- British Rail Class 460
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British Rail Class 460 "Juniper" 
Gatwick Express Alstom Class 460 Juniper No. 460008, in full Gatwick Express livery, passes through East Croydon non stop with a service bound for Gatwick Airport
The interior of Standard Class aboard a Gatwick Express Class 460 EMUIn service 2000 - Present Manufacturer Alstom Family name Juniper Constructed 2000 - 2001 Number built 8 trainsets Formation 8 cars per trainset Fleet numbers 460001 - 460008 Operator 01-02: Gatwick Express, 03-08: Off Lease Specifications Maximum speed 100 mph (161 km/h) Electric system(s) 750 V DC (third rail) Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Standard gauge The British Rail Class 460 (or 8Gat) electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath from 2000-01. These units are part of Alstom's "Juniper" family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 458. All units were in store by the end of May 2011, however as of October 2011 two units (01 and 02) are back in service with Gatwick Express.
Contents
Description
The interior of First Class aboard the Gatwick Express Class 460
Gatwick Express Class 460 No. 02 passes East Croydon in Delta Air Lines advertising liveryWhen the National Express Group won the Gatwick Express franchise, part of the agreement was to replace the ageing Class 73/2 locomotives, British Rail Class 488 coaching stock, and Class 489 motor luggage vans. Therefore, an order was placed with Alstom for the construction of eight 8-car Class 460 units.[1]
Deliveries of the new units commenced in 2000. The units featured controversial sloping cab-ends, which quickly earned them the nickname "Darth Vaders" amongst rail enthusiasts. A Juniper Coupler is located under the removable nose cone.
Each eight carriage unit is formed of a driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor (DMLFO+TFO+TCO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+DMSO).[1][2] The units are numbered 460001-008, although only the last two digits are carried on the cab ends. The full six digit unit number is carried on the side of the luggage vans.[1]
On 22 June 2008, the fleet was transferred to Southern, as the Gatwick Express service was incorporated into the Southern franchise.[3]
From December 2010, the 460s were gradually phased out from Gatwick Express service in favour of Class 442 units, with the final two 460 units going off lease in May 2011. While on lease to Southern the 460s were allocated to Stewarts Lane TMD in South London.
Future
Under the government's Rolling Stock Plan, South West Trains are due to receive up to 140 additional vehicles. Porterbrook, the owner of the Class 458 fleet, has proposed that part of this could be met through lengthening the 4-car Junipers to 5-cars using the mechanically similar Class 460s. 24 Class 458s would be lengthened using vehicles from the Class 460s, while the remaining Class 460 vehicles would be reformed into six new 5-car sets, leaving additional vehicles for use as spare parts.[4]
Under the "Sussex Route Utilisation Strategy" document published on 28 January 2010, Network Rail the class 460 fleet was to be removed from Gatwick Express operations by Dec 2010 to strengthen operations elsewhere, possibly augmenting the similar Class 458 units working for South West Trains on routes out of London Waterloo.[5]
In October 2011 two units (01 and 02) were reinstated from store and were operating Gatwick Express services, although with all Gatwick Express branding removed.
Fleet details
Class Operator No. Built Year Built Cars per Set Unit nos. Class 460 Gatwick Express 2 2000-01 8 460001 - 460002 Off Lease 6 460003 - 460008 The formation of the 8Gat unit is shown below. While in use on the Gatwick Express franchise, under normal circumstances, the luggage van (DMLFO) would be at the 'London' end of the train (i.e. closest to the station concourse at London Victoria).
Unit No. DMLFO TFO TCO MSO MSO TSO MSO DMSO 460001 67901 74401 74411 74421 74431 74441 74451 67911 460002 67902 74402 74412 74422 74432 74442 74452 67912 460003 67903 74403 74413 74423 74433 74443 74453 67913 460004 67904 74404 74414 74424 74434 74444 74454 67914 460005 67905 74405 74415 74425 74435 74445 74455 67915 460006 67906 74406 74416 74426 74436 74446 74456 67916 460007 67907 74407 74417 74427 74437 74447 74457 67917 460008 67908 74408 74418 74428 74438 74448 74458 67918 
References
- ^ a b c Class 460 Gatwick Express - Southern E-Group - Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ Other Juniper EMUs - Southern Electric Group. Retrieved 2010-12-26.
- ^ "Gatwick Express service to remain". BBC News. 2007-04-04. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6524763.stm. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
- ^ Moving Wheels (2010). "Porterbrook plans third-rail EMU cascade". Modern Railways 67 (737): 72–73.
- ^ http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/tocnews/gex460news.html
Alstom Coradia family Coradia 1000 family: Coradia Juniper family: Coradia LINT low-floor family: DBAG Class 640/648 • DBAG Class 641Coradia LIREX family: Coradia Duplex family: Categories:- British Rail electric multiple units
- Alstom multiple units
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