Class 401 2-BIL Profile and Models

The Southern Railway (SR) gave the designation 2-BIL to the DC third rail electric multiple units built during the 1930s to work long-distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Reading. This type of unit survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated TOPS Class 401. The 2-BIL units (2-car Bi-Lavatory stock) were so-called because each set had two lavatories, one in each car. The different batches were broadly similar, though in the first one, the driving motor brake car had a smaller brake compartment and seven full compartments, rather than six-and-a-half in the later batches.

(Information provided via Wikipedia)

Type of Unit

Builder

Build Dates

Total Built

Power Output

Top Speed

Passenger Capacity

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In Service Until

Surviving Examples