British Rail Class 205

British Rail Class 205
Class 205, no. 205009 at London Victoria on 15 August 2003, with a service to Uckfield. This service no longer runs, with all trains to Uckfield now diverted to London Bridge. 2004 was the final year of service of these elderly units. This unit is now preserved on the Eden Valley Railway.
In service	1957–2004
Manufacturer	BR Eastleigh
Number built	34 trainsets
Formation	2/3 cars per trainset
Capacity	114 2nd class, 13 1st class
Operator(s)	Southern
Specifications
Car length	19.51 m (64 ft 0.1 in) 19.34 m (63 ft 5.4 in) 19.51 m (64 ft 0.1 in)
Width	2.8 m (9 ft 2.24 in)
Maximum speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight	56 t (55.1 long tons; 61.7 short tons) 30 t (29.5 long tons; 33.1 short tons) 32 t (31.5 long tons; 35.3 short tons)
Prime mover(s)	English Electric 4SRKT Mark II (4-cylinder diesel)
Power output	600 shp (450 kW) at 850 rpm
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 205 (or 2H) diesel-electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh from 1957–1962. They were replaced by Turbostar units. The fleet's lifespan was 47 years.

This class of unit was built in four different batches for use on different lines.

The Southern Region class 201 to 207 DEMUs are nicknamed 'Thumpers' owing to the noise they made while in motion.

The first batch of units, numbered 1101–1118, was built in 1957 as two-car units and classified as 2H. They were built for services in Hampshire on the non-electrified routes between Portsmouth Harbour, Salisbury and Andover and between Alton, Winchester and Southampton Terminus. The first units entered service in September 1957. However, owing 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 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, was built as 2-car units in 1958. These units were built for services on the Marshlink Line from Hastings to Ashford, and associated branch lines. These units remained as two-car sets until 1979, and were reclassified as Class 204 upon the introduction of TOPS. In May 1979, following the disbandment of the four Class 206 units, they were strengthened to three cars and redesignated as Class 205s.