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 (EMUs) 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.
AC EMUs SR designationMeaningCPCrystal PalaceCWCoulsdon & WallingtonSLSouth London
DC EMUs SR designationBR classMeaningGLV489Gatwick Luggage VanMLV419Motor Luggage VanTLV499Trailer Luggage Van2BIL401Bi-LavatoryIan 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"2EPB416Electro-Pneumatic Brake2HAL402Half Lavatory2HAP414Half lavatory with electro-Pneumatic BrakeIan 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"2HIL-Unit 2611: 2HAL DMBT #10729 paired with 2BIL DTCL #121462NOL-No Lavatory2PAN402Parcels and Newspapers2PEP446Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake2SAP418Second-Class Only Hap2SL-South London2WIM-Wimbledon3COP421Coastway Open Plan3SUB-Suburban3TC492Trailer Control3TIS486Vectis (Isle of Wight)4BEP412Buffet Electro-Pneumatic Brake4BIG422Buffet BrightonIan Allan ABC, 1968 British Railways Motive Power Survey, p.15 "the letters IG (4CIG, 4BIG), the old LBSCR telegraphic code for Brighton"4BUF404Buffet4CAP413Coastway Hap4CEP411Corridor Electro-Pneumatic Brake4CIG421Corridor Brighton4COR404Corridor4DES450Desiro4DD-Double Deck4EPB415Electro-Pneumatic Brake4GRI404Griddle Car4HIT455HIgh density, Tightlock coupling. Proposed for the class, but not used.4JOP458/0Juniper Outersuburban Porterbrook.4LAV-Lavatory4PEP445Prototype Electro-Pneumatic Brake4PER5084REP432Restaurant Electro-Pneumatic Brake4RES404Restaurant4SUB405Suburban4TC438Trailer Control4TEP412Temporary BEP4VEC485Vectis (Isle of Wight)4VEG427VEP Gatwick Express4VEP423Vestibule Electro-Pneumatic Brake4VIP423VEP Intermediate Plan4VOP423VEP Open-Plan5BEL403Brighton Belle 5DES444Desiro5JUP458/5Juniper5TCB438TC and Buffet5WES442Wessex6CIT-City Limited6PAN-Pantry6PUL-Pullman6REP431Reformed REP6TC-Trailer Control6JAV395JAVelin. Unofficial classification, also referred to as 6HIT (Hitachi Rail). 7TC-Trailer Control8DIG422Dedicated Brighton8GAT460Gatwick Express8MIG421Miniature Buffet and CIG8VAB480Vestibule Autobrake Buffet
Diesel-electric multiple units SR designationBR classMeaning3D207Oxted3H205Hampshire3R206Reading3T204Hampshire and added Trailer6B203Hastings Buffet6L202Hastings Long underframe6S201Hastings Short 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:
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) 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:
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.
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