List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes facts for kids

This article lists every electric-powered multiple unit allocated a TOPS classification or used on the mainline network since 1948, i.e. British Railways and post-privatisation. For a historical overview of electric multiple unit development in Great Britain, see British electric multiple units.

British Rail operated a wide variety of electric multiple units for use on electrified lines:

• AC units operate off 25 kV alternating current (AC) from overhead wires. Where clearances for the overhead wires on the Great Eastern Main Line, North Clyde Line and London, Tilbury and Southend railway routes were below standard, a reduced voltage of 6.25 kV AC was used. The Midland Railway units used 6.6 kV AC. Under the computer numbering, AC units (including mixed-voltage units that can also work off a DC supply) were given a class in the range 300-399.
• DC units operate off 650-850 V direct current (DC) from a third rail on the Southern Region and North London, Merseyside and Tyneside networks. The Manchester-Bury Railway line used 1,200 V DC from a side-contact third rail. The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham and "Woodhead" and initially the Great Eastern Railway routes used 1,500 V DC from overhead wires. Under the computer numbering, DC units were given a class in the range 400-599.

AC EMUs and dual-voltage EMUs

First generation

TOPS class	Pre-TOPS class	Name or Information	Built	Quantity (sets)	Notes	Image	Withdrawn	Scrapped
	ex-Ex-MR units	Lancaster-Morecambe-Heysham	1908	3 (4-car)			1953	All
Class 300		Proposed parcels units			Planned parcels conversation from Class 307		Never built	Never built
	AM1	25 kV AC prototype units	1952	4			1966	All
Class 302	AM2	London-Tilbury-Southend	1958–1960	112			1999	About 110
Class 303	AM3	Strathclyde. Also on Greater Manchester area services during 1980s/early 1990s.	1959–1961	91	75613 from unit 303013 is still in use with the British Transport Police		1974–2002	90
Class 304	AM4	Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham 1959 EMU	1960	45			1992–1996	All
Class 305	AM5	Chingford, Enfield 1959 EMU	1959	71			1992–2001
Class 306	AM6	Shenfield (inner-suburban)	1949	92	Ordered by LNER in 1938, but construction was delayed due to World War II.		1981	91
Class 307	AM7	Southend (outer-suburban)	1954–1956	32	43 survived as parcel units until 2000		1990–1993	31
Class 308	AM8	Eastern Region lines 1959 EMU	1959	45			1983 1992 2001	All
Class 309	AM9	Clacton Express.	1962–1963	76			1994–2000	About 74
Class 310	AM10	Euston outer-suburban. Also West Midlands	1965–1967	50	310109 and 310113 survived in departmental use until 2005		1967 (1) 1989 (1) 2001–2002	All
Class 311	AM11	Strathclyde	1966–1967	19	311103-4 survived in departmental use until 1999		1990	18
Class 312		Great Eastern suburban Great Northern suburban West Midlands (four units)	1975–1978	196			2003–2004	49

Second generation

TOPS class	Built for	Current Operator(s)	Builder	Number built	Image	Withdrawn	Scrapped
Class 313	BR Eastern Region (Great Northern suburban)		BREL York 1976-1977	64 x 3-car sets		2019 (GN) 2023 (Southern)	62
Class 314	BR Scottish Region (Argyle Line)		BREL York 1979	16 x 3-car sets		2018–2019	15
Class 315	BR Eastern Region (Great Eastern suburban)		BREL York 1980-1981	61 x 4-car sets		2018–2022	53
Class 316 (I)	proposed units for Picc-Vic services	-	(never built)	-		Never built	Never built
Class 316 (II)	(AC Networker prototype)	(never used in passenger service, now out of service)	converted from class 210 and 313 cars	1 x 4-car set		Out of service	1
Class 316 (III)	(test unit)	(never used in passenger service, scrapped 2006)	converted from class 307	1 x 3-car set		2006
Class 317	Class 317/1 London Midland Region Class 317/2 Network SouthEast (Bedpan and Great Northern lines)		BREL York 1981-1982 (317/1) 1985-1987 (317/2)	72 x 4-car sets		2020–2022	65
Class 318	Provincial ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE)	ScotRail	BREL York 1985-1986	21 x 3-car sets		still in use	None
Class 319	Network SouthEast (Thameslink services)	Rail Operations Group	BREL York 1987-1988 (319/0) 1990 (319/1)	86 x 4-car sets		still in use	33
Class 320	Provincial ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE)	ScotRail	BREL York 1990	22 x 3-car sets		still in use	None
Class 321	Network SouthEast (Great Eastern and Euston services) Regional Railways (for West Yorkshire PTE)	Varamis Rail	BREL York 1988-1991	117 x 4-car sets		2021–2023	12 TSOs 63 units
Class 322	Network SouthEast (Stansted Express service)		BREL York 1990	5 x 4-car sets		2022	All
Class 325	Rail Express Systems (for Royal Mail)	DB Cargo UK	ABB Derby 1995-1996	16 x 4-car units		still in use	1

Modern/Third generation

These use solid state switching devices (thyristors and transistors) and have electronic power control.

TOPS class	Built for	Current Operator(s)	Builder	Number Built	Image	Withdrawn	Scrapped
Class 323	Regional Railways (for West Midlands PTE and Greater Manchester PTE)	Northern Trains West Midlands Trains	Hunslet Transportation Projects/Holec 1992-1995	43 x 3-car sets		still in use	None
Class 331 (I)	proposed units for London, Tilbury and Southend Original classification of Class 332		(never built)			Never built	Never built
Class 331 (II) Civity	Arriva Rail North	Northern Trains	CAF 2017-2020	31 x 3-car units 12 x 4-car units		still in use	None
Class 332	Heathrow Express		Siemens Transportation Systems/CAF 1997-1998, 2002	9 x 4-car sets 5 x 5-car sets		2020	58 cars
Class 333	Arriva Trains Northern (for West Yorkshire PTE)	Northern Trains	Siemens Transportation Systems/CAF 2000-2003	16 x 4-car sets		still in use	None
Class 334 Juniper	ScotRail (for Strathclyde PTE)	ScotRail	Alstom Birmingham 1999-2002	40 x 3-car sets
Class 341 Networker	proposed units for Crossrail		(never built)	-		Never built	Never built
Class 342 Networker	proposed units for Channel Tunnel Rail Link Domestic Services					Never built
Class 345 Aventra	Elizabeth line	Elizabeth line	Bombardier Derby 2015-2019	70 x 9-car sets		still in use	None
Class 350 (I)	Original classification of Class 325
Class 350 (II) Desiro	Silverlink Central Trains	West Midlands Trains	Siemens Transportation Systems 2004-2005 2008-2009 2013-2014	87 x 4-car sets		still in use	None
Class 357 Electrostar	LTS Rail	c2c	Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2002	74 x 4-car sets
Class 360 Desiro	First Great Eastern Heathrow Connect	East Midlands Railway Rail Operations Group	Siemens Transportation Systems 2002-2003 2004-2005	21 x 4-car sets 5 x 5-car sets			2
Class 365 Networker	Network SouthEast (Great Northern and South Eastern services)		ABB York 1994-1995	41 x 4-car sets		2021	161 cars
Class 371 Networker	proposed units for Thameslink 2000	-	(never built)	-		Never built	Never built
Class 375 Electrostar	Connex South Eastern South Eastern Trains	Southeastern	Adtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-2005	10 x 3-car sets 102 x 4-car sets		still in use	None
Class 376 Electrostar	South Eastern Trains	Southeastern	Bombardier Derby 2004-2005	36 x 5-car sets
Class 377 Electrostar	Southern	Southeastern Southern	Bombardier Derby 2001-2005 2008-2009 2013-2014	28 x 3-car sets 177 x 4-car sets 34 x 5-car sets
Class 378 Capitalstar	London Overground	London Overground	Bombardier Derby 2008-2011	57 x 5-car sets
Class 379 Electrostar	National Express East Anglia	None	Bombardier Derby 2010-2011	30 x 4-car sets		2022
Class 380 Desiro	First ScotRail	ScotRail	Siemens Mobility 2009-2011	22 x 3-car sets 16 x 4-car sets		still in use
Class 381 Networker	proposed Network SouthEast express units	-	(never built)	-		Never built	Never built
Class 385 AT200	Abellio ScotRail	ScotRail	Hitachi Kudamatsu & Hitachi Newton Aycliffe 2015-2019	46 x 3-car sets 24 x 4-car sets		still in use	None
Class 387 Electrostar	Thameslink Great Western Railway c2c	Gatwick Express Great Northern Great Western Railway Heathrow Express	Bombardier Derby 2014-2017	107 x 4-car sets
Class 700 Desiro City	Thameslink	Thameslink Great Northern	Siemens Mobility 2014-2018	60 x 8-car sets 55 x 12-car sets
Class 701 Aventra	South Western Railway	South Western Railway	Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2019-	30 x 5-car sets 60 x 10-car sets
Class 705	Original classification of Class 701
Class 707 Desiro City	South West Trains	Southeastern South Western Railway	Siemens Mobility 2015-2018	30 x 5-car sets		still in use	None
Class 710 Aventra	London Overground	London Overground	Bombardier Derby 2017-2020	48 x 4-car sets 6 x 5-car sets
Class 711	Original classification of Class 701
Class 717 Desiro City	Great Northern	Great Northern	Siemens Mobility 2018-2019	25 x 6-car sets		still in use	None
Class 720 Aventra	Greater Anglia c2c	Greater Anglia c2c	Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2018-2020	145 x 5-car sets
Class 730 Aventra	West Midlands Trains	West Midlands Trains	Bombardier/Alstom Derby 2020-2021	36 x 3-car sets 45 x 5-car sets
Class 745 FLIRT	Greater Anglia	Greater Anglia	Stadler Rail 2018-2020	20 x 12-car sets
Class 755 FLIRT	Greater Anglia	Greater Anglia	Stadler Rail 2018-2020	14 x 3-car sets 24 x 4-car sets
Class 756 FLIRT	Transport for Wales Rail		Stadler Rail TBC	7 × 3-car sets 17 × 4-car sets
Class 768	Rail Operations Group	Rail Operations Group	BREL York 1987-88 Brush Traction 2020- (conversion)	10 x 4-car sets
Class 769 Flex	Great Western Railway Northern Trains Rail Operations Group Transport for Wales Rail	Northern Trains	BREL York 1987-88 Brush Traction 2017-2020 (conversion)	35 x 4-car sets			1 car
Class 777 METRO	Merseyrail	Merseyrail	Stadler Rail 2018-2021	52 x 4-car sets			None
Class 799 HydroFlex	Porterbrook	Porterbrook	BREL York, 1987 Quinton Rail Technology Centre 2019 (conversion)	2 x 4-car sets			1

High speed trains

High speed multiple unit or fixed formation trainsets, capable of operating at speeds above 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph).

TOPS class	Built for	Current Operator(s)	Builder	Number Built	Image	Withdrawn	Scrapped
Class 370 APT-P	prototype APT	Withdrawn 1985–1986	BREL Derby 1979	6 x 7-car half sets 2 spare cars		1985–1986	35 cars
Class 373 TGV	Eurostar	Eurostar	GEC Alsthom, La Brugeoise et Nivelles 1992-1996	14 x 8-car half sets 62 x 10-car half sets 1 spare car		2014– still in use	16
Class 374 Velaro UK	Eurostar	Eurostar	Siemens Mobility 2011-2018	34 x 8-car half sets		still in use	None
Class 390 Pendolino	Virgin Trains	Avanti West Coast	Alstom Birmingham 2001-2004 Alstom Savigliano, Italy 2010-2012	22 x 9-car sets 35 x 11-car sets			1
Class 395 Javelin	Southeastern	Southeastern	Hitachi, Japan 2007-2009	29 x 6-car sets			None
Class 397 Civity	TransPennine Express	TransPennine Express	CAF 2017-2019	12 x 5-car sets
Class 800 AT300	London North Eastern Railway	London North Eastern Railway	Hitachi, Kudamatsu & Newton Aycliffe 2014-2018	34 x 9-car sets 46 x 5-car sets
	Great Western Railway	Great Western Railway
Class 801 AT300	London North Eastern Railway	London North Eastern Railway	Hitachi Kudamatsu & Newton Aycliffe 2017-2020	30 x 9-car sets 12 x 5-car sets
Class 802 AT300	Great Western Railway	Great Western Railway	Hitachi Kudamatsu & Hitachi Rail Italy 2017-2020	46 x 5-car 14 x 9-car sets
	Hull Trains	Hull Trains
	TransPennine Express	TransPennine Express
Class 803 AT300	Lumo	Lumo	Hitachi Newton Aycliffe	5 x 5-car sets
Class 805 AT300	Avanti West Coast		Hitachi Newton Aycliffe	13 x 5-car sets		Still not in service
Class 807 AT300				10 x 7-car sets
Class 810 Aurora	East Midlands Railway			33 x 5-car sets

DC EMUs

Southern Region units

The Southern Railway and its successor, the Southern Region of British Rail, used three letter codes to classify their DC EMU fleets, as shown after the TOPS class numbers. Southern Region EMUs were classified in the 400 series under TOPS.

Pre-Nationalisation

4Sub unit no. 8143 at the National Railway Museum

TOPS class	SR class	Name or Information	Built	Quantity (sets)	Withdrawn	Notes	Image	Scrapped
Class 401	2-Bil		1935–38	152	1965–71			151
Class 402	2-Hal		1938–1939 1948 1955	100	1969–71			All
	2-Pan
	2-Nol		1934–36	78	1956–59
	2-SL	South London	1929	8	1954
	2-Wim	Wimbledon-Croydon	1929	4
	3-Sub		1946–51	184	1976–83
	4-Buf		1937–38	85	1964
Class 404	4-Cor				1968–71			28
	4-DD	Double Deck EMU	1949	2	1971
	4-Gri							All
	4-Lav		1930–32 1939–40	35	1968–69
	4-Res
Class 405	4-Sub							About 184
Class 403	5-Bel	Brighton Belle London Victoria-Brighton	1932	15	1 (p)			2
	6-Cit	London Bridge-Brighton						38 in total
	6-Pan	Pantry units
	6-Pul	Pullman London Victoria-Brighton

Mark 1 and 2 bodyshell

Gatwick Express Class 489 unit no. 489110 at London Victoria

TOPS class	SR class	Name or Information	Image	Scrapped
Class 410	4-Bep			About 114 in total
Class 411	4-Cep
Class 412	4-Bep
Class 413	4-Cap	2 x 2Hap permanently coupled		All
Class 414	2-Hap			207
Class 415	4-EPB			282
Class 416	2-EPB			121
Class 418	2-Sap	2Hap units with declassified 1st Class accommodation		All
Class 419	MLV	London-Dover/Folkestone boat trains		2
Class 420	4-Big			About 140 in total
Class 421	4/3-Cig 3-Cop	Last 2 units of this type in service were withdrawn in 2010
Class 422	4-Big 8-Dig
Class 423	4-Vep 4-Vop			About 188 in total
Class 427	4-Veg	First stock used for Gatwick Express
Class 430	4-Rep			14
Class 431	6-Rep
Class 432	4-Rep
Class 438	3-TC 4-TC			27
Class 480	8-Vab			-
Class 482 (I)	8-Mig
Class 488		Gatwick Express Trailers		14
Class 489	GLV	Gatwick Express driving trailers		3
Class 499 (I)	TLV			All

Tube Stock

Island Line Class 483 unit no. 483004 at Smallbrook Junction

TOPS class	Number Built	SR class	Name or Information	Image	Number Scrapped
Class 482 (II)	10 x 4-car		Waterloo & City line sold to London Underground		None
Class 483	10 x 2-car		Island Line ex LU 1938 stock		4
Class 485	6 x 4-car	4-Vec	ex LU Standard stock		about 5
Class 486	6 x 3-car	3-Tis	ex LU Standard stock		All
Class 487	28 x 1-car		Waterloo & City Line		27

Modern EMUs

South West Trains Class 455 unit no. 455713 at Wimbledon railway station

Southeastern Class 466 unit no. 466018 at Bromley North railway station

TOPS class	SR class	Number Built	Name or Information	Image	Scrapped
Class 424		1	Networker Classic Prototype		1
Class 442	5-Wes	24	Wessex Express		119 cars
Class 444	5-Des	45	Siemens Desiro		None
Class 445	4-Pep	2	Second Generation EMU prototype - 4 car		All
Class 446	2-Pep	1	Second Generation EMU prototype - 2 car
Class 447		Never Built	Proposed Battersea Bullet		Never built
Class 450	4-Des	127	Siemens Desiro		None
Class 455		137			54
Class 456		24			All
Class 457		1	DC Networker prototype		1
Class 458	5-Jop	36	Juniper		None
Class 460	8-Gat	8	Juniper - Gatwick Express		DMLFOs (4 cars)
Class 465		147	Networker - 4 car		None
Class 466		43	Networker - 2 car
Class 471		Never Built	Proposed Networker - Main Line Express		Never built
Class 484	5 x 2-car		Island Line D-Train ex-LU D78 Stock		None

Other DC units

The 500 series classes were reserved for miscellaneous DC EMUs not from the Southern Region. This included the DC (third/fourth rail) lines in North London, Manchester and Merseyside and the OHLE lines in Greater Manchester. The DC electric network around Tyneside had been de-electrified by the time TOPS was introduced, and the stock withdrawn or transferred to the Southern Region.

Merseyrail Class 507 unit no. 507009 at Liverpool Central railway station

TOPS classes

Class	Info	Image	Number Built	Withdrawn	Notes	Scrapped
Class 501	North London stock		57	1985	650 V Third & Fourth Rail	56
Class 502	Liverpool-Southport/Ormskirk stock		61	1980	650 V Third Rail	150 cars
Class 503	Mersey-Wirral stock		45	1985	650 V Third Rail	44
Class 504	Manchester-Bury stock		26	1991	1.2 kV Side Contact Third Rail (Unique on BR network)	25
Class 505	Manchester-Altrincham stock		22 sets	1971	1.5 kV OHLE	?
Class 506	Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock		8	1984	1.5 kV OHLE	About 7
Class 507	Merseyside stock		33	2022–	750 V Third Rail	16
Class 508	Merseyside stock		43	2022–2024	750 V Third Rail	41
Class 510	Original classification of Class 455

Pre-TOPS classes

• Ex-LNER units (Tyneside stock)
• Ex-LNWR units (North London stock)
• Ex-LOR units (Liverpool Overhead Railway stock)
• Ex-LYR units (Manchester-Bury stock)
• Ex-Mersey Railway units (Merseyside DC stock)
• Ex-W&CR units (Waterloo & City Railway stock)

Battery electric multiple unit (BEMU)

The original BEMU was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS. A new generation battery EMU (called an Independently Powered Electric Multiple Unit) was created in 2014, converted from a Class 379.

Class	Info	Image	Notes
BEMU	Experimental 2 Car
Class 230	D-Train		DEMU DMU Diesel-Battery hybrid

Non National Rail units

All rail vehicles operating on Network Rail infrastructure are required to be given TOPS codes. For this reason, London Underground, Sheffield Supertram and Tyne & Wear Metro trains have their own TOPS classes:

Class	Info	Image	Notes
Class 398 CITYLINK	Transport for Wales Rail tram-train stock		Planned use on Valley Lines services with street running through Cardiff
Class 399 CITYLINK	Sheffield Supertram tram-train stock		Used for service to Rotherham via the Dearne Valley line
Class 499 (II)	London Underground rolling stock		Classification given to all London Underground stock operating on Network Rail, regardless of line
Class 555 METRO	Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stock		Replacement Tyne and Wear Metro fleet
Class 599			Runs on Network Rail tracks between Pelaw and Sunderland

See also

• List of British Rail diesel multiple unit classes
• British Rail locomotive and multiple unit numbering and classification
• SR multiple unit numbering and classification
• British Rail coach type codes
• Electric multiple unit