British Rail Class 455

The British Rail Class 455 is a type of electric multiple unit drawing power from a 750 V DC third rail. Built by BREL at York works in the early and mid-1980s, they were initially categorised as Class 510 as the successor to the Class 508. They are used on suburban services in South London, by South West Trains and Southern.

Description

thumb|left|Class 455 in Network South East livery

There were three batches of Class 455 units, all consisting of 4 cars: driving carriages at each end, an intermediate trailer vehicle and an intermediate motorised vehicle (powered by four GEC507-20J of 185 kW carried on the bogies of the MSO vehicle, some recovered from Class 405 They have the same bodyshell as the Class 317 and Class 318, but as they were designed for inner suburban services they do not feature first class seating or toilet facilities and are restricted to 75 mph (121 km/h). Like the Class 317/318, as well as the diesel Class 150, they are based on British Rail's Mark 3 coaches, with a steel construction, unlike the earlier PEP-based Class 313, 314, 315, 507 and 508 which had an aluminium alloy body.

Class 455/8

The first batch, now...
Read More