BR Class 442 Wessex Electrics Grey – 2424

The Wessex Electrics come home!

We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming the unusual yet charming Class 442 Wessex Electrics to the Rail Tags fleet! Units 2421 & 2424 join us after being retired to the bustling sidings of Eastleigh Works and mercifully scrapped. These two veterans have seen 29 years of work along the Brighton Main and South Western Mainline

Unit 2424's history:

 Class 442 424 was delivered to Bournemouth T&RSMD on February 11th 1989 being the last manufactured 5WES by BREL at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works. In November 2000 2424’s MBLS was given the nameplate Gerry Newson at Bournemouth Depot.

2424 saw service on the SWML until January the 18th 2007. On the 22nd 2424 was sent for a C6 overhaul at Ilford EMU Depot, while still on lease to SWT. On February 8th 2424 emerged carrying the same interim livery as 2421. 2424 was bound for Stewards Lane, unlike her younger counterparts. The majority of the fleet were sent for storage at Eastleigh Works. 2424 would be the first Class 442 to undertake test runs on the Brighton Mainline.

 2421 and 2424 both re entered service on December 15th working together from Brighton to London Victoria on the Gatwick Express. The Class 442s would operate GatEx services until 2016 when they were replaced by Class 387/2s.

In August 2017 South Western Railway committed to leasing 17 Class 442 EMUs for services to Portsmouth. This left six units off lease being 2401, 2405, 2407, 2412, 2421 and 2424.

Arlington Fleet Services purchased 2421 and 2424 from Angel Trains and used them for component recovery and were scrapped during 2020.

Edition Two has been crafted from: 442 421 MBLS 62957 and TSO 71838, 442 424 DTF 77405. Tags are numbered from 001 onwards by their coach of origin. This is to reflect the limited nature of the panels.

Due to the authentic nature of the material variations and imperfections such as paint chipping may occur. These are a natural part of the product.