British Rail Class 404

Southern Railway 4-COR, 4-BUF, 4-RES, 4-GRI British Rail Class 404
Class 404 4Cor, no. 11179 from set 3131, at the National Railway Museum, York on 3 June 2004
In service	1937–1972
Manufacturer	SR Lancing Works (underframes), Eastleigh Works (bodywork)
Constructed	1937-38
Formation	Power car + 2 trailer cars + power car
Operator(s)	Southern Railway, British Railways
Specifications
Train length	265 ft 2 in (80.82 m)
Width	9 ft 8 1⁄2 in (2.96 m)
Maximum speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight	158 long tons 5 cwt (354,500 lb or 160.8 t)
Traction motors	Four MV163 Metropolitan Vickers (later English Electric EE163) [1]
Power output	4 x 225 hp (168 kW) total 900 hp (671 kW)
Electric system(s)	600 - 750 V DC third rail
Current collection method	Contact shoe
UIC classification	Bo′2′+2′2′+2′2′+2′Bo′
Braking system(s)	Automatic Air
Coupling system	Screw-link
Multiple working	Standard SR system
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Southern Railway (SR) gave the designations 4-COR, 4-RES, 4-BUF and 4-GRI to the different types of electric multiple unit built to work the route between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour. The 4-COR type units survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated TOPS Class 404. The COR designation had previously been used for the 6-PUL units and was reused by them during World War II when the Pullman car was stored, but this stock was different from the 4-COR units.

The SR electrified the London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour via Woking line in the mid-1930s, and full electric services commenced over the route from April 1937. For this service, 29 4-COR units (4-car Corridor units, numbered 3101–3129) and 19 4-RES units (4-car Restaurant units, numbered 3054–3072) were built.

Corridor connections were provided throughout each unit, including between units. This gave them a distinctive front-end appearance as the headcode display was placed on the opposite side of the gangway connection to the driving cab window, leading to their nickname of Nelsons (referring to Lord Nelson's eyepatch, and also to their connection with Portsmouth).

It was intended that, for principal services, 12-car formations would operate with a 4-RES unit (providing the kitchen and dining facilities for the train) sandwiched by two 4-COR units. While all the other carriages for these units were built by the SR at its Eastleigh Works, the Trailer First carriages (which were laid out as dining cars) were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) and the Trailer Restaurant Kitchen Third carriages by Metropolitan Cammell.

The SR then electrified the line from Three Bridges to Portsmouth via Horsham and the coastal route from West Worthing to Havant, with services over this route commencing in July 1938. For services from London Victoria to Portsmouth via Dorking over these lines, another 26 4-COR units (numbered 3130–3155) were built, together with 13 4-BUF units (4-car Buffet units, numbered 3073–3085).