British Rail Class 488

British Rail Class 488
488313 at London Victoria on 18 March 2003. This was one of the last six sets in service with Gatwick Express until its withdrawal in 2004. It has since been exported to New Zealand, where it has been preserved.
In service	1973–present
Manufacturer	BREL Derby
Operator(s)	Network Rail Ministry of Defence
Specifications
Car length	66 ft 1⁄2 in (20.13 m)
Width	9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height	12 ft 9 1⁄4 in (3.89 m)
Maximum speed	90 mph (140 km/h)
Weight	105 t (103 long tons; 116 short tons)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria railway station to Gatwick Airport.

The sets were converted from conventional locomotive-hauled coaching stock in 1983–1984, and were used in combination with Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives and Class 489 luggage vans. Two variations were converted: 2-car sets (containing first class accommodation) and 3-car sets (containing standard class accommodation only). They are officially formed of two subclasses. The two-car units are classified as Class 488/2 and are numbered in the range 488201–488210 and the three-car sets are Class 488/3 and are numbered 488301–19.

After privatisation, the entire Class 488 fleet passed to the Gatwick Express franchise. One unit, 488301, was withdrawn before privatisation, following an accident at Battersea Park railway station in 1985.

Immediately after privatisation the Class 488 fleet was used exclusively on Gatwick Express trains. They were painted in the Gatwick Express variation of InterCity livery. Some sets were later reliveried with Continental Airlines advertisements, including units 488203/04/07/08/10, 488304/05/10/14/19.

From 2000 onwards, new trains in the form of Class 460 units were introduced to replace the old stock. By 2004 just six sets, formed into three 5-car rakes, were still in use with Gatwick Express. By January 2005 this had decreased to four sets. The sets were used sporadically during early 2005 but their use declined as the Class 460 reliability improved. Their final scheduled use was on 28 July following a special trip involving the two remaining Class 73 locomotives. They were replaced by two Class 458 units hired from South West Trains. They were used a few times after this date for emergency cover, but have now been withdrawn.