British Rail Class 485
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 485 (or 4Vec) and British Rail
Class 486 (or 3Tis) electrical multiple units were original built for the London Electric Railway
from 1923-31 as their 'Standard' tube stock
. They were purchased by British Rail in 1967 and transported to the Isle of Wight
to work 'mainline' services on the newly electrified Ryde to Shanklin line
, where they worked for an additional quarter century. At the time of their purchase the units had already worked for over forty years on the London Underground
, but their introduction allowed the last steam locomotives on the line to be withdrawn.
depot in 1966-67. The four-car sets were initially classified Class 452 and numbered 041-046, later reclassified Class 485 and numbered 485041-046. Each unit was formed of a driving motor, two intermediate trailers, and a second driving motor. Thus, the formation was DMBSO+TSO+TSO+DMBSO. Some of the intermediate trailers were former driving trailers, with the cabs locked out of use.
The three-car sets were classified Class 451 and numbered 031-036, later reclassified Class 486 and numbered 486031-036. A spare driving motor car was also refurbished, given the unit number 486037. Each of these units were formed of a driving motor, an intermediate trailer, and a driving trailer. Thus, the formation was DMBSO+TSO+DTSO.
When introduced, the units carried all-over BR blue livery. This progressed to standard blue/grey livery in the 1970s, and finally some units received Network SouthEast
's blue livery with red and white stripes, following its introduction in 1986.
Electric services on the Isle of Wight commenced on 20 March 1967. In service, the 4Vec units often worked alone, but sometimes in combination with a 3Tis unit, such that a train was formed of seven coaches known as a 7 Vectis. ("Vectis" was the Roman name for the Isle of Wight.)
Due to the proximity to the sea, the units suffered badly from corrosion damage. By the mid-1980s it was clear that they needed replacing. The replacements came from the 2-car Class 483
, which were also rebuilt from former London Underground
stock, namely 1938 tube stock
. These new units were introduced from 1989. The last 3Tis and 4Vec units were withdrawn from service in 1992.
Upon retirement from Isle of Wight services, no 3Tis units were saved for preservation. However, several 4Vec vehicles were sold back to London Underground for eventual restoration as part of an operational 'Standard' stock
museum unit. These are listed below:
Details of the original 1967 formations are shown below. TSO vehicles marked with an asterisk (*) were originally DTSO vehicles with the cab locked out of use.
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...
Class 485 (or 4Vec) and 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...
Class 486 (or 3Tis) electrical multiple units were original built for the London Electric Railway
Underground Electric Railways Company of London
The Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited , known operationally as The Underground for much of its existence, was established in 1902. It was the holding company for the three deep-level "tube"A "tube" railway is an underground railway constructed in a circular tunnel by the use...
from 1923-31 as their 'Standard' tube stock
London Underground Standard Stock
The Standard Stock title was applied to a variety of Tube stock built between 1923 and 1934, all of which shared the same basic characteristics, but with some detailed differences. This design is also sometimes referred to as 1923 Tube Stock or Pre 1938 Stock...
. They were purchased by British Rail in 1967 and transported to the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
to work 'mainline' services on the newly electrified Ryde to Shanklin line
Island Line, Isle of Wight
The Island Line is a railway line on the Isle of Wight, running some from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin down the eastern side of the island. The line was electrified in 1967. Trains connect with passenger ferries to Portsmouth Harbour at Ryde Pier Head, and these ferries in turn connect with the...
, where they worked for an additional quarter century. At the time of their purchase the units had already worked for over forty years on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
, but their introduction allowed the last steam locomotives on the line to be withdrawn.
History
Six four-car sets and six three-car sets were refurbished by BR's Stewarts LaneStewarts Lane
Stewarts Lane is a large railway servicing facility in Battersea in London, England, founded by the London Chatham and Dover Railway in 1862, to serve London Victoria railway station. It was sited in the midst of a maze of railway lines between 'Factory Junction' and 'Stewarts Lane Junction',...
depot in 1966-67. The four-car sets were initially classified Class 452 and numbered 041-046, later reclassified Class 485 and numbered 485041-046. Each unit was formed of a driving motor, two intermediate trailers, and a second driving motor. Thus, the formation was DMBSO+TSO+TSO+DMBSO. Some of the intermediate trailers were former driving trailers, with the cabs locked out of use.
The three-car sets were classified Class 451 and numbered 031-036, later reclassified Class 486 and numbered 486031-036. A spare driving motor car was also refurbished, given the unit number 486037. Each of these units were formed of a driving motor, an intermediate trailer, and a driving trailer. Thus, the formation was DMBSO+TSO+DTSO.
When introduced, the units carried all-over BR blue livery. This progressed to standard blue/grey livery in the 1970s, and finally some units received Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
's blue livery with red and white stripes, following its introduction in 1986.
Electric services on the Isle of Wight commenced on 20 March 1967. In service, the 4Vec units often worked alone, but sometimes in combination with a 3Tis unit, such that a train was formed of seven coaches known as a 7 Vectis. ("Vectis" was the Roman name for the Isle of Wight.)
Due to the proximity to the sea, the units suffered badly from corrosion damage. By the mid-1980s it was clear that they needed replacing. The replacements came from the 2-car Class 483
British Rail Class 483
The British Rail Class 483 electrical multiple units were originally built as 1938 tube stock units for London Underground. They were extensively refurbished between 1989 and 1992 by Eastleigh Works, for use on services on the Isle of Wight's Island Line. This was despite having already worked for...
, which were also rebuilt from former London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
stock, namely 1938 tube stock
London Underground 1938 Stock
The 1938 Tube Stock is a London Underground tube stock design. The trains were built by Metro-Cammell and Birmingham RC&W, and were used on the London Underground until 1988. During their long lives they worked on the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, Northern, East London and Central lines...
. These new units were introduced from 1989. The last 3Tis and 4Vec units were withdrawn from service in 1992.
Upon retirement from Isle of Wight services, no 3Tis units were saved for preservation. However, several 4Vec vehicles were sold back to London Underground for eventual restoration as part of an operational 'Standard' stock
London Underground Standard Stock
The Standard Stock title was applied to a variety of Tube stock built between 1923 and 1934, all of which shared the same basic characteristics, but with some detailed differences. This design is also sometimes referred to as 1923 Tube Stock or Pre 1938 Stock...
museum unit. These are listed below:
| Type | No. | From set | LT no. |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMBSO | 2 | 485041 | 3706 |
| DMBSO | 7 | 485044 | 3209 |
| DTSO | 27 | 485043 | 5279 |
| TSO | 44 | 485044 | 7281 |
| TSO | 49 | 485044 | 7296 |
Fleet details
| Unit no. | Carriage nos. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMBSO | TSO | DTSO | ||||||
| 031 | 1 | ex-3703 | 47 | ex-7279 | 26 | ex-5294 | ||
| 032 | 3 | ex-3251 | 92 | ex-7285 | 28 | ex-5304 | ||
| 033 | 5 | ex-3185 | 93 | ex-7282 | 30 | ex-5312 | ||
| 034 | 7 | ex-3209 | 94 | ex-7287 | 32 | ex-5290 | ||
| 035 | 9 | ex-3223 | 95 | ex-7292 | 34 | ex-5302 | ||
| 036 | 11 | ex-3705 | 96 | ex-7290 | 36 | ex-5350 | ||
| Spare | 10 | ex-3696 | – | – | – | – | ||
| Unit no. | Carriage nos. | |||||||
| DMBSO | TSO (* DTSO) | TSO | DMBSO | |||||
| 041 | 20 | ex-3308 | 27* | ex-5279 | 41 | ex-7286 | 13 | ex-3141 |
| 042 | 22 | ex-3010 | 29* | ex-5293 | 42 | ex-7280 | 15 | ex-3253 |
| 043 | 2 | ex-3706 | 31* | ex-5283 | 43 | ex-7275 | 19 | ex-3045 |
| 044 | 4 | ex-3702 | 33* | ex-5291 | 44 | ex-7281 | 21 | ex-3041 |
| 045 | 6 | ex-3084 | 45 | ex-7293 | 48 | ex-7298 | 23 | ex-3315 |
| 046 | 8 | ex-3074 | 49 | ex-7296 | 46 | ex-7283 | 25 | ex-3313 |