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2-Pep and 4-Pep

photograph by John Horton

4-Pep unit N°4002 whilst being stored in the yard at Clapham Junction
The 2-Pep and 4-Pep units were prototype high density units developed in the early 1970s with the distinction of being the last to carry the traditional Southern Railway/Region classification. When developed, the subsequent builds were the dual voltage 750v DC/25Kv AC class 313, the 25Kv AC classes 314/315 and the 750v DC classes 507/508. They were the first above ground EMUs on the Southern Region to have sliding doors but were totally incompatible with other Southern Region stock. Three units were built, the sole two car 2-Pep, 2001, finished in unpainted aluminium and two four car 4-Peps, 4001/2, which were finished in Rail Blue. Being incompatible with the rest of the Southern Region's stock they could only operate as individual units, or with each other. The interior of the Peps featured high-density 2+3 seating but did not provide passengers with the comfort of toilets. Two of the Pep cars were subsequently used to make up test unit 920001.

This unit used the two coaches of former 2-Pep unit 2001, which were taken out of passenger use in August 1974. The unit went back from the Southern Region to York on 30th August 1974 and was deleted from SR stock during September 1974. The coaches concerned were 64300 (Silver) and 64301 (Blue). A new centre coach was built at York (LOT 30880) and when finished numbered ADB975431. It differed from the original Pep coaches by only having two doors each side (PEP centre coaches had three), was not fitted with cabs and had provision for overhead 25kv power collection via a pantograph at one end. The two original Pep coaches were renumbered into the Departmental series as 975430 (64300) and 975432 (64301) and the whole unit numbered 920001. The new centre coach was painted blue so the finished unit had two blue vehicles and one silver vehicle. The unit was intended as a testbed for the planned 313 units and moved from York to Clapham Junction on 18th April 1975 where some modifications were carried out, before returning to Derby for further tests 12th June 1975. The unit then went to the Eastern Region, based at Ilford, from July 1975 and ran tests on the GE section, usually between Colchester and Clacton, until 31st January 1976 when it was transferred to the LTS section until March 1976. Plans to introduce similar units on the Glasgow Suburban system led to the transfer of the unit from the LTS section to Hyndland Depot on 17th March 1976 for tests in the Glasgow area until returning to Ilford 28th August 1976. Further tests took place on the GE on 5th September 1976 and LTS the following day before the unit went back to Derby Research where it remained for most of 1977, though it was running again in the Glasgow area in the autumn of 1977. The unit was stored at Rugby during the first half of 1978, being taken to York Works on 12th May 1978 and ending up at Derby Research once again by July 1978. The unit saw little further use and was withdrawn and sold from Derby RTC in February 1987, both former Pep vehicles being scrapped by Vic Berry, Leicester ADB975430 in February 1987, ADB975432 in April 1987. The other vehicle, ADB975431, was scrapped by Booths, Rotherham during November 1987.

Text from John Atkinson
Click on the thumbnails for a larger image.
  • 2001
    Clapham Jn
    Aluminium-finished 2-Pep unit N°2001 pictured at Clapham Junction.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • 4001
    Waterloo
    Unit N°4001 in service at Waterloo.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • 4002
    Clapham Jn
    Unit N°4002 pictured whilst on a test train at Clapham Junction.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • 2001
    Clapham Jn
    Unit N°2001 on a test train at Clapham Junction.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • Swapped
    Cars
    The three Pep units frequently ran as a ten car train, then towards the end of the experiment some of the cars were swapped around. Above can be seen unit N°4002 with one of 2001's cars (the aluminium one) in place of one of its own.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • 4002 and
    4001
    All-blue unit N°4002 leading N°4001 into Raynes Park.
    Photograph by Chris Ralls.
  • 4001 and
    4002
    Unit N°4001 and N°4002 near Clapham Junction where, once again, a car from 2-Pep N°2001 has replaced one from 4-Pep N°4002.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • Gangway
     
    One of the enhancements of the Peps over the earlier slam-door suburban stock was the provision of gangways within the units. Here can be seen the gangway connector between two cars of unit N°4002.
    Photograph by John Lewis.
  • Couplings
     
    The couplings between Pep stock which, as can be seen, were totally different from those used on other Southern Region stock.
    Photograph by John Lewis.

This page was last updated 26 April 2010

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