Railway News and Photos with David Arkwright
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Class 401 eleectric multiple unit.The Southern Railway gave the designation '2-BIL' to these DC third rail electric multiple units. They were built during the 1930s to work long-distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Reading. However, this type of unit survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated TOPS Class 401 in the 1970s. 152 two-car sets were built and they were known as '2 BIL' units because both cars of the unit had access to a lavatory (hence: Bi-Lavatory). This is Southern Railway 2-BIL number 2090, which is the only remaining example of this class of electric multiple unit. It was built in 1937 and withdrawn from service in 1971.
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