British Rail Class 489
The British Rail Class 489 (GLV) is a type of electric multiple unit, specially converted for use on Gatwick Express trains, from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport.
| British Rail Class 489 (GLV) | |
|---|---|
489107 at Wirksworth Station on 17 April 2003. This unit is one of two preserved on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in Derbyshire. | |
| In service | 1984-2005 |
| Manufacturer | British Rail |
| Order no. | 30452 |
| Built at | Ashford/Eastleigh |
| Replaced | Class 427 |
| Constructed |
|
| Entered service | 1984 |
| Refurbished | British Rail Engineering Limited Eastleigh (conversion) |
| Number built | 10 |
| Number preserved | 4 sets |
| Number scrapped | 3 sets. |
| Formation | Single car (DMLV) |
| Diagram | EX561 |
| Design code | GLV |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Capacity | Luggage space only |
| Operators |
|
| Depots | Stewarts Lane |
| Lines served | Brighton Main Line |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 19.495 m (63 ft 11+1⁄2 in) (over body) |
| Width | 2.826 m (9 ft 3+1⁄4 in) |
| Height | 3.861 m (12 ft 8 in) |
| Doors | Twin-leaf slam |
| Articulated sections | Single car |
| Wheelbase |
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| Maximum speed | 90 mph (140 km/h) |
| Weight | 40.5 t (39.9 long tons; 44.6 short tons) |
| Traction system | Electric |
| Traction motors | 2 × EE507 of 185 kW (248 hp) |
| Power output | 370 kW (500 hp) |
| HVAC | Electric |
| Electric system(s) | 660-750 V DC third rail |
| Current collector(s) | Contact shoe |
| Bogies | SR mk4 powered and unpowered (one of each) |
| Braking system(s) | EP |
| Coupling system | Automatic drophead buckeye |
| Multiple working | 1951, 1957, 1963 and Gatwick Express stock |
| Headlight type | Originally tungsten, later halogen |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Notes/references | |
| Units converted in 1983-84 from Class 414/3 DMBS vehicles, to operate with Class 488. | |
The units were converted from Class 414 driving motors cars, by Eastleigh Works in 1983-84, for use on the new Gatwick Express service. They were used to allow push-pull operations, on the London-end of the rakes of Class 488 stock, with a Class 73 locomotive at the other end and both used for propulsion. The units were used as baggage cars.
Units were given unit numbers in the range 489101-489110, with individual carriages numbered 68500-68509. However, purely for aesthetic purposes, only the last four digits of the set numbers were shown, to fit with the traditional Southern style (maintained until privatisation by British Rail's Southern region) - older (pre-TOPS) units were originally assigned four-digit numbers. The units were originally painted in BR Blue/Grey livery, which was quickly replaced by InterCity livery. The final livery carried by these units is a variation of the InterCity livery, with a claret stripe and Gatwick Express lettering.