British Rail Class 488
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| British Rail Class 488 | |
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 488313 at London Victoria on 18th March 2003. This was one of the last six sets in service with Gatwick Express until its withdrawal in 2004. It has since been preserved. |
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| In service | 1973-2005 |
| Manufacturer | BREL Derby |
| Operator | Gatwick Express |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 66ft 0 1/2in (20.12m) |
| Width | 9ft 3in (2.82m) |
| Height | 12ft 9 1/4in (3.89m) |
| Maximum speed | 90mph (145km/h) |
| Weight | 105 tonnes |
The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport.
The sets were converted from conventional loco-hauled coaching stock in 1983-1984, and were used in combination with Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives and Class 489 luggage vans. Two variations were converted: 2-car sets (containing first class accommodation) and 3-car sets (containing standard class accommodation only). They are officially formed of two subclasses. The two-car units are classified as Class 488/2 and are numbered in the range 488201-10, whilst the three-car sets are Class 488/3 and are numbered 488301-19.
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[edit] Operations
After privatisation, the entire Class 488 fleet passed to the Gatwick Express franchise. One unit, 488301 was withdrawn prior to privatisation, following an accident at Battersea Park railway station in 1985.
[edit] Gatwick Express
Immediately after privatisation, the Class 488 fleet was used exclusively on Gatwick Express trains. They were painted in the Gatwick Express variation of InterCity livery. Some sets were later reliveried with Continental Airlines advertisements, including units 488203/04/07/08/10, 488304/05/10/14/19.
From 2000 onwards, new trains in the form of Class 460 units were introduced to replace the old stock. By 2004, just six sets, formed into three 5-car rakes, were still in use with Gatwick Express. By January 2005, this had decreased to four sets. The sets were used sporadically during early 2005, but their use declined as the Class 460 reliability improved. Their final scheduled use was on 28 July following a specially trip involving the two remaining Class 73 locomotives. They were replaced by two Class 458 units hired from South West Trains. They were used a few times after this date for emergency cover, but have now been withdrawn.
[edit] Network Rail
After retirement from Gatwick Express, several sets were purchased by Network Rail for use as test trains or simply as brake-force runners. Sets have been repainted into either the now obsolete Railtrack blue/lime green livery, or the new Network Rail yellow livery. Two sets, 8307 and 8309, have been reclassified as Class 910 departmental units and renumbered 910002 and 910001 respectively. In addition, two coaches have been converted for departmental use with Network Rail:
- 72503 (ex 488204) - converted to hot-box detection coach no. 977983
- 72715 (ex 488316) - converted structure-gauging train coach no. 977985
[edit] Northern Ireland Railways
In 2001, eight carriages were sold to Northern Ireland Railways for further use as locomotive hauled stock in combination with the 111 Class locomotive, and renumbered 8941 to 8948.
- 72605 (ex 488305) - renumbered 8943
- 72609 (ex 488305) - renumbered 8944
- 72626 (ex 488314) - renumbered 8945
- 72627 (ex 488314) - renumbered 8946
- 72634 (ex 488318) - renumbered 8941
- 72637 (ex 488318) - renumbered 8942
- 72646 (ex 488319) - renumbered 8947
- 72647 (ex 488319) - renumbered 8948
The NIR coaches were withdrawn on 19 January 2005. They have recently been reintroduced to provide extra capacity on the Portadown to Belfast (Central) service, making one trip every morning. In 2007, the locomotives and coaches were taken for conversion to push-pull operation following the purchase by NIR of a DBSO from 'one' (Now National Express East Anglia).
[edit] Ministry of Defence
- 488210 has been sold to the Ministry of Defence for use at Marchwood in Hampshire. It has replaced two former Class 501 vehicles as passenger vehicles for personnel movement around the site.
[edit] Preservation
Several complete sets have been preserved. These are listed below.
- 488202 - Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
- 488206 - Vale of Glamorgan Railway
- 488209 - Wisbech and March Bramleyline
- 488304 - Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
- 488310 - Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
- 488311 - Vale of Glamorgan Railway
- 488313 - Wisbech and March Bramleyline
- 488317 - Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
[edit] Fleet status
| Key: | In service | Withdrawn | Preserved | Departmental Use | Further Use | Scrapped |
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Class 488/2
| Unit No. | Vehicle Numbers | Livery | Operator | Withdrawn | Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TFOH | TSOH | |||||||
| 488201 | 72500 | ex 3413 | 72638 | ex 6068 | Gatwick Express | Cotswold Rail | 2002 | Scrapped (2004) |
| 488202 | 72501 | ex 3382 | 72617 | ex 6086 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2005 | Preserved |
| 488203 | 72502 | ex 3321 | 72640 | ex 6097 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Network Rail | 2002 | Stored |
| 488204 | 72503 | ex 3407 | 72641 | ex 6079 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Network Rail | 2002 | Stored |
| 488205 | 72504 | ex 3406 | 72628 | ex 6058 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Scrapped (2003) |
| 488206 | 72505 | ex 3415 | 72629 | ex 6048 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2005 | Preserved |
| 488207 | 72506 | ex 3335 | 72642 | ex 6076 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Cotswold Rail | 2002 | Scrapped (2004) |
| 488208 | 72507 | ex 3412 | 72643 | ex 6040 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | GB Railfreight | 2002 | Withdrawn |
| 488209 | 72508 | ex 3409 | 72644 | ex 6039 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2004 | Preserved |
| 488210 | 72509 | ex 3398 | 72635 | ex 6128 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Sold to MoD Marchwood |
Class 488/3
| Unit No. | Vehicle Numbers | Livery | Operator | Withdrawn | Status | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSOLH | TSOL | TSOLH | ||||||||
| 488301 | 72600 | ex-6125 | 72700 | ex-6131 | 72601 | ex-6133 | InterCity | British Rail | 1985 | Scrapped (1987) |
| 488302 | 72602 | ex 6130 | 72701 | ex 6088 | 72604 | ex 6087 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2003 | Scrapped (2003) |
| 488303 | 72603 | ex 6093 | 72702 | ex 6099 | 72608 | ex 6077 | Gatwick Express | Network Rail | 2002 | Stored |
| 488304 | 72606 | ex 6084 | 72703 | ex 6075 | 72611 | ex 6083 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Preserved |
| 488305 | 72605 | ex 6082 | 72704 | ex 6132 | 72609 | ex 6080 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Sold to Northern Ireland Railways |
| 488306 | 72607 | ex 6020 | 72705 | ex 6032 | 72610 | ex 6074 | Gatwick Express | Cotswold Rail | 2002 | Scrapped (2004) |
| 488307 | 72612 | ex 6156 | 72706 | ex 6143 | 72613 | ex 6126 | Railtrack Blue/Green | Network Rail | 2004 | Renumbered 910002 |
| 488308 | 72614 | ex 6090 | 72707 | ex 6127 | 72615 | ex 5938 | Railtrack Blue/Green | Network Rail | - | In service |
| 488309 | 72616 | ex 6007 | 72708 | ex 6095 | 72639 | ex 6070 | Railtrack Blue/Green | Network Rail | 2004 | Renumbered 910001 |
| 488310 | 72618 | ex 6044 | 72709 | ex 5982 | 72619 | ex 5909 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Preserved |
| 488311 | 72620 | ex 6140 | 72710 | ex 6003 | 72621 | ex 6108 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2005 | Preserved |
| 488312 | 72622 | ex 6004 | 72711 | ex 6109 | 72623 | ex 6118 | Gatwick Express | GB Railfreight | 2002 | Stored |
| 488313 | 72624 | ex 5972 | 72712 | ex 6091 | 72625 | ex 6085 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2004 | Preserved |
| 488314 | 72626 | ex 6017 | 72713 | ex 6023 | 72627 | ex 5974 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Sold to Northern Ireland Railways |
| 488315 | 72636 | ex 6071 | 72714 | ex 6092 | 72645 | ex 5942 | Gatwick Express | GB Railfreight | 2002 | Stored |
| 488316 | 72630 | ex 6094 | 72715 | ex 6019 | 72631 | ex 6096 | Railtrack Blue/Green | Network Rail | - | In service |
| 488317 | 72632 | ex 6072 | 72716 | ex 6114 | 72633 | ex 6129 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2003 | Preserved |
| 488318 | 72634 | ex 6089 | 72717 | ex 6069 | 72637 | ex 6098 | Gatwick Express | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Sold to Northern Ireland Railways |
| 488319 | 72646 | ex 6078 | 72718 | ex 5979 | 72647 | ex 6081 | Gatwick Express (Advertising) | Gatwick Express | 2002 | Sold to Northern Ireland Railways |
