Southern Railway multiple unit numbering and classification

{{short description|Classification and number system by Southern Railway of British Rail}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}} {{Use British English|date=January 2017}} The Southern Railway created '''classification and numbering systems''' for its large fleet of electric multiple units, perpetuated by the Southern Region of British Rail until the early 1980s, when the impact of TOPS was felt. Some stock is still allocated Southern-style classifications in a semi-official manner.

==Classification== The early AC electric multiple units were referred to by a two-letter code. This was adapted for the DC third-rail system that was adopted by the Southern Railway, with units being given a three-letter code (sometimes two letters) prefixed by the number of cars in each unit, e.g. 4SUB for a four-car suburban unit.

The Southern Region perpetuated this, and the same principles were adopted for diesel-electric multiple units but with single-letter codes. The last type to be officially allocated a designation in this series was the PEP stock of the early 1970s. Some types built since have been given semi-official designations in this style.

''This is different from the system used by British Rail (adopted from the LNER) to indicate the type of non-powered coach — see British Rail coach type codes.''

===AC EMUs=== {| class="wikitable" !SR designation !Meaning |- |align=center|CP |'''C'''rystal '''P'''alace |- |align=center|CW |'''C'''oulsdon & '''W'''allington |- |align=center|SL |'''S'''outh '''L'''ondon |- |}

===DC EMUs=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !SR designation !BR class !Meaning |- |align=center|GLV |align=center|489 |'''G'''atwick '''L'''uggage '''V'''an |- |align=center|MLV |align=center|419 |'''M'''otor '''L'''uggage '''V'''an |- |align=center|TLV |align=center|499 |'''T'''railer '''L'''uggage '''V'''an |- |align=center|2BIL |align=center|401 |'''Bi'''-'''L'''avatory<ref name=SRsemifast>Ian Allan ABC, 1968 ''British Railways Motive Power Survey'', p.15 "2NOL, 2HAL and 2BIL ... no lavatory, half lavatory and both lavatory, depending on whether toilet facilities were provided in either one or both coaches of a two-car set or not provided at all"</ref> |- |align=center|2EPB |align=center|416 |'''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic '''B'''rake |- |align=center|2HAL |align=center|402 |'''Ha'''lf '''L'''avatory<ref name=SRsemifast /> |- |align=center|2HAP |align=center|414 |'''Ha'''lf lavatory with electro-'''P'''neumatic Brake<ref>Ian Allan ABC, 1968 ''British Railways Motive Power Survey'', p.15 "The 2HAP provides similar accommodation to a 2HAL, but is fitted with electro-pneumatic brakes"</ref> |- |align=center|2HIL |align=center|- |Unit 2611: 2HAL DMBT #10729 paired with 2BIL DTCL #12146 |- |align=center|2NOL |align=center|- |'''No''' '''L'''avatory<ref name=SRsemifast /> |- |align=center|2PAN |align=center|402 |'''P'''arcels '''a'''nd '''N'''ewspapers |- |align=center|2PEP |align=center|446 |'''P'''rototype '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|2SAP |align=center|418 |'''S'''econd-Class Only H'''ap''' |- |align=center|2SL |align=center|- |'''S'''outh '''L'''ondon |- |align=center|2WIM |align=center|- |'''Wim'''bledon |- |align=center|3COP |align=center|421 |'''C'''oastway '''O'''pen '''P'''lan |- |align=center|3SUB |align=center|- |'''Sub'''urban |- |align=center|3TC |align=center|492 |'''T'''railer '''C'''ontrol |- |align=center|3TIS |align=center|486 |''Vec'''tis''''' (Isle of Wight) |- |align=center|4BEP |align=center|412 |'''B'''uffet '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|4BIG |align=center|422 |'''B'''uffet Br'''ig'''hton<ref name=4BIG>Ian Allan ABC, 1968 ''British Railways Motive Power Survey'', p.15 "the letters IG (4CIG, 4BIG), the old LBSCR telegraphic code for Brighton"</ref> |- |align=center|4BUF |align=center|404 |'''Buf'''fet |- |align=center|4CAP |align=center|413 |'''C'''oastway H'''ap''' |- |align=center|4CEP |align=center|411 |'''C'''orridor '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|4CIG<ref name="444SWT">{{cite magazine|title=Class 444<br>SWT|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=178|date=August 2009|pages=44–53}}</ref> |align=center|421<ref name="444SWT"/> |'''C'''orridor Br'''ig'''hton<ref name=4BIG /> |- |align=center|4COR |align=center|404 |'''Cor'''ridor |- |align=center|4DES |align=center|450 |'''Des'''iro |- |align=center|4DD |align=center|- |'''D'''ouble '''D'''eck |- |align=center|4EPB |align=center|415 |'''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic '''B'''rake |- |align=center|4GRI |align=center|404 |'''Gri'''ddle Car |- |align=center|4HIT |align=center|455 |'''HI'''gh density, '''T'''ightlock coupling.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Live Rail |issn=0142-7326 |publisher=Southern Electric Group |page=180 |date=December 1982 |title=Regional Review }}</ref> Proposed for the class, but not used.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Live Rail |issn=0142-7326 |publisher=Southern Electric Group |page=231 |date=April 1983 |title=Editor's Note }}</ref> |- |align=center|4JOP<ref name="MLI"/> |align=center|458/0<ref name="MLI"/> |'''J'''uniper '''O'''utersuburban '''P'''orterbrook.<ref name="MLI">{{cite magazine|title=Alstom 'Juniper' Platform|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=223|date=February 2016|pages=49–59}}</ref> |- |align=center|4LAV |align=center|- |'''Lav'''atory |- |align=center|4PEP |align=center|445 |'''P'''rototype '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|4PER |align=center|508 | |- |align=center|4REP |align=center|432 |'''R'''estaurant '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|4RES |align=center|404 |'''Res'''taurant |- |align=center|4SUB |align=center|405 |'''Sub'''urban |- |align=center|4TC |align=center|438 |'''T'''railer '''C'''ontrol |- |align=center|4TEP |align=center|412 |'''T'''emporary B'''EP''' |- |align=center|4VEC |align=center|485 |'''''Vec'''tis'' (Isle of Wight) |- |align=center|4VEG |align=center|427 |'''VE'''P '''G'''atwick Express |- |align=center|4VEP<ref name="444SWT"/> |align=center|423<ref name="444SWT"/> |'''V'''estibule '''E'''lectro-'''P'''neumatic Brake |- |align=center|4VIP |align=center|423 |'''V'''EP '''I'''ntermediate '''P'''lan |- |align=center|4VOP |align=center|423 |'''V'''EP '''O'''pen-'''P'''lan |- |align=center|5BEL |align=center|403 |Brighton '''Bel'''le |- |align=center|5DES |align=center|444 |'''Des'''iro (Unofficial) |- |align=center|5JUP<ref name="Fleetlist">{{cite magazine|title='Juniper' Fleet List|magazine=Modern Locomotives Illustrated|issue=223|date=February 2016|pages=70–71}}</ref> |align=center|458/5<ref name="Fleetlist"/> |'''Ju'''ni'''p'''er<ref>https://scontent-lht6-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/40684950_2026912793997129_4172825448373288960_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&_nc_eui2=AeFuTohCYD4fmQGXuuTVmkTXOIpVqk7ODUb4PTD2c1JjDoA_QCpIBL-qxsuCABbVLmGrkDBVpGGBVjC7Y9BrbGaDRXdN04T8YYGUmER-e2fjFg&oh=1b1cedc7fcf07c08baa0ee6cfa494be9&oe=5BF85B83 {{dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref> |- |align=center|5TCB |align=center|438 |'''TC''' and '''B'''uffet |- |align=center|5WES |align=center|442 |'''Wes'''sex |- |align=center|6CIT |align=center|- |'''Cit'''y Limited |- |align=center|6PAN |align=center|- |'''Pan'''try |- |align=center|6PUL |align=center|- |'''Pul'''lman |- |align=center|6REP |align=center|431 |'''R'''eformed R'''EP''' |- |align=center|6TC |align=center|- |'''T'''railer '''C'''ontrol |- |align=center|6JAV |align=center|395 |'''JAV'''elin. Unofficial classification, also referred to as 6HIT (Hitachi). |- |align=center|7TC |align=center|- |'''T'''railer '''C'''ontrol |- |align=center|8DIG |align=center|422 |'''D'''edicated Br'''ig'''hton |- |align=center|8GAT<ref name="MLI"/> |align=center|460<ref name="MLI"/> |'''Gat'''wick Express<ref name="MLI"/> |- |align=center|8MIG |align=center|421 |'''M'''iniature Buffet and C'''IG''' |- |align=center|8VAB |align=center|480 |'''V'''estibule '''A'''utobrake '''B'''uffet |- |}

===Diesel-electric multiple units=== {| class="wikitable" !SR designation !BR class !Meaning |- |align=center|3D |align=center|207 |Oxte'''d''' |- |align=center|3H |align=center|205 |'''H'''ampshire |- |align=center|3R |align=center|206 |'''R'''eading |- |align=center|3T |align=center|204 |Hampshire and added '''T'''railer |- |align=center|6B |align=center|203 |Hastings '''B'''uffet |- |align=center|6L |align=center|202 |Hastings '''L'''ong underframe |- |align=center|6S |align=center|201 |Hastings '''S'''hort underframe |- |}

==Unit numbering== Unit numbers were allocated from 1001, following the 1–1000 set numbers of semi-fixed formations of hauled coaching stock. Different types of unit were given numbers:

{| class="wikitable" |- | 1001–1200 | Unpowered trailer units for working with 3SUB stock (this series was later expanded to include 989–1000) |- | 1201–1800 | 3SUB (ex-LSWR units with 1200 added to their original numbers) |- | 1801–1999 | Two-car inner-suburban (e.g. 2NOL) |- | 2001–2899 | Two-car outer-suburban (e.g. 2BIL) |- | 2901–2999 | Four-car outer-suburban (4LAV) |- | 3001–3999 | Four, five and six-car express (e.g. 4COR, 5BEL and 6PUL)<ref>The three 5BEL units were originally numbered 2051-3, but later renumbered 3051-3 to conform with the general scheme (''Southern Electric'' by G. T. Moody, Ian Allan Ltd., various dates).</ref> |- | 4001–4999 | Four-car inner-suburban (4SUB and 4DD) |- | 5001–5599 | British Railways four-car inner-suburban (4EPB) |- | 5601–6999 | British Railways two-car (e.g. 2HAP) |- | 7001–7999 | British Railways four-car outer-suburban (e.g. 4CIG) |- | 8001 | Temporary eight-car (8VAB) |- | S1–S101 | Departmental (non-revenue earning) |}

This series was perpetuated by the Southern Region with modifications, as older set numbers were reused for the following different types:

{| class="wikitable" |- | 001–099 | Parcels and departmental (Sxxx units renumbered) |- | 301–999 | Trailer control (first digit indicated number of cars, e.g. 301 = 3TC) |- | 1001–1499 | Diesel electric multiple units (e.g. 6S) |}

2PEP reused number 2001, 4REP from 3001 and 4PEP 4001/4002. This series was abandoned in 1983, when units were renumbered to fit in with the TOPS classification system, which had nominally been in use for a decade. Even then, many units displayed only the last four digits, dropping the first two digits – e.g. unit 412 301 would have the number "2301" applied. Only with later units and 2xx series DEMUs were the full numbers shown, e.g. Classes 456, 458/5, 465 and 466, and some Class 455 sets, carry full six-digit numbers.

==See also== * List of British Rail classes * British Rail brand names

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== *{{cite book |title=British Rail Locomotives and other motive power |year=1968 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=London |isbn=0-7110-0008-5 |ref=IanAllan1968}}

{{SR rolling stock}} {{British railway rolling stock numbering and classification}}

Category:Southern Railway (UK) Category:Rolling stock classification systems