Gatwick Express service 1984-2001
Upon "sectorisation" in May 1985 the service moved from the Southern Region to the Intercity business sector. In October 1993 it became a stand-alone shadow franchise in the run up to privatisation. The Gatwick Express was among the first set of franchises to be sold and is now owned by the National Express Group. It is the only Train Operating Company operating from its inception without any public subsidy. With the introduction of all of the class 460 EMUs this stock is largely withdrawn and stored at DERA Shoeburyness, although sufficient vehicles to form three formations are being kept by Gatwick Express as reserve trains. 73202, 73210 and 73235 have also been retained. 73202 has had its draw gear converted to be able to rescue disabled class 460 units. Eight former Gatwick Express coaches are being leased by Porterbrook to Northern Ireland Railways as interim stock pending tendering, construction and arrival of their all-new stock. The remainder of former Gatwick Express stock is being taken up by GB Railways who plan to use it on innovative new services. |
| 73203 is seen passing through East Croydon on 8 June 1999.
photograph by Michael Taylor |
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When either a Gatwick Express EDL or MLV developed a slight fault, such as a non functioning speedometer, that rendered them unsuitable to be leading the train, to avoid delays incurred when removing the faulty EDL or MLV it was often the practice to add a standby EDL to the front. This formation would then work for the remainder of the day's diagram. |
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Here 73207 is seen coupled in front of the MLV of a down train passing
through Clapham Junction in July 1998. Another EDL is on the rear of the
formation.
photograph by John Lewis |
| Here 73210 pilots 73235 with an 8 car formation tailed by GLV
489108 into Gatwick Airport station on 12 May 2000.
photograph by Colin Duff |
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| A thorough account of the Gatwick Express service can be found in the June 1999, August 1999 (by Nick Lawford) and October 1999 (by Tony Francis) editions of Live Rail - the members' magazine of the Southern Electric Group. |
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The beginning of the end for the "old" Gatwick Express stock as
GLV 489109 is across the platform from brand new Class 460 Nº460004 at Gatwick Airport Station on
22 September 2000.
photograph by Michael Taylor |
| For more comprehensive information and pictures of this
stock please follow these links: class 73, class 488 and class 489 (GLV). |
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This page was last updated 3 December 2002
