|
British Rail Class 508 electric multiple units (EMUs) were built by BREL York works in 1979-80. They were the fourth variant of BR's standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, eventually encompassing 755 vehicles and five classes (313/314/315/507/508). They have mostly worked on the Merseyrail network since 1983, and continue to do so, now refurbished by Alstom's Eastleigh Works. The fleet is ageing, and Southeastern and London Overground have completely replaced them. The Class 508 unit is now years old, making them among the oldest units still in service on the UK mainland rail network, after the Class 313. ==Description== The class was developed for Merseyside following extensive trials and testing of the 4Pep/2Pep stock built in the early 1970s. Testing of Class 313 took place on the Northern Line on Merseyside, using 313003/005/013/063 loaned from the Great Northern Line of the Eastern Region to Hall Road depot. Original plans were drawn up for 58 508s to be constructed, although costing issues limited the eventual number to 43. However, following planning and building, British Rail decided to divert the 508s to work alongside much older first-generation 4Sub EMUs in the London Waterloo area. Based at Strawberry Hill depot, they soon became very unpopular due to their being non-standard. Once a new build of Class 455 EMUs were complete, the 508s were slowly sent to their originally intended home on the Merseyrail network. The 508 fleet then began to work alongside the already well-established fleet of Class 507 EMUs, which had been working on Merseyside since 1978. Delivered to the Southern Region as four-car sets numbered 508 001–043, all of the sets were reduced to three cars for Merseyside operation by the removal of one trailer and renumbered as 508/1. The individual passenger door controls were plated over before they were sent north. The spare trailer car from each set was incorporated into class 455/7 EMUs. Carriage numbering is as follows: *64649-64691 - DMSO *71483-71525 - TSO *71526–71568 – TSO (removed before transfer to Merseyside) *64692-64734 - BDMSO 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「British Rail Class 508」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|