List of British Rail electric multiple unit classes


This page lists every electric-powered multiple unit allocated a TOPS classification or used on the mainline network since 1948. 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:

First generation

Second generation

Modern/Third generation

These use solid state switching devices and have electronic power control.
TOPS classBuilt forCurrent OperatorBuilderNumber BuiltImageScrapped
Class 323Regional Railways
Northern Trains
West Midlands Trains		Hunslet 1992-199343 x 3-car sets-
Class 331 Original classification of Class 332
Class 331
Civity		Arriva Rail NorthNorthern TrainsCAF 2017-present31 x 3-car units
12 x 4-car units		-
Class 332Heathrow ExpressHeathrow ExpressSiemens/CAF 1997-19989 x 4-car sets
5 x 5-car sets		-
Class 333Arriva Trains Northern
Northern TrainsSiemens/CAF 200016 x 4-car sets-
Class 334
Juniper		ScotRail
Abellio ScotRailAlstom Birmingham 1999-200240 x 3-car sets-
Class 341
Networker		proposed units for Crossrail--Never built
Class 342
Networker		proposed units for CTRL Domestic Services--Never built
Class 345
Aventra		CrossrailCrossrailBombardier Derby, 2015-201970 x 9-car sets -
Class 350 Original classification of Class 325
Class 350
Desiro		Silverlink
Central Trains		West Midlands TrainsSiemens 2004-2005
2008-2009
2013-2014		87 x 4-car sets-
Class 357
Electrostar		LTS Railc2cAdtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-200274 x 4-car sets-
Class 360
Desiro		First Great Eastern
Heathrow Connect		Greater Anglia
TfL Rail		Siemens 2002-2003
2004-2005		21 x 4-car sets
5 x 5-car sets		-
Class 365
Networker		Network SouthEast
Govia Thameslink RailwayABB York 1994-199541 x 4-car sets1
Class 371
Networker		proposed units for Thameslink 2000--Never built
Class 375
Electrostar		Connex South Eastern
South Eastern Trains		SoutheasternAdtranz/Bombardier Derby 1999-200510 x 3-car sets
102 x 4-car sets		-
Class 376
Electrostar		South Eastern TrainsSoutheasternBombardier Derby 2004-200536 x 5-car sets-
Class 377
Electrostar		SouthernSoutheastern
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 OvergroundLondon OvergroundBombardier Derby 2008-201157 x 5-car sets-
Class 379
Electrostar		National Express East AngliaGreater AngliaBombardier Derby 2010-201130 x 4-car sets-
Class 380
Desiro		First ScotRailAbellio ScotRailSiemens 2009-201122 x 3-car sets
16 x 4-car sets		-
Class 381
Networker		proposed Network SouthEast express units--Never built
Class 385 AT200
Abellio ScotRailAbellio ScotRailHitachi Kudamatsu & Hitachi Newton Aycliffe 2015-201846 x 3-car sets
24 x 4-car sets		-
Class 387
Electrostar		Govia Thameslink Railway
Great Western Railway
c2c		Govia Thameslink Railway
Great Western Railway
c2c		Bombardier Derby 2014-2017107 x 4-car sets-
Class 700
Desiro City		Govia Thameslink RailwayGovia Thameslink RailwaySiemens 2014-201860 x 8-car sets
55 x 12-car sets		-
Class 701
Aventra		South Western RailwayBombardier TBC30 x 5-car sets
60 x 10-car sets		-
Class 705Original classification of Class 701
Class 707
Desiro City		South West TrainsSouth Western RailwaySiemens 2016-201830 x 5-car sets-
Class 710
Aventra		London OvergroundLondon OvergroundBombardier Derby, 2017-201948 x 4-car sets
6 x 5-car sets		-
Class 711Original classification of Class 701
Class 717
Desiro City		Govia Thameslink RailwayGovia Thameslink RailwaySiemens 2016-201825 x 6-car sets-
Class 720
Aventra		Greater Anglia
c2c		Bombardier Derby, 2018-202089 x 5-car sets
28 x 10-car sets		-
Class 730
Aventra		West Midlands TrainsBombardier Derby, 2020-202136 x 3-car sets
45 x 5-car sets		-
Class 745
FLIRT		Greater AngliaGreater AngliaStadler Rail 2018-202020 x 12-car sets-
Class 755
FLIRT		Greater AngliaGreater AngliaStadler Rail 2018-202014 x 3-car sets
24 x 4-car sets		-
Class 756
FLIRT		Transport for WalesStadler Rail TBC7 × 3-car sets
17 × 4-car sets		-
Class 769
Flex		Great Western Railway
Northern Trains
Transport for Wales		BREL York, 1987-88
Brush Traction 2017 		35 x 4-car sets-
Class 777
METRO		MerseyrailStadler Rail 2018-202052 x 4-car sets-
Class 799
HydroFlex		PorterbrookPorterbrookBREL York, 1987
Quinton Rail Technology Centre 2019 		1 x 4-car set-

High speed trains

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

TOPS classSR className or InformationImageScrapped
Class 4012-Bil151
Class 4022-Hal?
Class 4022-Pan?
2-NolAll
2-SLSouth LondonAll
2-WimWimbledon-CroydonAll
3-Sub?
4-Buf?
Class 4044-Cor?
4-DDDouble Deck EMU2
4-Gri-
4-LavAll
4-Res-
Class 4054-SubAbout 184
Class 4035-BelBrighton Belle
London Victoria-Brighton		2
6-CitLondon Bridge-Brighton38 in total
6-PanPantry units38 in total
6-PulPullman
London Victoria-Brighton		38 in total

Mark 1 and 2 bodyshell

TOPS classSR className or InformationImageScrapped
Class 4104-BepAbout 114 in total
Class 4114-CepAbout 114 in total
Class 4124-BepAbout 114 in total
Class 4134-Cap2 x 2Hap permanently coupledAll
Class 4142-Hap207
Class 4154-EPB?
Class 4162-EPB121
Class 4182-Sap2Hap units with declassified 1st Class accommodationAll
Class 419MLVLondon-Dover/Folkestone boat trains2
Class 4204-BigAbout 140 in total
Class 4214/3-Cig
3-Cop		Last 2 units of this type in service were withdrawn in 2010About 140 in total
Class 4224-Big
8-Dig		About 140 in total
Class 4234-Vep
4-Vop		About 188 in total
Class 4274-VegFirst stock used for Gatwick ExpressAbout 188 in total
Class 4304-Rep14
Class 4316-Rep14
Class 4324-Rep14
Class 4383-TC
4-TC		27
Class 4808-Vab-
Class 482 8-Mig-
Class 488Gatwick Express Trailers14
Class 489GLVGatwick Express driving trailers3
Class 499 TLVAll

Tube">British Rail tube trains">Tube Stock

TOPS classSR className or InformationImageScrapped
Class 482 Waterloo & City line
sold to London Underground		-
Class 483Island Line Trains
ex LU 1938 stock		4
Class 4854-Vecex LU Standard stock?
Class 4863-Tisex LU Standard stock?
Class 487Waterloo & City Line27

Modern EMUs

TOPS classSR className or InformationImageScrapped
Class 424Networker Classic Prototype1
Class 4425-WesWessex Express2
Class 4445-DesSiemens Desiro-
Class 4454-PepSecond Generation EMU prototype - 4 carAll
Class 4462-PepSecond Generation EMU prototype - 2 carAll
Class 447Proposed Battersea BulletNever built
Class 4504-DesSiemens Desiro-
Class 455-
Class 456-
Class 457DC Networker prototype1
Class 4585-JopJuniper-
Class 4608-GatJuniper - Gatwick ExpressDMLFOs
Class 465Networker - 4 car-
Class 466Networker - 2 car-
Class 471Proposed Networker - Main Line ExpressNever built
Isle of Wight D-Train
ex-LU D78 Stock		-

Other DC units

The 500 series classes were reserved for miscellaneous DC EMUs not from the Southern Region. This included the DC 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.
Class 507 unit no. 507009 at Liverpool Central railway station
;TOPS classes
ClassInfoImageWithdrawnNotesScrapped
Class 501North London stock1985650 V Third & Fourth Rail56
Class 502Liverpool-Southport/Ormskirk stock1980650 V Third Rail150
Class 503Mersey-Wirral stock1985650 V Third Rail44
Class 504Manchester-Bury stock19911.2 kV Side Contact Third Rail
25
Class 505Manchester-Altrincham stock19711.5 kV OHLE?
Class 506Manchester-Hadfield/Glossop stock19841.5 kV OHLEAbout 7
Class 507Merseyside stock750 V Third Rail1
Class 508Merseyside stock750 V Third Rail15
Class 510Original classification of Class 455

;Pre-TOPS classes
The original BEMU was a one-off unit, withdrawn before the introduction of TOPS. A new generation battery EMU was created in 2014, converted from a Class 379.
ClassInfoImageNotes
BEMUExperimental 2 Car
Class 230D-TrainDEMU
DMU
Diesel-Battery hybrid

Non National Rail units

All rail vehicles operating on part of the National Rail network are required to be given TOPS codes. For this reason, London Underground, Sheffield Supertram and Tyne & Wear Metro trains have their own TOPS classes:
ClassInfoImageNotes
Class 398Transport for Wales tram-train stockPlanned use on Valley Lines services with street running through Cardiff
Class 399Sheffield Supertram tram-train stockUsed for service to Rotherham via the Dearne Valley line
Class 499 London Underground rolling stockClassification given to all London Underground stock operating on Network Rail, regardless of line
Class 599Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stockFour units not refurbished for DDA compliance
Used for operation between Pelaw and Sunderland in peak hours
Class 994Tyne & Wear Metro rolling stockUsed for operation between Pelaw and Sunderland