Southern Railway multiple unit numbering and classification#Diesel Electric Multiple Units
{{short description|Classification and number system by Southern Railway of British Rail}}
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{{One source|date=March 2024}}
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{{More citations needed|date=March 2009}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
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=
=DC EMUs=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!SR designation !BR class !Meaning |
| align=center|GLV
|align=center|489 |Gatwick Luggage Van |
| align=center|MLV
|align=center|419 |Motor Luggage Van |
| align=center|TLV
|align=center|499 |Trailer Luggage Van |
| align=center|2BIL
|align=center|401 |Bi-LavatoryIan Allan ABC, 1968 British Railways Motive Power Survey, p.15 "2NOL, 2HAL and 2BIL ... no lavatory, half lavatory and both lavatory, depending on whether toilet facilities were provided in either one or both coaches of a two-car set or not provided at all" |
| align=center|2EPB
|align=center|416 |Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|2HAL
|align=center|402 |
| align=center|2HAP
|align=center|414 |Half lavatory with electro-Pneumatic BrakeIan Allan ABC, 1968 British Railways Motive Power Survey, p.15 "The 2HAP provides similar accommodation to a 2HAL, but is fitted with electro-pneumatic brakes" |
| align=center|2HIL
|align=center |
| Unit 2611: 2HAL DMBT #10729 paired with 2BIL DTCL #12146 |
| align=center|2NOL
|align=center |
| No Lavatory |
| align=center|2PAN
|align=center|402 |Parcels and Newspapers |
| align=center|2PEP
|align=center|446 |Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|2SAP
|align=center|418 |Second-Class Only Hap |
| align=center|2SL
|align=center |
| South London |
| align=center|2WIM
|align=center |
| Wimbledon |
| align=center|3COP
|align=center|421 |Coastway Open Plan |
| align=center|3SUB
|align=center |
| Suburban |
| align=center|3TC
|align=center|492 |Trailer Control |
| align=center|3TIS
|align=center|486 |Vectis (Isle of Wight) |
| align=center|4BEP
|align=center|412 |Buffet Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4BIG
|align=center|422 |Buffet BrightonIan Allan ABC, 1968 British Railways Motive Power Survey, p.15 "the letters IG (4CIG, 4BIG), the old LBSCR telegraphic code for Brighton" |
| align=center|4BUF
|align=center|404 |Buffet |
| align=center|4CAP
|align=center|413 |Coastway Hap |
| align=center|4CEP
|align=center|411 |Corridor Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4CIG{{cite magazine|title=Class 444 SWT|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=178|date=August 2009|pages=44–53}} |align=center|421 |
| align=center|4COR
|align=center|404 |Corridor |
| align=center|4DES
|align=center|450 |Desiro |
| align=center|4DD
|align=center |
| Double Deck |
| align=center|4EPB
|align=center|415 |Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4GRI
|align=center|404 |Griddle Car |
| align=center|4HIT
|align=center|455 |HIgh density, Tightlock coupling.{{cite magazine |magazine=Live Rail |issn=0142-7326 |publisher=Southern Electric Group |page=180 |date=December 1982 |title=Regional Review }} Proposed for the class, but not used.{{cite magazine |magazine=Live Rail |issn=0142-7326 |publisher=Southern Electric Group |page=231 |date=April 1983 |title=Editor's Note }} |
| align=center|4JOP
|align=center|458/0 |Juniper Outersuburban Porterbrook.{{cite magazine|title=Alstom 'Juniper' Platform|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=223|date=February 2016|pages=49–59}} |
| align=center|4JUP
|align=center|458/4 |Juniper |
| align=center|4LAV
|align=center |
| Lavatory |
| align=center|4PEP
|align=center|445 |Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4PER
|align=center|508 | |
| align=center|4REP
|align=center|432 |Restaurant Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4RES
|align=center|404 |Restaurant |
| align=center|4SUB
|align=center|405 |Suburban |
| align=center|4TC
|align=center|438 |Trailer Control |
| align=center|4TEP
|align=center|412 |Temporary BEP |
| align=center|4VEC
|align=center|485 |Vectis (Isle of Wight) |
| align=center|4VEG
|align=center|427 |VEP Gatwick Express |
| align=center|4VEP
|align=center|423 |Vestibule Electro-Pneumatic Brake |
| align=center|4VIP
|align=center|423 |VEP Intermediate Plan |
| align=center|4VOP
|align=center|423 |VEP Open-Plan |
| align=center|5BEL
|align=center|403 |Brighton Belle |
| align=center|5DES
|align=center|444 |Desiro (Unofficial) |
| align=center|5JUP{{cite magazine|title='Juniper' Fleet List|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=223|date=February 2016|pages=70–71}}
|align=center|458/5 |
| align=center|5TCB
|align=center|438 |TC and Buffet |
| align=center|5WES
|align=center|442 |Wessex |
| align=center|6CIT
|align=center |
| City Limited |
| align=center|6PAN
|align=center |
| Pantry |
| align=center|6PUL
|align=center |
| Pullman |
| align=center|6REP
|align=center|431 |Reformed REP |
| align=center|6TC
|align=center |
| Trailer Control |
| align=center|6JAV
|align=center|395 |JAVelin. Unofficial classification, also referred to as 6HIT (Hitachi). |
| align=center|7TC
|align=center |
| Trailer Control |
| align=center|8DIG
|align=center|422 |Dedicated Brighton |
| align=center|8GAT
|align=center|460 |
| align=center|8MIG
|align=center|421 |Miniature Buffet and CIG |
| align=center|8VAB
|align=center|480 |Vestibule Autobrake Buffet |
=Diesel-electric multiple units=
| class="wikitable"
!SR designation !BR class !Meaning |
| align=center|3D
|align=center|207 |Oxted |
| align=center|3H
|align=center|205 |Hampshire |
| align=center|3R
|align=center|206 |Reading |
| align=center|3T
|align=center|204 |Hampshire and added Trailer |
| align=center|6B
|align=center|203 |Hastings Buffet |
| align=center|6L
|align=center|202 |Hastings Long underframe |
| align=center|6S
|align=center|201 |Hastings 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:
| class="wikitable" |
| 1001–1200
| Unpowered trailer units for working with 3SUB stock (this series was later expanded to include 989–1000) |
| 1201–1800
| 3SUB (ex-LSWR units with 1200 added to their original numbers) |
| 1801–1999
| Two-car inner-suburban (e.g. 2NOL) |
| 2001–2899
| Two-car outer-suburban (e.g. 2BIL) |
| 2901–2999
| Four-car outer-suburban (4LAV) |
| 3001–3999
| Four, five and six-car express (e.g. 4COR, 5BEL and 6PUL)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). |
| 4001–4999
| Four-car inner-suburban (4SUB and 4DD) |
| 5001–5599
| British Railways four-car inner-suburban (4EPB) |
| 5601–6999
| British Railways two-car (e.g. 2HAP) |
| 7001–7999
| British Railways four-car outer-suburban (e.g. 4CIG) |
| 8001
| Temporary eight-car (8VAB) |
| S1–S101
| Departmental (non-revenue earning) |
This series was perpetuated by the Southern Region with modifications, as older set numbers were reused for the following different types:
| class="wikitable" |
| 001–099
| Parcels and departmental (Sxxx units renumbered) |
| 301–999
| Trailer control (first digit indicated number of cars, e.g. 301 = 3TC) |
| 1001–1499
| Diesel 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
Notes
{{reflist}}
References
- {{cite book |title=British Rail Locomotives and other motive power |year=1968 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=London |isbn=0-7110-0008-5 |ref=IanAllan1968}}
{{British railway rolling stock numbering and classification}}