British Rail Class 466

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British Rail Class 466
Networker
466003 at Ashford International.jpg
Southeastern Class 466 at Ashford International
In service1993–present
Manufacturer Metro-Cammell
Built at Washwood Heath, Birmingham
Family name Networker
Replaced
Constructed1993–1994 [1]
Refurbished2011–2013 at Wabtec Doncaster
Number built43
Number in service30
Successor Class 707 [2]
Formation2 cars per unit: DMSO-DTSO [1]
Fleet numbers466001–466043
Capacity168 seats [1]
Owners Angel Trains [1]
Operators
Depots Slade Green [3]
Specifications
Car body construction Aluminium
Car length20.80 m (68 ft 3 in) [1]
Width2.80 m (9 ft 2 in) [1]
Height3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
DoorsDouble-leaf sliding plug
(2 per side per car)
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h) [1]
Weight
  • DM vehs.: 40.6 t (40.0 long tons; 44.8 short tons)
  • DT vehs.: 31.4 t (30.9 long tons; 34.6 short tons)
Traction system GEC Alsthom GTO-VVVF
Traction motors 4 × 3-phase AC [4]
GEC Alsthom G352AY
Power output1,120 kW (1,500 hp)
Electric system(s) 750 V DC   third rail
Current collector(s) Contact shoe
UIC classification Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Bogies
  • Powered: SRP BP58
  • Unpowered: SRP BT49
Braking system(s) Electro-pneumatic (disc) and rheostatic/regenerative
Safety system(s)
Coupling system Tightlock [5]
Multiple working Within class, and with Class 465 [4]
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 466 Networker is a fleet of 43 electric multiple units that were built by Metro-Cammell in 1993 and 1994. The units are currently operated by Southeastern.

Contents

Description

The Class 466 EMUs were built between 1993 and 1994 by Metro-Cammell in Washwood Heath, for the Network SouthEast sector of British Rail. [6] As part of the privatisation of British Rail, all were sold to Angel Trains. [1] They were operated by Network SouthEast until 1996, and then by Connex South Eastern until 2003, South Eastern Trains until 2006 and Southeastern to the present day.

Each of these units is formed of two coaches that have dimensions of 20.89 m × 2.81 m (68 ft 6 in × 9 ft 3 in) and a top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). [6]

Class 466 in Southeastern livery at Sheerness-on-Sea in 2011 466022 new Southeastern livery.jpg
Class 466 in Southeastern livery at Sheerness-on-Sea in 2011

Due to the units non-compliance with modern accessibility standards, since 1 January 2021 Class 466 units can only operate in multiple with Class 465s, [7] providing 6-car or 10-car suburban services out of Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria mainline stations to various destinations in South East London and Kent. Before this however, they were also often used as individual units on branch lines, mainly the Sheerness Line between Sittingbourne and Sheerness, displacing the Class 508/2s which operated on this branch line, on the Bromley North branch between Grove Park and Bromley North, as well as the Medway Valley line between Strood, Maidstone West and Paddock Wood, during this time they sometimes ran doubled up to make 4-car units, which helped reduce the poor adhesion along the line with single 2-car units. The units have since been replaced on the Medway Valley line and the Sheerness line with Class 375 units (predominately the 3-car variants) in 2012 and 2019 respectively. The units were replaced with 4-car Class 465 units on the Bromley North line in January 2021.

These two-car EMUs are formed of a driving motor carriage (DMSO: Driving Motor Standard Open) and a driving trailer carriage (DTSO, with lavatory); all on-board seating is standard accommodation. [6] A Solid State Traction Converter package controls 3-phase AC Traction motors, which allows for Rheostatic or Regenerative Dynamic braking. Primary braking system is electro-pneumatically actuated disc brakes, which is blended with the Dynamic brakes. Speed Probes on every axle of the unit provide for Wheel Slip/Slide Protection. A solid-state Auxiliary Converter provides 110 V DC and 240 V AC supplies; this is the source of the loud buzzing noise which can be heard when the train is stationary. The Aux Converter is located on the driving trailer, along with the toilet. The units use air-operated sliding plug doors.

Some are scheduled to be replaced by Class 707s, [8] with two hauled to Worksop for store by Harry Needle Railroad Company in June 2021. [9]

Refurbishment

The 466s were repainted by Wabtec Rail at Doncaster Works into a variation of Southeastern livery with lilac doors and midnight blue lower band.[ citation needed ]

Fleet details

Units:
ClassOperatorQty.Year builtCars per unitUnit numbers
466 Southeastern 301993–19942466002–466003, 466006-466008, 466011–466012, 466014-466015, 466018–466023, 466025–466026, 466028–466029, 466031, 466034–466043[ citation needed ]
Stored13466001, 466005-466005, 466009-466010, 466013, 466016-466017, 466024, 466027, 466030, 466032-466033 [10] [11]
Vehicle number ranges: [7]
DMSODTSO
64860–6490278312–78354

Accidents and incidents

On 5 February 2007 a bridge inspection unit working on the M20 motorway was deployed over a railway bridge between Maidstone Barracks and Aylesford stations. The gantry on the bridge inspection unit was struck by 466041 working a Paddock Wood to Gillingham service, causing significant damage to the leading carriage and wrecking the gantry. The train driver and the sole passenger were slightly injured. Nobody was on the gantry at the time. [12]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Class 466 - South Eastern". London: Angel Trains. Archived from the original on 18 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "Southeastern to bring Class 707s to London from Autumn 2021". RailAdvent. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  3. ↑ Pritchard, Robert (February 2025). "Slade Green: maintaining Southeastern's Metro Fleet". Today's Railways UK . No. 276. pp. 38–41.
  4. 1 2 Train Operating Manual: Classes 365, 465, 466. Harrogate: Connex South Eastern. January 1998. p.A.6.
  5. ↑ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "Classes 465 and 466". Southern E-Group. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
  7. 1 2 Hotchkiss, Jeremy (20 November 2019). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011 – Class 466 2020 accessibility deadline" (PDF). Letter to Angel Trains Limited. London: Department for Transport. RFSPEC 16/23/2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "Southeastern to take Class 707s". Rail Express. No. 289. June 2020. p. 9.
  9. ↑ "Class 465 & 466 Networker units put into store". Rail Express. No. 303. August 2021. p. 30.
  10. ↑ Russell, David (May 2024). "GTR to lease Class 379s from Porterbrook". Units. Rail Express . No. 336. p. 22.
  11. ↑ Butlin, Ashley (January 2025). "Multiple Units". Stock Update. The Railway Magazine . Vol. 171, no. 1486. p. 82.
  12. ↑ Rail Accident Report 36/2007: Collision between a train and a road vehicle, M20 overline bridge, Aylesford, 5 February 2007 (PDF). Derby: Rail Accident Investigation Branch, Department for Transport. September 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2023.

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