Description
A Southern Slam Door Icon Comes To The Rail Tags Fleet!
Built as 4VEP 3463 (Vestibule Electro Pneumatic) at Holgate Works, York in 1968, 3463 was converted to 4VOP 3905 (Vestibule Open Plan) in 1999. 3905 spent her service life on the South Coast out of Brighton on Coastway services for Connex South Central until being replaced by newly built Class 377 Electrostars in April 2005.
In May 2005, 3905 was sold to Bombardier Transport UK where coupler modifications took place to allow it to work at Ashford Chart Leacon Depot shunting Class 375 and 465s.
In 2011 the unit was put up for sale and purchased by the 5BEL Trust to act as a spares donor for the 5BEL Restoration Project and was moved to Barrow Hill.
Later in 2013 coaches DTS 76398, TS 70904 and DTS 76397 was donated to the 400 Series Preservation Group and moved to the East Kent Railway in Shepardswell for preservation with MBSO 62266 now stored at Peak Rail in Matlock for spares.
This brings us to the modern day, when we were invited to acquire metal from DTCL 76398 before the carriage was sent to Unimetals Newport alongside 70904 due to the poor condition of the carriages with further spares being recovered for other units.
With this 4VOP 3905 becomes our first Slam Door Unit to join the Rail Tags fleet, with a portion of funds from each sale going towards the 400 Series Preservation Group.
