421	Miniature Buffet and Cig Stock
8Vab	480	Vestibule Autobrake Buffet Stock

[edit] Diesel-electric multiple units

SR Designation	BR Class	Meaning
3D	207	Oxted Line Stock
3H	205	Hampshire Stock
3R	206	Reading Line Stock
3T	204	Hampshire and added Trailer Stock
6B	203	Hastings Buffet Stock
6L	202	Hastings Long-bodied Stock
6S	201	Hastings Short-bodied Stock