The British Rail Class 460 (or 8Gat) electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath from 2000-01. These units are part of Alstom's "Juniper" family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 458.

Description

When the National Express Group won the Gatwick Express franchise, part of the ageement was to replace the ageing Class 73/2 locomotives, British Rail Class 488 coaching stock, and Class 489 motor luggage vans. Therefore, an order was placed with Alstom for the construction of eight 8-car units.

Deliveries of the new units commenced in 2000. The units featured controversial sloping cab-ends, which quickly earned them the nickname "Darth Vaders" amongst rail enthusiasts. This also means units have to have special coupling adaptors to enable them to attach to a locomotive or another unit during a breakdown.

Each eight carriage unit was formed of a driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor. Thus the formation was: DMLFO+TFO+TCO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+DMSO.

Units were numbered 460001-008, although only the last two digits are carried on the cab ends. The full six digit unit number is carried on the side of the luggage vans.

Despite some early technical problems, the units have now settled down onto the quarter-hourly London Victoria to Gatwick Airport services. However, sufficient difficulties remain that two rakes of old stock are still in regular use.

Fleet Details

The formations of the 8Gat unit is shown below. Under normal circumstances, the luggage van (DMLFO) is at the 'London' end of the train (i.e. closest to the station concourse at London Victoria).