Class 442 'Wessex Electrics' Profile and Models
442406 at Brighton in May 2010. ©Foulger Rail Photos
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The British Rail Class 442 (5-WES) Wessex Electrics were electric multiple unit passenger trains introduced in 1988 by Network SouthEast on the South West Main Line. Following the privatisation of British Rail, the fleet was sold to Angel Trains and operated by South West Trains up until February 2007. After a period in storage, they were leased to Southern for use on Gatwick Express services. The units were withdrawn from Gatwick Express services in 2016 and from Southern services in March 2017. From 2019, eighteen were leased by South Western Railway and were refurbished for use on London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour services. However they were again withdrawn in March 2020 due to services being reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2021, South Western Railway purchased all 18 from Angel Trains, stripped the fleet of their recently refurbished equipment for parts and scrapped them. The class holds the world speed record for a third-rail train, having attained 109 mph (175 km/h) on a test run prior to entering service. |
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Type of Unit |
750V DC 3rd-Rail Electric Multiple Unit |
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Builder |
BR Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
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Build Dates |
1987 to 1989 |
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Total Built |
24 units |
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Coaches Per Unit |
5 |
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Power Output |
1,610 hp |
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Top Speed |
100 mph |
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Operated By |
British Rail Gatwick Express South West Trains South Western Railway |
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Main Duties |
Express Passenger |
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In Service Until |
2020 |
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Surviving Examples |
1 car |
