British Rail Class 442

British Rail Class 442 Wessex Electric
442414 sweeps through Battersea Park in the Gatwick Express livery
Gatwick Express 442421 interior.
In service	1988 – Current
Manufacturer	BREL
Order number	31030 (DTFsoL) 31031 (DTS) 31032 (TS A) 31033 (TS B) 31034 (MBRSM)
Built at	Derby Works
Family name	Mark 3-derived
Replaced	Class 432 Class 438 Class 460
Constructed	1988-1989
Entered service	1988
Number built	24 trainsets
Number in service	6 trainsets
Formation	5 cars per trainset: DTSO (A)-TSO-MBC-TSOW-DTSO (B)
Diagram	ED265 (MBRSM) EE160 (DTFsoL) EE273 (DTS) EH288 (TS A) EH289 (TS B)
Design code	5-WES
Fleet numbers	(44)2401-(44)2424 (sets) 77382-77405 (DTSO A) 71818-71841 (TSO) 62937-62960 (MBC) 71842-71865 (TSOW) 77406-77429 (DTSO B)
Capacity	SWT: 266 standard, 50 first GatEx: 322 standard, 24 first
Operator(s)	GTR Southern
Depot(s)	Stewarts Lane
Line(s) served	South Western Main Line Portsmouth Direct Line Brighton Main Line
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Car length	23.15 m (75 ft 11.4 in) (DTS) 23 m (75 ft) (TSO, TSW, MLC)
Width	2.74 m (8 ft 11 7⁄8 in)
Height	3.81 m (12 ft 6 in)
Floor height	1.04 m (40.94 in)
Doors	Single leaf sliding plug
Wheelbase	16 m (52 ft 6 in) (bogie centres)
Maximum speed	100 mph (160 km/h)
Weight	202.84 t (199.64 long tons; 223.59 short tons) (total) 39.06 t (38.44 long tons; 43.06 short tons) (DTFL) 35.26 t (34.70 long tons; 38.87 short tons) (TSOL A) 54.10 t (53.25 long tons; 59.64 short tons) (MBRSM) 35.36 t (34.80 long tons; 38.98 short tons) (TSOL B) 39.06 t (38.44 long tons; 43.06 short tons) (DTSL)
Traction motors	Four EE546
Power output	4 x 300 kW (402.31 hp) Total: 1,200 kW (1,600 hp)
Train heating	Electric, full air conditioning
Electric system(s)	750 V DC third rail
Current collection method	Contact shoe
UIC classification	2'2'+2'2'+Bo'Bo'+2'2'+2'2'
Bogies	Mk6 (motor car) BREL T4 (trailer cars)
Braking system(s)	Air (EP/Auto)
Coupling system	Buckeye (outer) Bar (inner)
Multiple working	Within type and Class 33/1 and 73/1 locos
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 442 Wessex Electric (or 5WES) electric multiple-unit passenger trains were introduced in 1988 on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Southampton Central, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. Twenty-four of these 5-car units were built in 1988/89 by BREL at its Derby works. Their introduction coincided with the completion of electrification from Bournemouth to Weymouth. Post-privatisation, the entire fleet was operated by South West Trains up until February 2007, when the Class 442 trains were replaced by Class 444 and Class 450 Desiros.

In 2008 Southern began refurbishing the units for the Gatwick Express service from Brighton to Gatwick Airport and London Victoria. The Southern refurbishment and overhaul programme meant that by September 2012 the fleet had replaced all the Class 460 Juniper units. The Class 442s underwent an extensive refurbishment to give them the extra luggage space needed for airport rail links. From February 2016, Class 442s were replaced on Gatwick Express services with the new Class 387.