British Rail Class 438
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| British Rail Class 438 | |
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 Class 438 unit at Weymouth Quay |
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| In service | 1966 |
| Manufacturer | BR/BREL York |
| Number built | 34 |
| Formation | Unknown |
| Operator | British Rail |
| Specifications | |
| Maximum speed | 90mph 145km/h |
| Weight | Total - 132 tons |
| Braking system | Air (EP/Auto) |
The British Rail Class 438 (or 4TC) were unpowered fixed formation 4 carriage set (fitted with driving cabs at each end) built by BR at York Works from 1966-1967 and 1974. The units built on experience gained from the prototype 6TC unit.
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[edit] Operation
The units were primarily employed on services between London Waterloo and Weymouth. One or two Class 438 units would be propelled from London to Bournemouth by a Class 432 unit, controlled from the leading Class 438 cab. At Bournemouth, one Class 438 (or maybe both if there were two) would continue over the unelectrified line to Weymouth, hauled by a Class 33 diesel locomotive, leaving the Class 432 unit behind. Up trains from Weymouth would follow the same procedure in reverse: the Class 33 locomotive would propel the Class 438 unit(s) as far as Bournemouth (controlled from the Class 438 leading cab). There the Class 438(s) would couple to the waiting Class 432 which would then power the whole formation to London, leaving the Class 33 locomotive at Bournemouth. Class 438 units were occasionally seen on other duties, such as the Clapham Junction to Kensington Olympia shuttle, before that line was electrified. They ventured further afield on special duties or railtours, including Birmingham, Cardiff, Barnstaple/Meeth & Meldon Quarry. For a period in the early 1970s Unit 417 ran with a remodelled interior in one of its DTSOs. The seats were replaced with Inter-City style individual bucket seats (as used in the contemporary Mk2A/B/C carriages) and fluorescent lighting to match. No general refurbishment was ever undertaken on the units and they ran with their original incandescent lighting until withdrawal. A feature of a journey in a 2x4-TC/4-REP train, with the 4-REP pushing, was severe jolting at station restarts; this upset many a hot drink over the years. There would be sometimes several jolts of varying intensity until the couplings were fully compressed. The Units were fitted with a motor-generator set for lighting supply and a single compressor; these drew power from the REP or loco through the ETH jumpers.
[edit] Description
The units were built in two batches. Individual vehicle numbering is shown in the table below.
| Phase | Class | Type | Unit Nos. | Years Built | DTSO | TFK | TBSK | DTSO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Class 491 | 4TC | 401-428 | 1966-67 | 76270, 76271-76323 (odd) | 70844-70871 | 70812-70839 | 76332, 76272-76324 (even) |
| Class 492 | 3TC | 301-303 | 1966-67 | 76325-76329 (odd) | - | 70840-70842 | 76326-76330 (even) | |
| Phase 2 | Class 491 | 4TC | 429-431 (ex-3TC units) | 1974 | - | 71162-71164 | - | - |
| Class 491 | 4TC | 432-434 | 1974 | 76943-76947 (odd) | 71165-71167 | 70843, 71160-71161 | 76944-76948 (even) |
[edit] Further use
Following withdrawal from passenger service, several vehicles were sold for further use with London Underground. They were used primarily for special excursions trains on the Metropolitan Line, hauled by either steam locomotives, or the preserved electric locomotive No. 12 "Sarah Siddons".
Details of the vehicles sold to London Underground are given below. For further information, see London Underground coaching stock.
| Unit Number | Type | Phase | DTSO | TFK | TBSK | DTSO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 302 | 430 | 8030 | 4TC | Phase 2 | - | 71163 | - | - |
| 412 | 8012 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | - | 70855 | 70823 | - |
| 413 | 8013 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | - | - | 70824 | - |
| 415 | 8015 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76297 | - | - | 76298 |
| 427 | 8027 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76322 | - | - | - |
| 428 | 8028 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76324 | - | - | - |
[edit] Preservation
Two complete units and several other vehicles have been preserved. One of these, unit no. 417 (higlighted orange) was one of the final two units in service with British Rail. The other unit (highlighted pink) was one of two used by London Underground, and will ultimately be based on the Swanage Railway.
Details are given below.
| Unit Number (current in bold) |
Type | Phase | DTSO | TFK | TBSK | DTSO | Livery | Location | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 8001 | 8010 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | - | - | 70812 | - | BR Blue | Dartmoor Railway | - |
| 404 | 8004 | 3169 | 3582 | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76275 | - | - | - | Connex | Privately owned | Operated in 4Vep unit 3169/3582 between 1992-2004. |
| 405 | 8005 | - | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76277 | - | - | - | Serco Railtest | Dartmoor Railway | Operated as DB 977335 in departmental service. |
| 412 | 8012 | 8010 | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | - | 70859 | - | - | BR Blue | Strathvithie railway station | - |
| 412 | 8012 | "413" | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | - | 70855 | - | - | LT Maroon | Midland Railway, Butterley | Operated by London Underground 1992-2003. |
| 413 | 8013 | - | - | 70824 | - | |||||||
| 415 | 8015 | 76298 | - | - | - | |||||||
| 427 | 8027 | - | - | - | 76322 | |||||||
| 417 | 8017 | - | - | 4TC | Phase 1 | 76301 | 70860 | 70826 | 76302 | BR Blue | Dartmoor Railway | TBSK 70826 was originally in unit 415. |
