Southern Railway multiple unit numbering and classification explained

The Southern Railway created classification and numbering systems for its large fleet of electric multiple units, perpetuated by the Southern Region of British Rail until the early 1980s, when the impact of TOPS was felt. Some stock is still allocated Southern-style classifications in a semi-official manner.

Classification

The early AC electric multiple units were referred to by a two-letter code. This was adapted for the DC third-rail system that was adopted by the Southern Railway, with units being given a three-letter code (sometimes two letters) prefixed by the number of cars in each unit, e.g. 4SUB for a four-car suburban unit.

The Southern Region perpetuated this, and the same principles were adopted for diesel-electric multiple units 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. Some types built since have been given semi-official designations in this style.

This is different from the system used by British Rail (adopted from the LNER) to indicate the type of non-powered coach - see British Rail coach type codes.

AC EMUs

SR designationMeaning
CPCrystal Palace
CWCoulsdon & Wallington
SLSouth London

DC EMUs

SR designationBR classMeaning
GLV489Gatwick Luggage Van
MLV419Motor Luggage Van
TLV499Trailer Luggage Van
2BIL401Bi-Lavatory[1]
2EPB416Electro-Pneumatic Brake
2HAL402Half Lavatory
2HAP414Half lavatory with electro-Pneumatic Brake[2]
2HILalign=center-Unit 2611: 2HAL DMBT #10729 paired with 2BIL DTCL #12146
2NOLalign=center-No Lavatory
2PAN402Parcels and Newspapers
2PEP446Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake
2SAP418Second-Class Only Hap
2SLalign=center-South London
2WIMalign=center-Wimbledon
3COP421Coastway Open Plan
3SUBalign=center-Suburban
3TC492Trailer Control
3TIS486Vectis (Isle of Wight)
4BEP412Buffet Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4BIG422Buffet Brighton[3]
4BUF404Buffet
4CAP413Coastway Hap
4CEP411Corridor Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4CIG421Corridor Brighton
4COR404Corridor
4DES450Desiro
4DDalign=center-Double Deck
4EPB415Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4GRI404Griddle Car
4HIT455HIgh density, Tightlock coupling.[4] Proposed for the class, but not used.[5]
4JOP458/0Juniper Outersuburban Porterbrook.
4JUP458/4Juniper
4LAValign=center-Lavatory
4PEP445Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4PER508
4REP432Restaurant Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4RES404Restaurant
4SUB405Suburban
4TC438Trailer Control
4TEP412Temporary BEP
4VEC485Vectis (Isle of Wight)
4VEG427VEP Gatwick Express
4VEP423Vestibule Electro-Pneumatic Brake
4VIP423VEP Intermediate Plan
4VOP423VEP Open-Plan
5BEL403Brighton Belle
5DES444Desiro (Unofficial)
5JUP458/5Juniper[6]
5TCB438TC and Buffet
5WES442Wessex
6CITalign=center-City Limited
6PANalign=center-Pantry
6PULalign=center-Pullman
6REP431Reformed REP
6TCalign=center-Trailer Control
6JAV395JAVelin. Unofficial classification, also referred to as 6HIT (Hitachi).
7TCalign=center-Trailer Control
8DIG422Dedicated Brighton
8GAT460Gatwick Express
8MIG421Miniature Buffet and CIG
8VAB480Vestibule Autobrake Buffet

Diesel-electric multiple units

SR designationBR classMeaning
3D207Oxted
3H205Hampshire
3R206Reading
3T204Hampshire and added Trailer
6B203Hastings Buffet
6L202Hastings Long underframe
6S201Hastings Short underframe

Unit numbering

Unit numbers were allocated from 1001, following the 1–1000 set numbers of semi-fixed formations of hauled coaching stock. Different types of unit were given numbers:

1001–1200Unpowered trailer units for working with 3SUB stock (this series was later expanded to include 989–1000)
1201–18003SUB (ex-LSWR units with 1200 added to their original numbers)
1801–1999Two-car inner-suburban (e.g. 2NOL)
2001–2899Two-car outer-suburban (e.g. 2BIL)
2901–2999Four-car outer-suburban (4LAV)
3001–3999Four, five and six-car express (e.g. 4COR, 5BEL and 6PUL)[7]
4001–4999Four-car inner-suburban (4SUB and 4DD)
5001–5599British Railways four-car inner-suburban (4EPB)
5601–6999British Railways two-car (e.g. 2HAP)
7001–7999British Railways four-car outer-suburban (e.g. 4CIG)
8001Temporary eight-car (8VAB)
S1–S101Departmental (non-revenue earning)

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

001–099Parcels and departmental (Sxxx units renumbered)
301–999Trailer control (first digit indicated number of cars, e.g. 301 = 3TC)
1001–1499Diesel electric multiple units (e.g. 6S)

2PEP reused number 2001, 4REP from 3001 and 4PEP 4001/4002. This series was abandoned 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 displayed only the last four digits, dropping the first two digits – e.g. unit 412 301 would have the number "2301" applied. Only with later units and 2xx series DEMUs were the full numbers shown, e.g. Classes 456, 458/5, 465 and 466, and some Class 455 sets, carry full six-digit numbers.

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. [#IanAllan1968|Ian Allan ABC, 1968]
  2. [#IanAllan1968|Ian Allan ABC, 1968]
  3. [#IanAllan1968|Ian Allan ABC, 1968]
  4. Live Rail . 0142-7326 . Southern Electric Group . 180 . December 1982 . Regional Review .
  5. Live Rail . 0142-7326 . Southern Electric Group . 231 . April 1983 . Editor's Note .
  6. https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/40684950_2026912793997129_4172825448373288960_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeFuTohCYD4fmQGXuuTVmkTXOIpVqk7ODUb4PTD2c1JjDoA_QCpIBL-qxsuCABbVLmGrkDBVpGGBVjC7Y9BrbGaDRXdN04T8YYGUmER-e2fjFg&oh=1b1cedc7fcf07c08baa0ee6cfa494be9&oe=5BF85B83
  7. The three 5BEL units were originally numbered 2051-3, but later renumbered 3051-3 to conform with the general scheme (Southern Electric by G. T. Moody, Ian Allan Ltd., various dates).