Class 442 Feature - Individual Unit History (2401-2404)

2401 was ceremonially handed over to Network SouthEast - albeit in an incomplete state - at Derby Litchurch lane on the 18th December 1987. It was hauled to Bournemouth Depot on 29th January 1988. This unit ran initially after delivery with its interior incomplete and test instrumentation fitted whilst being used for driver training and testing. Its first run under its own power was on the 11th February 1988. It was finally used in passenger service 14th April 1988 on a high speed test run to Weymouth.

2401 returned to Derby for completion on 3rd August 1988 where its MBLS had ‘snug’ modification carried out. DTFo 77382 was exchanged with 77395 (ex 2414) on the 11th October 1988 but it had reverted to its original formation by November 1988. The unit was not fully commissioned for service until 20th November 1988. 2401 was named ‘Beaulieu’ on its MBLS at Brockenhurst on 30th June 1989. 2401 went to Crewe for MBLS modifications 19th December 1998 and released 15th January 1999.

The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh and released back into traffic 16th July 1999. This unit was the first to be given a C6 overhaul at Ilford, commencing 4th January 2006 and was released 16th February 2006, entering passenger traffic from 1st March 2006. It was noticed by 18th November that the unit had been un-named. 2401 was worked for two days after 13th January 2007, its last working being the 15.35 Waterloo to Bournemouth service on 17th January. This unit was put into store at Eastleigh Works on 22nd January 2007.

Whilst in store, on 18th October 2007 this unit did a round trip between Eastleigh and Basingstoke with 2402 to keep it in running condition and then again on 28th November with 2410. On 22nd February 2008, it did another round trip with 2407. Its second outing of 2008 was on 14th May when it did the round trip to Basingstoke with 2407. On 11th June, 2401 went in the company of 73107 to Lovers Walk. On July 1st this unit moved back to Eastleigh in the company of 2407 and then on 9th July moved to Chart Leacon for overhaul. On 11th August, 66715 hauled 2401 to Wolverton for refurbishment, being unit number 9 in the programme. This unit was hauled to Stewarts Lane on 27th January 2009, whereupon commissioning and testing was undertaken and trial runs reported on 7th, 11th and 13th February. 442401 was reported to be in service on 16th February.

(top) The incomplete 2401 on display to the public during the Stewarts Lane 125 event, 10th April 1988, when health & safety was still considered to be a matter of common sense and personal responsibility and not the nanny state! Note that the unit contained a DTC at this stage (absence of the yellow line above the windows in the first 2 passenger windows) - photograph by Colin Duff
(above) 2401 the buffer stops at Waterloo almost six years later, by which time 77382 had long since become a DTF - photograph by John Lewis

2402 was delivered to Bournemouth on the 22nd February 1988. Like 2401, it also ran initially with no seating fitted whilst being used for driver training. It returned to Derby 24th June 1988 for fitting out. 2402 returned to the SR 8th August 1988 without modification to its MBLS and the unit was fully commissioned by 14th August 1988. This unit went back to Derby on 28th January 1989 and its MBLS 62938 was exchanged with modified 62947 (ex 2411). Then MBLS 62947 was moved to 2412 and replaced with its ‘own’ 62938 (ex 2412) circa 1st April 1989 bringing the unit back to its original formation. 2402 was named ‘County of Hampshire’ on its MBLS at Eastleigh 7th April 1989.

The unit went to Crewe for MBLS modifications on 17th October 1998 and released on 20th November 1998. 2402 was then refurbished at Eastleigh and released back to traffic 14th July 2000.

2402, complete with a broken windscreen, went to Ilford for its C6 overhaul on 13th November 2006 and returned to Bournemouth on 30th November. This was the last unit to be returned from overhaul in SWT livery and it never returned to passenger service - its last working being the 19.05 Waterloo to Poole service on 4th November 2006. This unit was put into store at Eastleigh on the 16th February 2007.

If units are stored with the prospect of being reactivated it is necessary to move them periodically to keep them in running order. On 14th August 2007, this unit did a round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke with 2410. On 8th October, 2402 was moved within Eastleigh Works by shunter 07007. On 18th October with 2401, did a round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke and again on 21st November with 2411 and on 5th December with 2404. 2402 was out again in the new year, running to Basingstoke with 2406 on 9th January 2008 and again on 30th January running with 2403. It is believed this unit is likely to be one of the seventeen to be leased to Southern for Gatwick Express services. This belief was re-inforced on 12th February when in a formation with 73209, 2406 and 73205 it was moved from Eastleigh to Lovers Walk. This unit returned to Eastleigh with 2410 under their own power on 20th May, followed by a round trip to Winchester with 2408. On 26th June this unit was hauled, along with 2410, by 66547 to Wolverton for refurbishment, being unit number 5 in the programme. 2402 was released on 10th December and it was hauled to Stewarts Lane. 73202 hauled it to Lovers Walk on 13th December, a move which encountered problems requiring a diversion via Selhurst depot. 442402 was observed running by itself on a test run to Gatwick Airport on 22nd December. It was on mileage accumulation runs with 442417 between Eastbourne and Three Bridges on 31st December, however 442417 was failing so these were cancelled part way through. With further mileage accumulation runs with 442417 on 2nd January 2009 and testing the next day, this unit re-entered service on 5th January. There was a period when due to modifications, 442402 could only run in multiple with 442412. On 30th March, this unit, with 442403, ran the first Class 442 Eastbourne - London Bridge peak working.

(top) DTS 77407 of 2401 at Clapham Junction - photograph by John Lewis
(above) TSW 71843 on 24th May 1996 - photograph by John Lewis

2403 was delivered to Bournemouth Depot on the 10th Match 1988. This unit also ran initially with no seating fitted during driver training. Seating was fitted at Bournemouth early in April 1988 and the unit was fully commissioned from 16th April 1988. DTC 77384 derailed at Clapham Junction on 25th April 1988 and was slightly damaged. 2403 was sent to Derby on 20th July 1989 and MBLS 62939 was exchanged with modified 62942 (ex 2411).

MBLS 62942 was then exchanged with 62941 (ex 2406) circa December 1989. 2403 was named ‘The New Forest’ on its MBLS at Brockenhurst on 22nd April 1991. 2403 went to Crewe 6th June 1998 for MBLS modifications and released 26th June 1998. The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh and returned to traffic on 30th November 1999.

This unit went to Bombardier Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 12th and 30th June 2006. 2403 worked on the "last scheduled day" of operation (13th January 2007), its last working being the 07.00 Weymouth to Bournemouth service on that day. It was put into store at Eastleigh on the 17th January.

2403 did some round trips between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke on 3rd October with 2412 and on 19th December with 2406. On 8th October this unit moved within Eastleigh Works under own power. 2403 was also run during 2008, taking a return trip to Basingstoke on 30th January with 2402 and on 27th February with 2419. 2403 took two round trips to Basingstoke with 2405 on 17th March and the same pairing was on a single trip during the afternoon of 19th March. The next round trip to Basingstoke was on 14th May when it was paired with 2404. The unit went to Lovers walk on 4th of July with 2404. On 17th September it moved from Lovers Walk to Chart Leacon for a C4 overhaul, returning to Brighton on 6th October 2008. On 11th November, 2403 moved to Stewarts Lane, a staging post to Wolverton, where it was taken, along with 2411, on 3rd December. 2403 is known as unit number 14 with Southern. On 5th March 2009 this unit was hauled from Wolverton to Stewarts Lane by 66715. Following commsssioning 442403 moved to Lovers Walk on 17th March and re-entered service on 23rd March. On 30th March this unit, with 442402, ran the first Class 442 Eastbourne - London Bridge peak working.

(above) 2403 with admirers at London Waterloo during the Network Day there on 1st October 1988 - photograph by Colin Duff

2404 was delivered to Bournemouth on the 8th April 1988. It was sent to Derby on 17th June 1989 and its MBLS 62940 was modified with a ‘snug’ area. The unit returned to the SR on the 1st July 1989. MBLS 62940 was then exchanged with 62939 (ex 2411) during November 1989. 2404 was named ‘Borough of Woking’ on its MBLS at Woking 10th November 1995.

2404 went to Crewe on 11th April 1998 for MBLS modifications and was released on 13th May 1998. The unit was then refurbished at Eastleigh and returned to traffic on 18th November 1999.

This unit went to Ilford for its C6 overhaul between 3rd and 20th July 2006. Its last working was the 16.35 Waterloo to Bournemouth service on the 12th January 2007 and it was put into store at Eastleigh on 15th January.

On 18th October 2007, 2404 did a round trip between Eastleigh Works and Basingstoke with 2412 and again on 31st October with 2414 and once more for the year with 2402 on 5th December. In 2008, the unit has had one outing to Basingstoke with 2413 on 19th February. On 1st April, this unit, along with 2411, was hauled by 73204 to Chart Leacon for a C4 overhaul. It returned to Eastleigh on 28th April accompanied by 73205 and 73209. 2402 then did a round trip to Basingstoke with 2403 on 14th May. On 27th May this unit, accompanied by 73208, was moved to Lovers Walk and returned to Eastleigh with the same EDL on 17th June. The unit went to Lovers walk again on 4th of July with 2404. During the week commencing 28th July, this unit was used with 2413 on training runs in Sussex. 2404 spent a further short period at Chart Leacon between 16th August and 3rd September. This unit made another trip to Chart Leacon on 13th September 2008 and on 2nd October, 66713 hauled it from there to Wolverton for refurbishment. 2404 being unit number 11 in the programme. This unit was hauled to Stewarts Lane on 19th February 2009 for commissioning. 442404 moved to Lovers Walk on 7th March and with 442412 underwent a test to East Croydon on 10th March. This unit re-entered service on 12th March.

(above) 2404 passing through Surbiton on 13th May 2006 - photograph by LSWR Penguin