NER electric units

NER electric units
Preserved 1904 NER electric Motor Parcel Van No. 3267 in the Stephenson Railway Museum
In service	1904–1938 1920-1955
Manufacturer	York Works British Thomson-Houston
Constructed	1904–15 1920–28
Scrapped	1962
Number preserved	1 parcel van
Operator(s)	North Eastern Railway London and North Eastern Railway British Railways
Depot(s)	Walkergate car sheds
Specifications
Traction motors	2 x 125 hp (93 kW) 2 x 140 hp (100 kW)
Electric system(s)	600 V DC third rail
Current collection method	Contact shoe
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The NER electric units were electric multiple units that ran on the Tyneside Electrics, a suburban system based on the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1904 the North Eastern Railway electrified suburban services on Tyneside with a third rail at 600 V DC and built saloon cars that ran in 3-car to 8-car formations. More cars were built between 1908 and 1915 to cope with increased traffic. In 1918 a fire at Walkergate car shed destroyed 34 cars and replacement cars were built in 1920.

In 1938, to allow the extension of electrification to South Shields, the 1904–15 stock was replaced by the LNER electric units. The 1920 stock was refurbished and operated the South Shields service until 17 May 1955 when they were replaced by British Rail built Class 416 units.

As of July 2012^[update] one of the parcel vans built in 1904 is in the National Railway Museum collection and on loan to the Stephenson Railway Museum.

In 1904 the North Eastern Railway electrified suburban services on Tyneside. Equipment for 102 electric multiple units was bought from British Thompson-Houston (BTH), 56 motor cars with two 125 horsepower (93 kW) motors, two motor parcel vans and 44 trailers. The cars, built in NER's own workshops at York, were saloons with clerestory roofs, and painted red and cream. These normally ran in 3-car formation, but eight-car trains were seen. The parcel vans were used with passenger coaches on morning and evening workman's trains. The line was electrified with a third rail at 600 V DC, and the first trains ran on 29 March 1904 between Newcastle (New Bridge Street) railway station and Benton. Services were running to the Tynemouth coast and back to Newcastle on 25 July 1904. A short link between Manors railway station and New Bridge Street opened on 1 January 1909, completing a circular route.