British Rail Class 205
Encyclopedia
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 205 (or 3H) diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962. They were replaced by Turbostar units.
Description
This class of unit were built in four different batches for use on different lines.The first batch of units, numbered 1101–1118, were built in 1957 as two-car units and were classified as 2H. They were built for services in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
on the non-electrified routes between , and and between , and . The first units entered service in September 1957. However, due to increasing passenger numbers, all eighteen units were strengthened to three cars in 1958 and 1969, with the addition of a centre trailer, and therefore were reclassified as 3H units. Upon the introduction of TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
they were reclassified as Class 205. Some of these were later converted back to 2 car sets, but they retained their Class 205 designation.
The second batch of 2H units, numbered 1119–1122, were built as 2-car units in 1958. These units were built for services on the Marshlink Line
Marshlink Line
The Marshlink Line is the name given to services on the railway line linking Ashford with Hastings in the South East of England. The line was part of an original proposal by a company named the Brighton Lewes and Hastings Railway to extend its coast route to Hastings...
from to Ashford, and associated branch lines. These units remained as two-car sets until 1979, and were reclassified as Class 204
British Rail Class 204
The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment...
upon the introduction of TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
. In May 1979, following the disbandment of the four Class 206
British Rail Class 206
The British Rail Class 206 or 3R was a type of Diesel electric multiple unit first created in 1964. They were not 'built' as such but rather re-formed from Class 201 and EPB vehicles for use on -- services...
units, they were strengthed to three cars and redesignated as Class 205s.
The third batch of units were built as three-car sets in 1959, and were numbered 1123–1126. These units were built to supplement the first batch on services in Hampshire. Collectively, the first and third batches are often called Hampshire sets. The final batch of units, numbered 1127–1133, were built in 1962 as three car sets. These units have some detail differences from the earlier batches, such as a different internal layout, and smaller route indicators (compare the two photos). They were built for services from to Salisbury, and other services in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. The final batch of units are sometimes referred to as Berkshire sets.
Technical details
Power car (one per set)- Introduced: 1957
- Weight: 56 tons
- Engine: English Electric 4-cylinder type 4SRKT Mark II of 1000 bhp at 850 rpm (600 shaft hp)
- Transmission: Electric, two English Electric type EE507 traction motors rated at 186 kW (250 hp) each.
- Maximum tractive effort: 12,500 lbs (55,602 N)
- Driving wheel diameter: 3 in 6 in (1.07 m)
- Coupling code: Standard 'Buck eye' compatible with contemporary Class 20x and 4xx units.
- Train heating: Electric
Number 1129 was experimentally fitted with a Dorman 12QTCW V-12 diesel engine of 725 shaft hp.
Operations
The first examples of the class entered service in September 1957 after a month of testing. They were initially used on services linking Portsmouth and Southampton to Salisbury, as well as those between Southampton and Portsmouth Harbour and from Southampton to Alton/Andover. Journey times were around two-thirds of those required by the steam locomotives the units replaced. The new services proved so popular that the class were temporarily taken off the route to Alton and Andover to provide extra capacity on the other lines prior to the fitting of a third carriage to the first 18 units.The delivery of the second batch of four units saw the class introduced to the Marshlink Line between Ashford and Hastings. These units also ran on the Bexhill West Branch Line and the short line to , and a Sunday-only service on the Fawley Branch Line. All of these routes except for the Marshlink Line had been closed by 1967, by which time the route between Reading and Salisbury was also operated by the class. The units also operated on the to route from 1966 until its closure in 1972. Other route served included the Steyning Line
Steyning Line
The Steyning Line was a railway line that connected the West Sussex market town of Horsham with the once bustling south-coast port of Shoreham-by-Sea, with the possibility of an onward connection to Brighton...
between and , which closed in 1967; the Cuckoo Line
Cuckoo Line
The Cuckoo Line is an informal name for the now defunct railway service which linked Polegate and Eridge in East Sussex, England, from 1880 to 1968. It was nicknamed the Cuckoo Line by drivers, from a tradition observed at the annual fair at Heathfield, a station on the route...
, which closed in 1968; the Lymington Branch Line
Lymington Branch Line
The Lymington Branch Line is a railway that runs from Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier, both in the New Forest. The railway line is around long, and is single track throughout its length. It diverges from the South Western Main Line at Lymington Junction; and, at Lymington Pier, trains connect with...
, which was served by the units for two months in 1967 prior to its electrification; and some journeys on the Oxted Line
Oxted Line
The Oxted Line is a railway line in southern England. It was originally operated jointly by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the South Eastern Railway. It is now part of the Southern franchise....
, which was also served by the newer Class 207
British Rail Class 207
The British Rail Class 207 diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962.-Technical details:Power car * Introduced: 1962* Weight: 56 tons...
units. In 1973 some services from Portsmouth to and were converted to Class 205 operation.
The electrification of the line to in 1987 saw the majority of the class withdrawn. Those which survived largely operated on services from Ashford to Hastings and from London to Uckfield. The privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
in 1995/6 saw the surviving Class 205s, most of which now carried Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
livery, pass to the new Connex South Central
Connex South Central
Connex South Central was a short-lived train operating company in the United Kingdom. It was owned by the Connex Group, and operated under the Connex brand between October 1996 until mid-2001....
franchise.
The final units, nos. 205001/009/033 were withdrawn in mid-December 2004.
Fleet details
| Key: | In service | Withdrawn | Preserved | Rebuilt | Reformed | Departmental Use | Scrapped |
|---|
Unrefurbished Class 205/0
| Unit No. | Batch | Year Built | Final Livery | DMBSO | TSO | DTCsoL | Withdrawn | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | Old | ||||||||
| 205001 | 1101 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Connex | 60154 | 60650 | 60800 | 12/2004 | Preserved, at The East Kent Railway |
| 205002 | 1102 | Batch 1 | 1957 | NSE | 60155 | 60651 | 60801 | 1993 | Scrapped |
| - | 1103 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60102 | 60652 | 60802 | 1979 | Converted to Class 204 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... no. 1403 |
| - | 1104 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60103 | 60653 | 60803 | 1979 | Converted to Class 204 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... no. 1404 |
| 205005 | 1105 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60104 | 60654 | 60804 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205006 | 1106 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60105 | 60655 | 60805 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205007 | 1107 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60106 | 60656 | 60806 | ? | Scrapped |
| - | 1108 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60107 | 60657 | 60807 | 1979 | Converted to Class 204 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... no. 1401 |
| 205009 | 1109 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Connex | 60108 | 60658 | 60808 | 12/2004 | Preserved at the Eden Valley Railway Eden Valley Railway The Eden Valley Railway was a railway in Cumbria, England. It ran between Clifton Junction near Penrith and Kirkby Stephen via Appleby-in-Westmorland.... |
| 205010 | 1110 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60198 | 60659 | 60809 | ? | Scrapped |
| - | 1111 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60110 | 60660 | 60810 | 1980 | Preserved at the Epping Ongar Railway Epping Ongar Railway The Epping Ongar Railway operates on a preserved railway along the final section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central Line branch line between Epping and Ongar, with an intermediate station at North Weald... |
| 205012 | 1112 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Connex | 60111 | 60661 | 60811 | 02/2004 | Withdrawn - for scrap |
| 205013 | 1113 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60112 | 60662 | 60812 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205014 | 1114 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60113 | 60663 | 60813 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205015 | 1115 | Batch 1 | 1957 | NSE | 60114 | 60664 | 60814 | 1993 | Scrapped |
| 205016 | 1116 | Batch 1 | 1957 | NSE | 60115 | 60665 | 60815 | 1993 | Scrapped |
| 205017 | 1117 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Blue/Grey | 60116 | 60666 | 60816 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205018 | 1118 | Batch 1 | 1957 | Connex | 60117 | 60674 | 60828 | 08/2004 | Preserved |
| 205019 | 1119 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... |
Batch 2 | 1958 | Blue/Grey | 60118 | 60653 | 60818 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205020 | 1120 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... |
Batch 2 | 1958 | Blue/Grey | 60119 | 60652 | 60819 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205008 | 1121 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... |
Batch 2 | 1958 | NSE | 60120 | 60657 | 60820 | 1993 | Preserved |
| - | 1122 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... |
Batch 2 | 1958 | Blue/Grey | 60121 | - | 60821 | See Class 204 British Rail Class 204 The British Rail Class 204 designation has been used twice for two similar types of diesel-electric multiple units.The original units, numbered in the range 1119-1122, were two-car versions of the Class 205 '3H' units, and were classified as 2H under the old system.In 1979, BR decided to augment... (never officially classified as a 205) |
|
| 205023 | 1123 | Batch 3 | 1959 | NSE | 60122 | 60669 | 60822 | 1998 | Preserved |
| 205024 | 1124 | Batch 3 | 1959 | NSE | 60123 | 60668 | 60823 | 1999 | Scrapped |
| 205025 | 1125 | Batch 3 | 1959 | Connex (now in BR Green) | 60124 | 60670 | 60824 | 05/2004 | Preserved at Mid-Hants Railway. |
| 205026 | 1126 | Batch 3 | 1959 | Blue/Grey | 60125 | 60671 | 60825 | ? | Scrapped |
| 205027 | 1127 | Batch 4 | 1962 | NSE | 60145 | 60672 | 60826 | 1993 | Sandite unit 930301 |
| 205028 | 1128 | Batch 4 | 1962 | Connex | 60146 | 60673 | 60827 | 11/2004 | Preserved at Dartmoor Railway Dartmoor Railway The Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate... |
| 205029 | 1129 | Batch 4 | 1962 | BR Green | 60147 | 60667 | 60817 | 1994 | Scrapped after Cowden rail crash Cowden rail crash The Cowden rail crash occurred on 15 October 1994, around 350 metres southeast of Cowden Station in the English county of Kent. There was a head-on collision between two trains in heavy fog after the driver of a northbound train ran past a red signal and entered a single line section.Five people... |
| 205030 | 1130 | Batch 4 | 1962 | Blue/Grey | 60148 | 60675 | 60829 | 1992 | Scrapped |
| 205031 | 1131 | Batch 4 | 1962 | Blue/Grey | 60149 | 60676 | 60830 | 1993 | Sandite unit 930301 |
| 205032 | 1132 | Batch 4 | 1962 | Connex | 60150 | 60677 | 60831 | 10/2004 | Preserved at Dartmoor Railway Dartmoor Railway The Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate... Operational |
| 205033 | 1133 | Batch 4 | 1962 | Connex | 60151 | 60678 | 60832 | 12/2004 | Preserved, at The Lavender Line |
Refurbished Class 205/1
| Unit No. | Batch | Year Converted |
Final Livery | DMBSO | TSO | DTSOL | Withdrawn | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205101 | 1111 | Batch 1 | 1980 | NSE | 60110 | 60660 | 60810 | 1995 | Converted to 205205 |
Refurbished Class 205/2
| Unit No. | Batch | Year Converted |
Final Livery | DMBSO | TSOL | DTSOL | Withdrawn | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 205205 | 205101 | Batch 1 | 1995 | Connex | 60110 | 71634 | 60810 | 07/2004 | Preserved at Epping Ongar Railway Epping Ongar Railway The Epping Ongar Railway operates on a preserved railway along the final section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central Line branch line between Epping and Ongar, with an intermediate station at North Weald... |
Departmental Units
| Unit No. | Batch | Year Converted |
Final Livery | DMB | T | DMB | Withdrawn | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 930301 | 951069 British Rail Class 951 The British Rail Class 951 was reserved for former diesel-electric multiple units converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, de-icing duties, and use as tractor units to tow other trains... |
Batch 4 (*Batch 1) |
1993 | Railtrack Brown | 977939 (60145) |
977870 (60660*) |
977940 (60149) |
- | In service |
Preservation
Due to a generous disposal policy by Porterbrook LeasingPorterbrook
Porterbrook is one of the three major ROSCOs in the United Kingdom...
, nearly all of the final units in service were preserved. The only unit not preserved was no. 205012, which had poor bodywork and donated its engine to the only surviving unrefurbished Class 207
British Rail Class 207
The British Rail Class 207 diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh in 1962.-Technical details:Power car * Introduced: 1962* Weight: 56 tons...
unit.
- 205001 - East Kent RailwayEast Kent Railway (heritage)The East Kent Railway is a short heritage railway in Kent, England. It is located at Shepherdswell station on the London to Dover Priory direct mainline. The line was constructed from 1911 to 1917 to serve a local colliery at Tilmanstone...
- 205009 - Eden Valley RailwayEden Valley RailwayThe Eden Valley Railway was a railway in Cumbria, England. It ran between Clifton Junction near Penrith and Kirkby Stephen via Appleby-in-Westmorland....
- 205018 - Pontypool and Blaenavon RailwayPontypool and Blaenavon RailwayThe Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway in South Wales, running trains between a halt platform opposite the Whistle Stop public house southwards to the town of Blaenavon via a two-platform station at the site of former colliery furnace.The line is the highest...
- 205023 - Hampshire & Sussex Unit Preservation Society (HSUPS) at the Lavender LineLavender LineThe Lavender Line is an informal name for a heritage railway based at Isfield Station, near Uckfield in East Sussex.- History :The Lavender Line formed part of the Lewes to Uckfield Railway when it was opened on the 18 October 1858...
- 205025 - Mid-Hants Railway Operational
- 205028 - Dartmoor RailwayDartmoor RailwayThe Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate...
- 205032 - Dartmoor RailwayDartmoor RailwayThe Dartmoor Railway is a long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate...
Operational - 205033 - Lavender LineLavender LineThe Lavender Line is an informal name for a heritage railway based at Isfield Station, near Uckfield in East Sussex.- History :The Lavender Line formed part of the Lewes to Uckfield Railway when it was opened on the 18 October 1858...
- 205205 - Epping Ongar RailwayEpping Ongar RailwayThe Epping Ongar Railway operates on a preserved railway along the final section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central Line branch line between Epping and Ongar, with an intermediate station at North Weald...
205205 moved from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in November 2009.
In addition to the above complete units, a driving trailer from unit 205008 (DTCsoL 60820) has been preserved by Hastings Diesels at St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea
St Leonards-on-Sea is part of Hastings, East Sussex, England, lying immediately to the west of the centre. The original part of the settlement was laid out in the early 19th century as a new town: a place of elegant houses designed for the well-off; it also included a central public garden, a...
; on 18 October 2007, 60820 was moved by road to the Lavender Line
Lavender Line
The Lavender Line is an informal name for a heritage railway based at Isfield Station, near Uckfield in East Sussex.- History :The Lavender Line formed part of the Lewes to Uckfield Railway when it was opened on the 18 October 1858...
, to whom it is "on loan".
Models
An OO gaugeOO gauge
OO gauge or OO scale model railways are the most popular standard-gauge model railway tracks in the U.K. This track gauge is one of several 4mm-scale standards used, but it is the only one to be served by the major manufacturers...
kit is available from DC Kits but no ready-to-run (RTR) model has been manufactured. Dapol announced (May 2008) that a limited edition OO RTR model (to be followed by an N gauge version) of the Class 205 would be produced in collaboration with Kernow Model Rail Centre.
The manufacturer was switched to Bachmann in March 2010.
The RTR model has not yet been released.