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British Rail Class 405

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British Rail Class 405
4Sub Motor Car at National Railway Museum in York
In service1914-1983
ManufacturerSR Eastleigh
Number builtUnknown
Formationpower car + 2 trailer cars + power car
OperatorsSouthern Railway and British Railways
Specifications
Maximum speed75 mph 121 km/h
WeightDMBS - 39–43 long tons (40–44 t)
Prime mover(s)Early units: 4 x 275 hp (205 kW) traction motors
total 1,100 hp (820 kW)
Later units: 4 x 250 hp (190 kW) traction motors
total 1,000 hp (750 kW)
Braking system(s)Air (Westinghouse)

The Southern Railway (SR) gave the designation Sub to the wide variety of electric multiple units that were used on inner-suburban workings in the South London area. Originally these units were formed as three-car units, but in the 1940s, all surviving units were increased to four cars by the addition of an 'Augmentation' trailer. New four-car units were also built at this time, and these survived in passenger use until late 1983, by which time British Rail had allocated to them TOPS Class 405.

Formations

The history of these units is very complex. Many of the 3-SUB units were rebuilt from former locomotive-hauled stock or the AC electric units built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. They were then further converted to 4Sub units during the 1940s (the last 3Sub formation ran in 1949) by the addition of a new 'Augmentation' trailer car and renumbered.

The 3-SUB units had operated as 8-car formations during peak periods from the 1920s until 1949 by inserting two-coach trailer sets, formed of converted old steam-hauled vehicles fitted with multiple unit jumper cables, in between two of the 3-car units. This inconvenient approach for marshalling the sets (the trailer sets had no driving cabs) was finally changed to using two 4-car units, not by the straightforward approach of inserting the trailer cars inside the 3-car sets, but by building new steel trailers, which themselves were of completely different and more modern appearence.

The table below illustrates the basic details of units within the broad number ranges used:

Unit Numbers Type Introduced Formation Notes
989-1200 - 1920–1937 Various Two-car Sub Trailer sets. Converted from LSWR, SECR and LBSCR steam stock and LBSCR AC electric stock. Disbanded between 1941–1948, some cars used to augment 3Sub to 4Sub.
1201–1284 3Sub 1914–1917 DMBT+TC+DMBC Built by London and South Western Railway, their numbers E1-E84, ex-steam stock. Most augmented to 4131-4171 and 4195-4234 series in 1942-1948.
1285–1310 3Sub 1925 DMBT+TC+DMBT Western Section (London to Guildford & Dorking) units, new-build, short frames. Augmented to 4300-4325 series in 1945-1946.
1401–1495 3Sub 1925–1926 DMBT+TC+DMBT Eastern Section units, ex-SECR steam stock. Most augmented to 4431-4594 series in 1946-1949.
1496–1524 3Sub 1925 DMBT+TC+DMBT Eastern Section units, new-build, standard frames. Augmented to 4326-4354 series in 1945-1946.
1525–1534 3Sub 1926 DMBT+TC+DMBT Eastern Section units, ex-SECR steam stock. Most augmented to 4431-4594 series in 1946-1949.
1579–1599 3Sub 1932–1937 DMBT+TC+DMBT Ex-LSWR steam stock. Most augmented to 4401-4594 series.
1601–1630 3Sub 1927–1928 DMBT+TC+DMBT Central Section units, ex-SECR steam stock. Most augmented to 4431-4516 series.
1631–1657 3Sub 1928–1929 DMBT+TC+DMBT Central Section units, ex-LBSCR steam stock. Most augmented to 4517-4614 series.
1658–1701 3Sub 1927–1928 DMBT+TC+DMBC Central Section units, ex-LSWR steam stock. Most augmented to 4172-4194 and 4235-4250 series.
1702–1716 3Sub 1928 DMBT+TC+DMBC Central Section units, ex-LBSCR steam stock. Most augmented to 4517-4614 series.
1717–1772 3Sub 1929–1930 DMBT+TC+DMBC Central Section units, ex-LBSCR AC electric stock. Most augmented to 4517-4579 series.
1773–1785 3Sub 1930–1931 DMBT+TC+DMBC Ex-LSWR steam stock. Most augmented to 4517-4614 series.
1786–1796 3Sub 1931–1932 DMBT+TC+DMBT Ex-LSWR steam stock. Most augmented to 4517-4614 series.
1797–1801 3Sub 1932 DMBT+TC+DMBT Ex-LBSCR steam stock. 1801 later renumbered 1600. Some augmented to 4580-4614 series.
4101 4Sub 1941 DMBT+TT+TC+DMBT Prototype new-build, steel bodied 4Sub unit with domed cab roof.
4102-4110 4Sub 1944–1945 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT New-build, steel bodied 4Sub units with domed cab roof.
4111-4120 4Sub 1946 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT New-build, steel bodied 4Sub units with vertical cab roof.
4121-4130 4Sub 1946 DMBTo+TTo+TT+DMBTo New-build, steel bodied 4Sub units with vertical cab roof.
4131-4171 4Sub 1942–1948 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with additional ex-3Sub trailer car.
4131-4132 4Sub 1969 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Second use of unit numbers. Formed from spare steel-bodied Sub cars, including those used in the 7TC unit.
4172-4194 4Sub 1947–1948 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with steel-bodied Augmentation trailer.
4195-4234 4Sub 1942–1948 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with additional ex-3Sub trailer car.
4235-4249 4Sub 1947–1949 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with steel-bodied Augmentation trailer.
4250-4257 4Sub 1942–1948 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Formed from a variety of spare Sub cars.
4277-4299 4Sub 1948–1949 DMBTO+TTO+TT+DMBTO New build, steel-bodied 4Sub units.
4300-4354 4Sub 1945–1946 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with steel-bodied Augementation trailer.
4355-4376 4Sub 1947–1948 DMBT-TT-TT-DMBT New build, steel-bodied 4Sub units.
4377 4Sub 1947 DMBT-TTO-TT-DMBT New build, steel-bodied 4Sub unit, including prototype full saloon trailer car.
4378-4387 4Sub 1948 DMBTO+TTO+TT+DMBTO New build, steel-bodied 4Sub units.
4401-4594 4Sub 1946–1947 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT Ex-3Sub units, with steel-bodied Augmentation trailer.
4601-4608, 4610/13/14 4Sub 1947 DMBT+TT+TT+DMBT First use of unit numbers. Ex-3Sub units, with steel-bodied Augmentation trailer.
4601-4607 4Sub 1950 DMBTO+TT+TT+DMBTO Second use of unit numbers. New Driving Motor cars formed with trailers built between 1946-48.
4617-4620 4Sub 1972–1976 Formed from spare Sub cars built between 1946-1950.
4621-4754 4Sub 1949–1951 DMBTO+TT+TT+DMBTO Most cars had new bodies on old frames, though some were entirely new build. 4667-4754 included an Augmentation trailer from withdrawn units.

Preservation

A handful of Sub stock carriages have survived in preservation, thus:

  • Driving Motor car number 8143 (formerly of Sub unit 1293, later 4Sub 4308) is in the care of the National Railway Museum, York.
  • 4Sub unit number 4732, formed of DMBTO 12795, TT 10239, TTO 12354 and DMBTO 12796, was retained by British Rail after withdrawal from normal passenger service for use on special occasions. It is currently Stored at the Electric Railway Museum, Baginton, after spending many years stored in the open at various locations.
  • Unit 4692 at Beckenham Junction 1979
    Unit 4692 at Beckenham Junction 1979
  • Unit 4617 at Epsom 1979
    Unit 4617 at Epsom 1979
  • Unit 4729 at Epsom 1979
    Unit 4729 at Epsom 1979
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