British Rail Class 460

The British Rail Class 460 (or 8Gat) electrical multiple units were built by Alstom at Washwood Heath from 2000-01. These units are part of Alstom's "Juniper" family of units, which also includes Classes 334 and 458. The eight Class 460 units are, as of August 2009, the latest to be classified under the TOPS "4XX" series for DC 3rd Rail EMUs on the Southern Region.

Description
When the National Express Group won the Gatwick Express franchise, part of the agreement was to replace the ageing Class 73/2 locomotives, British Rail Class 488 coaching stock, and Class 489 motor luggage vans. Therefore, an order was placed with Alstom for the construction of eight 8-car Class 460 units. Deliveries of the new units commenced in 2000. The units featured controversial sloping cab-ends, which quickly earned them the nickname "Darth Vaders" amongst rail enthusiasts. A Juniper Coupler is located under the removable nose cone. Each eight carriage unit is formed of a driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor (DMLFO+TFO+TCO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+DMSO). The units are numbered 460001-008, although only the last two digits are carried on the cab ends. The full six digit unit number is carried on the side of the luggage vans. On 22 June 2008, the fleet was transferred to Southern, as the Gatwick Express service was incorporated into the Southern franchise. The 460s are allocated to Stewarts Lane TMD in South London. From December 2010, the 460s are gradually being phased out from Gatwick Express service.

Fleet details
The formations of the 8Gat unit is shown below. Under normal circumstances, the luggage van (DMLFO) is at the 'London' end of the train (i.e. closest to the station concourse at London Victoria).

Future
Under the government's Rolling Stock Plan, South West Trains are due to receive up to 140 additional vehicles. Porterbrook, the owner of the Class 458 fleet, has proposed that part of this could be met through lengthening the 4-car Junipers to 5-cars using the mechanically similar Class 460s. 24 Class 458s would be lengthened using vehicles from the Class 460s, while the remaining Class 460 vehicles would be reformed into six new 5-car sets, leaving additional vehicles for use as spare parts. Under the "Sussex Route Utilisation Strategy" document published on 28 January 2010, Network Rail stated that the class 460 fleet would be removed from Gatwick Express operations by Dec 2010 to strengthen operations elsewhere, possibly augmenting the similar Class 458 units working for South West Trains on routes out of London Waterloo.