British Rail Class 445
Encyclopedia
The PEP Stock were prototype electric multiple unit
s used on British Rail
's Southern Region
during the early 1970s. They were forerunners of the BR Second Generation electric multiple unit fleet. Three units were built, one two-car unit (2001), and two four-car units (4001/4002). Under TOPS
, they were allocated Classes 445 (4PEP) and 446 (2PEP).
Internal layout was for commuter services; low-backed, bus-style 2+2 seating in open saloons, wide gangways with hanging straps, and no lavatory facilities. They were the first electric multiple units designed by British Rail with electric sliding doors, outside the Scottish Region
. They were unable to operate with any other stock due to their new coupling system. Externally, 2001 was finished in unpainted aluminium, while 4001/4002 were painted in all-over Rail Blue. In passenger use, they normally operated together as a ten-car formation.
, the 25kV AC Classes 314
and 315
, and the 750V DC Classes 507
and 508
. However, subsequent builds have also drawn heavily on the experience gained by this stock.
The PEP units had three sets of sliding doors on each of the non-driving cars for handling dense inner-suburban traffic. However, the Class 313 and all subsequent builds, including later Mark 3-based units, have only had two sets of doors per car.
Class 920, number 920001. This was then used for the development of classes 313-315. The remaining cars were formed into two four car sets and became TOPS
Class 935, numbered 056 and 057 in the Southern Region departmental (non-revenue earning) unit series.
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s used on British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
's Southern Region
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
during the early 1970s. They were forerunners of the BR Second Generation electric multiple unit fleet. Three units were built, one two-car unit (2001), and two four-car units (4001/4002). Under TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
, they were allocated Classes 445 (4PEP) and 446 (2PEP).
Internal layout was for commuter services; low-backed, bus-style 2+2 seating in open saloons, wide gangways with hanging straps, and no lavatory facilities. They were the first electric multiple units designed by British Rail with electric sliding doors, outside the Scottish Region
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
. They were unable to operate with any other stock due to their new coupling system. Externally, 2001 was finished in unpainted aluminium, while 4001/4002 were painted in all-over Rail Blue. In passenger use, they normally operated together as a ten-car formation.
Production classes
The production-run classes which are most visibly similar to the PEP Stock are the dual voltage 750V DC/25kV AC Class 313British Rail Class 313
British Rail Class 313 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works between February 1976 and April 1977 and were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail...
, the 25kV AC Classes 314
British Rail Class 314
British Rail Class 314 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979. They were the third variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five classes...
and 315
British Rail Class 315
British Rail Class 315 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works from 1980 to 1981. They were the fifth and final variety of British Rail's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five Classes...
, and the 750V DC Classes 507
British Rail Class 507
British Rail Class 507 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in two batches from 1978 to 1980. The first thirty sets were constructed from September 1978 to mid-1979 and a further three were added during 1980...
and 508
British Rail Class 508
The British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variety of BR's then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes...
. However, subsequent builds have also drawn heavily on the experience gained by this stock.
The PEP units had three sets of sliding doors on each of the non-driving cars for handling dense inner-suburban traffic. However, the Class 313 and all subsequent builds, including later Mark 3-based units, have only had two sets of doors per car.
Departmental use
After the units were withdrawn from passenger service, they continued to be used by the Research department for further tests. For this purpose, the units and individual carriages were all renumbered into the departmental series. Two power cars were teamed with a newly built pantograph trailer and became TOPSTOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
Class 920, number 920001. This was then used for the development of classes 313-315. The remaining cars were formed into two four car sets and became TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
Class 935, numbered 056 and 057 in the Southern Region departmental (non-revenue earning) unit series.
Disposal
All three units were finally taken out of use in the mid-1980s. None of the cars has survived; 920001 was scrapped in 1987, 056 in 1986 and 057 in 1990.Formations
The unit formations in passenger and departmental service were:| Unit No. | Class | Unit Type | DMSO | MSO (*PTSO) | MSO | DMSO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formations in Passenger Use | ||||||
| 2001 | 446 | 2PEP | 64300 | - | - | 64305 |
| 4001 | 445 | 4PEP | 64301 | 62427 | 62428 | 64302 |
| 4002 | 445 | 4PEP | 64303 | 62426 | 62429 | 64304 |
| Formations in Departmental Use | ||||||
| 920001 | 920 | 3PEP | 975430 (ex. 64300) |
975431* | - | 975432 (ex. 64301) |
| (935) 056 | 935 | 4PEP | 975848 (ex. 64303) |
975845 (ex. 62427) |
975846 (ex. 62428) |
975847 (ex. 64302) |
| (935) 057 | 935 | 4PEP | 975844 (ex. 64305) |
975849 (ex. 62426) |
975850 (ex. 62429) |
975851 (ex. 64304) |