British Rail Class 488

British Rail Class 488
488313 at London Victoria on 18 March 2003. This was one of the last six sets in service with Gatwick Express until its withdrawal in 2004. It has since been preserved.
In service	1973–
Manufacturer	BREL Derby
Operator	NI Railways
Specifications
Car length	66 ft 1⁄2 in (20.12 m)
Width	9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height	12 ft 9 1⁄4 in (3.89 m)
Maximum speed	90 mph (145 km/h)
Weight	105 tonnes

The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport.

The sets were converted from conventional locomotive-hauled coaching stock in 1983–1984, and were used in combination with Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives and Class 489 luggage vans. Two variations were converted: 2-car sets (containing first class accommodation) and 3-car sets (containing standard class accommodation only). They are officially formed of two subclasses. The two-car units are classified as Class 488/2 and are numbered in the range 488201–488210 and the three-car sets are Class 488/3 and are numbered 488301–19.

Operations

After privatisation, the entire Class 488 fleet passed to the Gatwick Express franchise. One unit, 488301, was withdrawn before privatisation, following an accident at Battersea Park railway station in 1985.

Gatwick Express

Immediately after privatisation the Class 488 fleet was used exclusively on Gatwick Express trains. They were painted in the Gatwick Express variation of InterCity livery. Some sets were later reliveried with Continental Airlines advertisements, including units 488203/04/07/08/10, 488304/05/10/14/19.

From 2000 onwards, new trains in the form of Class 460 units were introduced to replace the old stock. By 2004 just six sets, formed into three 5-car rakes, were still in use with Gatwick Express. By January 2005 this had decreased to four sets. The sets were used sporadically during early 2005 but their use declined as the Class 460 reliability improved. Their final scheduled use was on 28 July following a special trip involving the two remaining Class 73 locomotives. They were replaced by two Class 458 units hired from South West Trains. They were used a few times after this date for emergency cover, but have now been withdrawn.

Network Rail

After retirement from Gatwick Express several sets were purchased by Network Rail for use as test trains or simply as brake-force runners. These sets have been repainted into either the now obsolete Railtrack blue/lime green livery or the new Network Rail yellow livery. Two sets, 8307 and 8309, have been reclassified as Class 910 departmental units and renumbered 910002 and 910001 respectively. In addition two coaches have been converted for departmental use with Network Rail:

• 72503 (ex 488204) - converted to hot-box detection coach no. 977983
• 72715 (ex 488316) - converted to structure-gauging train coach no. 977985

Northern Ireland Railways

In 2001 eight carriages were sold to Northern Ireland Railways for further use as locomotive-hauled stock in combination with the 111 Class locomotive, and renumbered 8941 to 8948.

• 72605 (ex 488305) - renumbered 8943
• 72609 (ex 488305) - renumbered 8944
• 72626 (ex 488314) - renumbered 8945
• 72627 (ex 488314) - renumbered 8946
• 72634 (ex 488318) - renumbered 8941
• 72637 (ex 488318) - renumbered 8942
• 72646 (ex 488319) - renumbered 8947
• 72647 (ex 488319) - renumbered 8948

The NIR coaches were withdrawn on 19 January 2005, but were re-introduced to provide extra capacity on the Portadown to Belfast (Central) service, making one trip every morning. (Coaches 943+944 have not re-entered service and are being used for parts) In 2009 the locomotives and coaches will be converted to push-pull operation following the purchase by NIR of a DBSO from 'one' (later National Express East Anglia).

Ministry of Defence

• 488210 has been sold to the Ministry of Defence for use at Marchwood in Hampshire. It has replaced two former Class 501 vehicles as passenger vehicles for personnel movement around the site.

Preservation

Several complete sets have been preserved. These are listed below.

• 488202 - Ecclesbourne Valley Railway
• 488206 - Vale of Glamorgan Railway
• 488304 - Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
• 488310 - Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
• 488311 - Barry Island Railway

Fleet status

Key:	In service	Withdrawn	Preserved	Departmental Use	Further Use	Scrapped

Class 488/2

Unit No.	Vehicle Numbers				Livery	Operator	Withdrawn	Status
	TFOH		TSOH
488201	72500	ex 3413	72638	ex 6068	Gatwick Express	Cotswold Rail	2002	Scrapped (2004)
488202	72501	ex 3382	72617	ex 6086	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2005	Preserved
488203	72502	ex 3321	72640	ex 6097	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Network Rail	2002	Stored
488204	72503	ex 3407	72641	ex 6079	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Network Rail	2002	Stored
488205	72504	ex 3406	72628	ex 6058	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2002	Scrapped (2003)
488206	72505	ex 3415	72629	ex 6048	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2005	Preserved
488207	72506	ex 3335	72642	ex 6076	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Cotswold Rail	2002	Scrapped (2004)
488208	72507	ex 3412	72643	ex 6040	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	GB Railfreight	2002	Sent for Scrap 29/04/09
488209	72508	ex 3409	72644	ex 6039	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2004	Sold to New Zealand-based Main Line Steam Trust Railway
488210	72509	ex 3398	72635	ex 6128	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2002	Sold to MoD Marchwood

Class 488/3

Unit No.	Vehicle Numbers						Livery	Operator	Withdrawn	Status
	TSOLH		TSOL		TSOLH
488301	72600	ex-6125	72700	ex-6131	72601	ex-6133	InterCity	British Rail	1985	Scrapped (1987)
488302	72602	ex 6130	72701	ex 6088	72604	ex 6087	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2003	Scrapped (2003)
488303	72603	ex 6093	72702	ex 6099	72608	ex 6077	Gatwick Express	Network Rail	2002	Stored
488304	72606	ex 6084	72703	ex 6075	72611	ex 6083	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2002	Preserved
488305	72605	ex 6082	72704	ex 6132	72609	ex 6080	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Gatwick Express	2002	Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
488306	72607	ex 6020	72705	ex 6032	72610	ex 6074	Gatwick Express	Cotswold Rail	2002	Scrapped (2004)
488307	72612	ex 6156	72706	ex 6143	72613	ex 6126	Railtrack Blue/Green	Network Rail	2004	Renumbered 910002
488308	72614	ex 6090	72707	ex 6127	72615	ex 5938	Railtrack Blue/Green	Network Rail	-	In service
488309	72616	ex 6007	72708	ex 6095	72639	ex 6070	Railtrack Blue/Green	Network Rail	2004	Renumbered 910001
488310	72618	ex 6044	72709	ex 5982	72619	ex 5909	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2002	Preserved
488311	72620	ex 6140	72710	ex 6003	72621	ex 6108	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2005	Preserved
488312	72622	ex 6004	72711	ex 6109	72623	ex 6118	Gatwick Express	GB Railfreight	2002	Sent for scrap 29/04/09
488313	72624	ex 5972	72712	ex 6091	72625	ex 6085	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2004	Sold to New Zealand-based Main Line Steam Trust Railway
488314	72626	ex 6017	72713	ex 6023	72627	ex 5974	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Gatwick Express	2002	Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
488315	72636	ex 6071	72714	ex 6092	72645	ex 5942	Gatwick Express	GB Railfreight	2002	Sent for scrap 29/04/09
488316	72630	ex 6094	72715	ex 6019	72631	ex 6096	Railtrack Blue/Green	Network Rail	-	In service
488317	72632	ex 6072	72716	ex 6114	72633	ex 6129	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2003	Sent for scrap
488318	72634	ex 6089	72717	ex 6069	72637	ex 6098	Gatwick Express	Gatwick Express	2002	Sold to Northern Ireland Railways
488319	72646	ex 6078	72718	ex 5979	72647	ex 6081	Gatwick Express (Advertising)	Gatwick Express	2002	Sold to Northern Ireland Railways