imported>Stuart Broadbent: Date of start of testing changed to January 2025

2025-02-16T20:53:10Z

Date of start of testing changed to January 2025

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{{Short description|Type of Pullman EMU used in Great Britain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox train
| background = #006600
| name = Southern Railway 5-BEL British Rail Class 403
| image = BB at Purley Oaks (1964).jpg
| imagealt =
| imagesize = 280px
| caption = 3052 passing through {{stnlnk|Purley Oaks}} in 1964
| interiorimage =
| interiorimagealt =
| interiorcaption =
| service = 1932–1972
| manufacturer = [[Metropolitan Cammell|Metropolitan Cammell Carriage, Wagon and Finance Company]]
| factory =
| family =
| replaced =
| yearconstruction = 1932
| yearservice =
| refurbishment =
| yearscrapped =
| numberconstruction=
| numberbuilt = Three sets (15 cars)
| numberservice =
| numberpreserved = 14 cars
| numberscrapped = 1 car
| formation = 5-car set: {{abbr|DMBPT|Driving Motor Brake Pullman Third}}-{{abbr|TPFK|Trailer Pullman Kitchen First}}-TPFK-{{abbr|TPT|Trailer Pullman Third}}-DMBPT
| fleetnumbers = Sets: 2051–2053 (later 3051–3053); Cars: 279–293
| capacity = 40 First, 132 Third (DMBPT: 48, TPT: 56, TPFK: 20)
| operator = [[Southern Railway (Great Britain)|Southern Railway]] (1933–1941, 1946–1947); [[British Rail]]ways (1948–1972)
| depots =
| lines = [[Brighton Main Line]]
| carbody = All [[steel]]
| trainlength =
| carlength =
| width =
| height =
| floorheight =
| platformheight =
| entrylevelorstep =
| art-sections =
| doors =
| maxspeed = {{convert|75|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = Set: {{convert|249|LT|t ST}}
| acceleration =
| deceleration =
| traction motors = Eight [[English Electric|EE]]163<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brightonbelle.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=200066|title=Bringing back THE BRIGHTON BELLE | Iconic 1930s all-electric Pullman Train}}</ref> traction motors
| engine =
| poweroutput = 8 x {{convert|225|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} {{convert|1800|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} (total)
| transmission =
| aux =
| powersupply =
| hvac =
| electricsystem = 660–750 [[Volt|V]] [[Direct current|DC]] [[third rail]]
| collectionmethod = [[contact shoe]]
| uicclass =
| aarwheels =
| bogies =
| brakes = [[Railway airbrake|Automatic Air]]
| safety =
| coupling = [[Buffers and chain|Screw-link]]
| multipleworking =
| gauge = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
}}
The [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway (SR)]] gave the designation '''[[SR Multiple Unit Numbering and Classification|5-BEL]]''' to the five-car all-[[Pullman train (UK)|Pullman]] [[electric multiple unit]]s which worked the prestigious [[Brighton Belle]] trains between London Victoria and Brighton. These units survived long enough in [[British Rail]] ownership to be allocated [[TOPS]] '''Class 403'''. Between 1933 and 1935 the units were designated '''5-PUL''' (the 'PUL' code was then used for the [[SR Class 6Pul|6-PUL]] units).

==Construction==
The SR electrified the London Victoria to Brighton line in the early 1930s, and full electric services commenced over the route from 1 January 1933. For the high-profile ''Southern Belle'' Pullman train three five-car units, consisting entirely of Pullman cars, were built. All 15 cars were built by [[Metropolitan Cammell]]. In June 1934 the Southern Railway renamed the ''Southern Belle'' as the ''[[Brighton Belle]]''.<ref>[http://scm.pastfinders.org/scm_29_pullman.htm By Pullman To Brighton By H. C. P. Smail]</ref>

As they were Pullman cars, owned by the independent [[Pullman Car Company (UK)]], the individual carriages were numbered in its series, taking numbers 279 to 293, and the first class cars were given women's names while the third (from June 1956, second) class cars carried less-inspiring ''Car No xx'' designations, derived from the second and third digits of the Pullman Car Company's number. However, the units together were allocated numbers in the SR series, originally taking {{not typo|2051-2053}}, which was revised in January 1937 to {{not a typo|3051-3053}}.

==Formations==
Three different car types were built - Driving Motor Brake Parlour Third (DMBPT), Trailer Parlour First with Kitchen (TPFK), and Trailer Parlour Third (TPT). Initial formations of these units were as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
!Unit Numbers
!DMBPT
!TPFK
!TPFK
!TPT
!DMBPT
|-
|2051 / 3051
|288 ''Car No 88''
|279 ''Hazel''
|282 ''Doris''
|286 ''Car No 86''
|289 ''Car No 89''
|-
|2052 / 3052
|290 ''Car No 90''
|280 ''Audrey''
|284 ''Vera''
|287 ''Car No 87''
|291 ''Car No 91''
|-
|2053 / 3053
|292 ''Car No 92''
|281 ''Gwen''
|283 ''Mona''
|285 ''Car No 85''
|293 ''Car No 93''
|}

==Withdrawal and preservation==
The last ''Brighton Belle'' train ran on 30 April 1972, and the three 5BEL units were withdrawn. However all 15 cars were sold into private ownership, though no unit was kept together as a single entity. Instead they were split up and each vehicle was initially used as an individual Pullman car, the majority not in railway use. A number have been returned to service on the main line with the [[Belmond British Pullman]] (previously the [[Venice Simplon Orient Express]] or VSOE), as hauled cars forming part of the British Pullman charter train. A campaign<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://sremg.org.uk/coach/coupe/coupe066.pdf |magazine=Coupe News (Journal of Pullman Car Services) |issue=66 |pages=24–25 |date=August 2008 |title=Bring Back the Brighton Belle |first=Denis |last=Dunstone }}</ref> to return the Brighton Belle to mainline service was launched by the 5BEL Trust [http://www.brightonbelle.com] in 2008. By 2009, the trust had assembled a four-car set,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/preserved-stock/preservationpull.html |title=Southern Electric Group: Preserved Pullmans |access-date=5 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905110115/http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/preservation/preserved-stock/preservationpull.html |archive-date=5 September 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> having acquired cars from the [[North Norfolk Railway]] and VSOE. A fifth car, No.282 'Doris', was acquired from the Bluebell Railway in 2011 and a sixth, No.279 'Hazel' in 2012. After restoration, the Brighton Belle started testing in January 2025 from its base at Crewe.

The table below sets out the current position:
{| class="wikitable"
!Key:
|bgcolor=pink |Stored
|bgcolor=white |In service
|bgcolor=lightgrey |Scrapped/Destroyed
|bgcolor=lightskyblue |Preserved
|}

{| class="wikitable"
!Number
!Name
!Location
!Note
!Image
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|279
|Hazel
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|5-BEL Trust, under restoration
|
|-bgcolor=white
|280
|Audrey
|
|VSOE, in service
|
|-bgcolor=white
|281
|Gwen
|
|VSOE, in service
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|282
|Doris
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|5-BEL Trust, to be restored
|
|-bgcolor=pink
|283
|Mona
|
|VSOE, stored
|
|-bgcolor=white
|284
|Vera
|
|VSOE, in service
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|285
|Car No 85
|
|5BEL Trust, under restoration
|
|-bgcolor=pink
|286
|Car No 86
|
|VSOE, stored
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|287
|Car No 87
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|5-BEL Trust, under restoration
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|288
|Car No 88
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|5-BEL Trust, under restoration
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|289
|Car No 89
|Little Mill Inn, Rowarth, Derbyshire
|Privately owned,
|
|-bgcolor=lightgrey
|290
|Car No 90
|
|Destroyed by fire in 1991
|
|-bgcolor=lightskyblue
|291
|Car No 91
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|5-BEL Trust, under restoration
|
|-bgcolor=pink
|292
|Car No 92
|
|VSOE, stored
|
|-bgcolor=pink
|293
|Car No 93
|Ramparts, Barrow Hill
|VSOE, stored
|
|}

==Model railways==
[[Hornby Railways]] produced [[OO gauge]] models of the 5-BEL from 2012, in both BR blue and grey and Pullman umber and cream liveries.<ref>{{cite magazine|title='Belle' of the Ball!|first=Chris|last=Leigh|magazine=[[Model Rail]]|pages=12–15|issue=167|date=April 2012|location=Peterborough|publisher=Bauer|issn=1369-5118|oclc=173324502}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=1934 'Belle' rings in|first=Chris|last=Leigh|magazine=[[Model Rail]]|pages=22–23|issue=169|date=May 2012|location=Peterborough|publisher=Bauer|issn=1369-5118|oclc=173324502}}</ref> [[N gauge]] models were introduced in 2013 at 1:143 scale, under Hornby's [[Arnold (models)|Arnold]] brand, in both umber and cream livery and BR blue and grey livery.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Brighton Belle EMU in N from Arnold|magazine=[[British Railway Modelling]]|pages=94|volume=20|issue=12|date=March 2013|location=Bourne|publisher=Warners Group Publications|issn=0968-0764|oclc=1135061879}}</ref>

==References==
{{commons category|British Rail Class 403}}
{{reflist}}
*{{Marsden-SouthernEMU1|pages=33–37}}

{{British Rail EMU}}

[[Category:Southern Railway (UK) electric multiple units|5BEL]]
[[Category:British Rail electric multiple units|403]]
[[Category:Metropolitan Cammell multiple units]]
[[Category:Pullman Car Company (UK)]]
[[Category:Train-related introductions in 1932]]
[[Category:750 V DC multiple units]]

British Rail Class 403 - Revision history

imported>Stuart Broadbent: Date of start of testing changed to January 2025