| British Rail Class 466 Networker | |
|---|---|
 Class 466 atAshford International | |
 Refreshed saloon of a class 466 | |
| In service | 1993–present |
| Manufacturer | Metro-Cammell |
| Built at | Washwood Heath,Birmingham |
| Family name | Networker |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 1993–1994[1] |
| Refurbished | 2011–2013atWabtecDoncaster |
| Number built | 43 |
| Number in service | 20 |
| Number scrapped | 21 |
| Successor | Class 707[2] |
| Formation | 2 cars per unit:DMOS-DTSOL[3] |
| Fleet numbers | 466001–466043 |
| Capacity | 168 seats[1] |
| Owners | Angel Trains[1] |
| Operators | |
| Depots | Slade Green[4] |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Car length | 20.80 m (68 ft 3 in)[1] |
| Width | 2.80 m (9 ft 2 in)[1] |
| Height | 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in) |
| Doors | Double-leaf sliding plug (2 per side per car) |
| Maximum speed | 75 mph (121 km/h)[1] |
| Weight |
|
| Traction system | GEC AlsthomGTO-VVVF |
| Traction motors | GEC G34AZ Gearboxes with GEC Alsthom G352BY 280 KW[3] |
| Power output | 1,120 kW (1,500 hp) |
| Electric system(s) | 750 V DC third rail |
| Current collection | Contact shoe |
| UIC classification | Bo′Bo′+2′2′ |
| Bogies |
|
| Braking system(s) | Electro-pneumatic (disc)Friction andrheostatic/regenerative[1] |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Tightlock[5] |
| Multiple working | Within classand withClass 465[6] |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 466Networker is a type ofelectric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train built byMetro-Cammell between 1993 and 1994. The units are currently operated bySoutheastern.
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The Class 466 EMUs were built between 1993 and 1994 byMetro-Cammell inWashwood Heath, for theNetwork SouthEast sector ofBritish Rail.[7] As part of theprivatisation of British Rail, all were sold toAngel Trains.[1] They were operated by Network SouthEast until 1996, then byConnex South Eastern until 2003,South Eastern Trains until 2006 and Southeastern to the present day.
Since 1 January 2021, Class 466 units can only operate in multiple withClass 465s, due to the units' non-compliance with modern accessibility standards.[8] These provide six-car or 10-car suburban services out ofCharing Cross,Cannon Street andVictoria main line stations to various destinations in south-east London and Kent.
Before this, however, they were also often used as individual units on branch lines, mainly:
During this time, they sometimes ran doubled-up to make four-car units, which helped reduce the poor adhesion along the line with single two-car units. The units have since been replaced on the Medway Valley line and the Sheerness line withClass 375 units (predominately the three-car variants) in 2012 and 2019 respectively. The units were replaced with four-car Class 465 units on the Bromley North line in January 2021.
These two-car EMUs are formed of a driving motor carriage (DMSO: Driving Motor Standard Open) and a driving trailer carriage (DTSOL, with lavatory); all on-board seating is standard accommodation.[7] A Solid State Traction Converter package controls 3-phase AC Traction motors, which allows for Rheostatic or RegenerativeDynamic braking. Primary braking system iselectro-pneumatically actuated disc brakes, which is blended with the dynamic brakes. Speed probes on every axle of the unit provide forWheel Slip/Slide Protection. A solid-stateAuxiliary Converter provides 110 V DC and 240 V AC supplies; this is the source of the loud whining noise, which can be heard when the train is stationary. The aux converter is located on the driving trailer, along with the toilet. The units use air-operated slidingplug doors.
The 466s were repainted byWabtec Rail atDoncaster Works into a variation of Southeastern livery with lilac doors and midnight blue lower band.[citation needed]
The first two Class 466 units to be put into storage were sent toWorksop in June 2021.[9]
In early 2025, some of the Class 466 fleet began to be sent for scrapping.[10]
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| Class | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 466 | Southeastern | 20 | 1993–1994 | 2 | 466003, 466006, 466008, 466011–466012, 466018–466023, 466026, 466034–466035, 466038-466043[citation needed] |
| Stored | 2 | 466001, 466016[11][12] | |||
| Scrapped | 21 | 466002, 466004-466005, 466007, 466009-465010, 466013-466015, 466017, 466024-466025, 465027-466033, 466036-466037[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] |
| DMSO | DTSOL |
|---|---|
| 64860–64902 | 78312–78354 |
On 5 February 2007, a bridge inspection unit working on theM20 motorway was deployed over a railway bridge betweenMaidstone Barracks andAylesford. The gantry on the bridge inspection unit was struck by 466041 working a Paddock Wood toGillingham service, causing significant damage to the leading carriage and wrecking the gantry. The train driver and the sole passenger were slightly injured. Nobody was on the gantry at the time.[21]
Hornby produced a ready-to-run model of the Class 466 between 1998-2012. It has a plastic body with adiecast chassis construction with directional lighting.[22][23]
Media related toBritish Rail Class 466 at Wikimedia Commons