British Railways 4-VEP EMU

British Railways 4-VEP EMU

Electrification of Southern England's railway system extended progressively throughout the 20th Century and as it did so new electric trains were built to run on it. One of the most successful designs was the 4-VEP, introduced in 1967 as the network was extended to take in Bournemouth, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES found out.

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Above: In the final year of service for the 4-VEP units, South West Trains 3809 stands under the train shed at London Waterloo on May 26 2004. Mike Wild.

Southern Region slam-door Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) have been around as long as anyone can remember. The newsreels have images of long rakes of electric stock pulling into termini such as Waterloo, Cannon Street or Charing Cross, their doors flung open long before they come to a stand and with their passengers striding off purposefully, in some cases overtaking the driver before he has made his final stop.

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