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Southern Electric Fleet Review Summer 2004 The Mark 1 stock : Classes 411, 421 and 423 Between 1959 and 1972 the Southern Region considerably extended the electrified network and replaced all of the pre-war express stock. This led to construction of a very large fleet of main line trains which, although of several types, were all compatible with each other and with a significant proportion of the suburban fleet. All main line vehicles were based on the British Railways Mark 1 carriage and, except for a few prototypes, had similar traction, control and brake systems. This was an unsurpassed level of standardisation, but it also meant that much of the fleet was outdated when new. The Mark 1 carriage features all steel bodywork welded onto a heavy steel underframe. External doors are hinged and opened manually. Buckeye couplings are used throughout. All units are powered by four English Electric type 507 traction motors, two per motor bogie. On the 4Cep units the motor bogies are at the cab ends of the motor coaches. On 4Cig and 4Vep units the motor coach is mounted on two motor bogies. Each motor is rated at 250hp, except those in the Veps which were 275hp. As motors vary in detail and are largely interchangeable, this distinction is of no great importance. All units have a maximum speed of 90mph. The prototype Cep and Bep units, now withdrawn, had an electro-pneumatic contactor control system. All other Mark 1 units had electro-pneumatic camshaft control equipment, by English Electric. Units are fitted with Westinghouse electro-pneumatic and straight air brakes. Almost all South West Trains units are in that company's white, orange, red and blue striped livery. Many of those used by Southern and South Eastern are in Connex yellow and white, but with Connex markings removed. All of the Ceps now with South Eastern were transferred from South West Trains. They carry modified SWT livery with the branding and orange stripe painted out. A small number of Cigs and Veps are in Southern livery and a few Cigs are plain pale grey. Some Cigs and Veps remain in Network SouthEast livery, but with the lettering removed. 4Vep 3417 has recently been finished in a close approximation to its original all blue livery. The remaining Mark 1 electric stock is of three principal types: 4Cep units were mostly built between 1958 and 1963 for use on newly electrified lines in Kent. The later units differed in a number of minor respects from the earlier production batch. 133 Ceps and Beps were built in total. Until refurbishment the prototypes, built in 1956, worked on the Brighton and Mid-Sussex lines with a few of the later units. The Ceps were originally formed driving motor brake, trailer corridor, trailer brake corridor composite, driving motor. The driver's cab was designed into a standard Mark 1 carriage end, giving the units a very austere look. Upon refurbishment between 1975 and 1984 the units were rebuilt as driving motor, trailer, trailer brake corridor and driving motor. Unpowered bogies were replaced by Commonwealth bogies. 4Bep units wee the same, but had a buffet car in place of the trailer second. These units have all been withdrawn or reformed as 4Cep. In some cases buffet cars were replaced by converted locomotive hauled carriages as part of the refurbishment programme. 4Cig units were built to replace the pre-war express stock and are formed driving trailer composite, trailer, motor brake, driving trailer composite. Within the driving trailer vehicles, first class accommodation is in compartments and standard class in a saloon, but varying numbers of compartments have always been downgraded to standard. There are two toilets in each driving trailer. As with the Ceps, there was a buffet equivalent, 4Big. All of the buffet cars have been rebuilt or withdrawn. The Cigs (and Veps) had a fibreglass cab end with rounded corners and recesses for the jumpers and brake hoses, giving a much more pleasing appearance than the Ceps. The 54 units built 1964-66 for the Brighton line, known as Phase 1 units, are different from later units both technically and in relation to seating design and internal fittings. The 112 Phase 2 units were built 1970-72 mainly for use on services from Waterloo. They differed from the earlier ones in having Mark 6 motor bogies instead of Mark 4 and a redesigned driver's desk and master controller. The Phase 1 units had an electric parking brake, but it was not successful and was not repeated. Passenger accommodation was improved principally by better lighting, when units were facelifted, but vehicle layouts were unchanged. From 1991 a few units were based at Ramsgate. 4Vep units entered service between 1967 and 1974 to replace pre-war stock used on main line stopping services, to operate local trains on the newly electrified Bournemouth line and to replace pre-war semi-fast units (2Hap) in Kent. Units were formed similarly to the 4Cig units, but with 2+3 seating and a door to each seating bay or compartment. 4Cig driving trailers have the 1 st class compartments at the cab end, whereas 4Veps have them at the trailing end. There is one toilet in each driving trailer. When facelifted from 1988 the units had their guard's vans reduced in size to provide additional seating space. As work to the motor brake coach took longer than face-lifting the other vehicles, many units were reformed with a motor coach from one that had entered the works earlier. Although 194 Veps were built, three were disbanded before entering service, to form the unique 8VAB unit for the Bournemouth line, with spare vehicles placed in store. By the time that the VAB was disbanded several of the spares had been used to replace Vep coaches written off in accidents, so unit 7739 could not be reformed and never ran in service. The Mark 1 units were originally numbered 7001-7022 4Bep, 7031-7058 4Big, 7101-7211 4Cep, 7301-7438 4Cig and 7701-7894 4Vep. All have been renumbered, in some cases more than once and not necessarily in sequence. Many have been reformed. Unless shown otherwise, Veps and Cigs have Mark 6 motor bogies and B5(S) trailer bogies. The remaining Mark 1 units are all due to be withdrawn mid-2005. The numbers quoted as remaining in service are as at the beginning of September. The surviving fleet comprises: Class 411/5 Standard 4Cep The equipment of units numbered up to 1562 differs in detail in several respects from those with higher numbers. Units numbered 15xx have Commonwealth trailer bogies and Mark 3B or Mark 4 motor bogies. The remaining units in the 16xx (1697-9) number series have mark 6 motor bogies and B5(S) trailer bogies.
Class 412/1 Greyhound 4Cep These are former 4 Bep units which have been reformed with trailer second saloons from withdrawn Ceps. Their field weakening has been adjusted to improve acceleration, though not to give a higher speed. They can be distinguished by the upper part of the cab end being painted black. All had B5(S) trailer bogies and Mark 6 motor bogies, but the trailers that replaced the buffets retain their Commonwealth bogies. One unit has been reduced to three coaches for use on the Lymington branch. These units were due to be taken out of service at the end of August 2004, but further use with South Eastern is possible.
Class 421/3 Phase 1 4Cig These have Mark 4 motor bogies. A few are Bigs with the buffet car rebuilt as a trailer saloon standard.
Class 421/4 Phase 2 4Cig
Class 421/5 Greyhound 4Cig These are phase 2 units modified in a similar manner to the Greyhound Ceps and also distinguished by a black band at the top of the cab front.
Class 421/7 4Cop units These are phase 2 Bigs that were modified for use on Coastway services in 1997. The units were made standard class only, the compartments were opened out and the buffet car removed. Four across standard class seating is provided where the compartments were, with the gangway to one side where the corridor was. The security cage in the guard's van was removed, to make the area more accessible to wheelchair users, and a window was inserted between the partition and the van. Te units have reverted to four-coach formation, with a trailer standard saloon added. Only four units were in service at the beginning of September.
Class 421/8 Greyhound 4Cig These units are the same as class 421/5 except that they are former phase 2 Big units with a Cep trailer standard saloon, on B5(S) bogies, in place of the buffet car. All eight were still in service early this year.
Class 421/9 Phase 1 4Cig These units had their original Mark 4 motor bogies replaced by Mark 6 motor bogies recovered from withdrawn Bournemouth stock.
Class 423/1 4Vep Although intended for stopping services, Veps regularly appear on expresses, with their high seating capacity being useful at busy times. One compartment in all driving trailers has been downgraded to standard class.
Class 423/9 4Vop These are Veps converted to standard class only, for use on South London Metro services. The compartments are removed and replaced with four across standard class seating, with the gangway to one side where the corridor was. Units regularly appear on main line workings.
Class 423/8 4Vip Four Vops have exchanged a driving trailer with Veps, resulting in eight units with one driving trailer composite and one driving trailer standard. Units so formed have been renumbered from 3813, though not in sequence. It was planned to reform all of the Vops in this manner, but no more will be done.
Total of Mark 1 units in service at time of writing = 245. Total built = 508 (incl. Reps).
Depots | Pre-WW2 | Class 508 | Gatwick Express Mk1&2 | Mk3 | Networker | Eurostar | Juniper | Electrostar | Desiro |
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This page updated
21st April 2006 by Colin Duff. |
