Description
The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered electrical multiple unit trailer sets, converted for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport.
The sets were converted from conventional loco-hauled coaching stock in 1983-84. Two variations were converted, 2-car sets (containing first class accommodation) and 3-car sets (containing only standard class accommodation).
Current Operations
After privatisation, the entire Class 488 fleet passed to the Gatwick Express franchise.
Gatwick Express
Immediately after privatisation, the Class 488 fleet was used exclusively on Gatwick Express trains. They were painted in the Gatwick Express variation of InterCity livery, although some sets were later reliveried with Continental Airlines advertisements.
From 2000 onwards, new trains in the form of Class 460 units were introduced to replace the old stock. By 2004, just six sets, formed into three 5-car rakes, were still in use with Gatwick Express. By January 2005, this had decreased to four sets.
Network Rail
After retirement from Gatwick Express, several sets have been purchased by Network Rail for use as test-trains or simply as break-force runners. Sets have been repainted into either the now obsolete Railtrack blue/lime green livery, or the new Network Rail yellow livery. Two sets, nos. 8307 and 8309, have been reclassified as Class 910 departmental units and renumbered as 910002 and 910001 respectively.
Further Use
- Eight carriages have been sold to Northern Ireland Railways for further use, and renumbered 8941 to 8948.
- 72605 (ex-8305) - renumbered 8943
- 72609 (ex-8305) - renumbered 8944
- 72626 (ex-8314) - renumbered 8945
- 72627 (ex-8314) - renumbered 8946
- 72634 (ex-8318) - renumbered 8941
- 72637 (ex-8318) - renumbered 8942
- 72646 (ex-8319) - renumbered 8947
- 72647 (ex-8319) - renumbered 8948
- Two coaches have been converted for departmental use with Network Rail.
- 72503 (ex-8204) - converted to Hot-box detection coach no. 977983
- 72715 (ex-8316) - converted Structure-gauging train coach no. 977985
- Unit 8210 has been sold to the Ministry of Defence for use at Marchwood in Hampshire. They have replaced two former Class 501 vehicles as passenger vehicles for personnel movement around the site.
Preservation
Several complete sets have been preserved. These are listed below.
In addition, a few individual vehicles have also been preserved.
Fleet Status
| Key:
| In service
| Withdrawn
| Preserved
| Departmental Use
| Further Use
| Scrapped
|
Class 488/2
| Unit No.
| Vehicle Numbers
| Livery
| Operator
| Withdrawn
| Status
|
| TFOH
| TSOH
|
| 8201
| 72500
| ex-3413
| 72638
| ex-6068
| Gatwick Express
| Cotswold Rail
| ?
| Withdrawn
|
| 8202
| 72501
| ex-3382
| 72617
| ex-6086
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| -
| In service
|
| 8203
| 72502
| ex-3321
| 72640
| ex-6097
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Network Rail
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8204
| 72503
| ex-3407
| 72641
| ex-6079
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Network Rail
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8205
| 72504
| ex-3406
| 72628
| ex-6058
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Scrapped (2003)
|
| 8206
| 72505
| ex-3415
| 72629
| ex-6048
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| -
| In service
|
| 8207
| 72506
| ex-3335
| 72642
| ex-6076
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Cotswold Rail
| ?
| Withdrawn
|
| 8208
| 72507
| ex-3412
| 72643
| ex-6040
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| GB Railfreight
| ?
| Withdrawn
|
| 8209
| 72508
| ex-3409
| 72644
| ex-6039
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| 2004
| Preserved
|
| 8210
| 72509
| ex-3398
| 72635
| ex-6128
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Sold to MoD Marchwood
|
Class 488/3
| Unit No.
| Vehicle Numbers
| Livery
| Operator
| Withdrawn
| Status
|
| TSOLH
| TSOL
| TSOLH
|
| 8302
| 72602
| ex-6130
| 72701
| ex-6088
| 72604
| ex-6087
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| -
| In service
|
| 8303
| 72603
| ex-6093
| 72702
| ex-6099
| 72608
| ex-6077
| Gatwick Express
| Network Rail
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8304
| 72606
| ex-6084
| 72703
| ex-6075
| 72611
| ex-6083
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Preserved
|
| 8305
| 72605
| ex-6082
| 72704
| ex-6132
| 72609
| ex-6080
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
|
| 8306
| 72607
| ex-6020
| 72705
| ex-6032
| 72610
| ex-6074
| Gatwick Express
| Cotswold Rail
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8307
| 72612
| ex-6156
| 72706
| ex-6143
| 72613
| ex-6126
| Railtrack Blue/Green
| Network Rail
| 2004
| Renumbered to 910002
|
| 8308
| 72614
| ex-6090
| 72707
| ex-6127
| 72615
| ex-5938
| Railtrack Blue/Green
| Network Rail
| -
| In service
|
| 8309
| 72616
| ex-6007
| 72708
| ex-6095
| 72639
| ex-6070
| Railtrack Blue/Green
| Network Rail
| 2004
| Renumbered to 910001
|
| 8310
| 72618
| ex-6044
| 72709
| ex-5982
| 72619
| ex-5909
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Preserved
|
| 8311
| 72620
| ex-6140
| 72710
| ex-6003
| 72621
| ex-6108
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| -
| In service
|
| 8312
| 72622
| ex-6004
| 72711
| ex-6109
| 72623
| ex-6118
| Gatwick Express
| GB Railfreight
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8313
| 72624
| ex-5972
| 72712
| ex-6091
| 72625
| ex-6085
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| 2004
| Preserved
|
| 8314
| 72626
| ex-6017
| 72713
| ex-6023
| 72627
| ex-5974
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
|
| 8315
| 72636
| ex-6071
| 72714
| ex-6092
| 72645
| ex-5942
| Gatwick Express
| GB Railfreight
| ?
| Stored
|
| 8316
| 72630
| ex-6094
| 72715
| ex-6019
| 72631
| ex-6096
| Railtrack Blue/Green
| Network Rail
| -
| In service
|
| 8317
| 72632
| ex-6072
| 72716
| ex-6114
| 72633
| ex-6129
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Preserved
|
| 8318
| 72634
| ex-6089
| 72717
| ex-6069
| 72637
| ex-6098
| Gatwick Express
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
|
| 8319
| 72646
| ex-6078
| 72718
| ex-5979
| 72647
| ex-6081
| Gatwick Express (Advertising)
| Gatwick Express
| ?
| Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
|
