British Rail Class 421
The British Rail Class 421 (or 4Cig) electrical multiple units were built at BR York Works from 1964-1972. Units were built in two batches, and were initially introduced on services on the Brighton Main Line. Later units were introduced on services to Portsmouth. These units replaced older Southern Railway-designed units, such as the 5Bel "Brighton Belle" units, and 4Cor units. These trains were known commonly as "slam-doors".
| British Rail Class 421 | |
|---|---|
 Class 421/7 no. 1498 "Farringford" at Lymington Pier on 26 May 2005. This unit has been restored to 1960s-era British Railways green livery for use on the Lymington Branch Line. | |
| In service | 1964 - 2005 |
| Manufacturer | BREL York |
| Number built | 166 |
| Formation | driving trailer + trailer + power car + driving trailer |
| Operator | British Rail, South West Trains |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 265ft 8 1/2in |
| Width | ft 9 in (2.81m) |
| Height | 12ft 9 1/4in (3.89m) |
| Maximum speed | 90mph (145 km/h) |
| Weight | 150 Tons |
| Power output | 4 x 250 hp traction motors total 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
| Voltage | 750V dc third rail |
| Gauge | standard gauge |
British Rail Class 421 Media
The interior of a First Class compartment aboard a Class 421
Class 421/6 no. 1908 at London Victoria on 15 August 2004. This unit was one of eight modified 'Phase 1' unit fitted with Mk.6 motor bogies. It was also one of only four 'Phase 1' units to be repainted in South Central livery. It was withdrawn in October 2004 and has since been scrapped.
Class 421/4, no. 1879, at Charing Cross on 18 March 2003, with a service to Hastings. This unit was operated by South Eastern Trains, and is painted in Network SouthEast livery. This unit has since been withdrawn from traffic and scrapped.
Class 421/8, no. 1396, at Clapham Junction on 19 July 2003. This unit is one of eight "Greyhound" units converted from redundant 4Big units for use by South West Trains. The buffet coach was replaced with a spare 4Cep trailer vehicle, which is identifiable by its different windows as the second vehicle in the unit.
4Cig in 1980 in Guildford.
The last day of operation on the Lymington Branch Line
Phase 2 4CIG 7346 after running away at Wimbledon in 1974
Class 421 South West Trains Diagram
Class 421 South West Trains Rail Blue Diagram
