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{{Short description|Prototype electric train used in 1997}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox DMU
| name = British Rail Class 424
| image = Class 424 at Victoria.jpg
| imagesize = 300px
| caption = Class 424 vehicle on display at [[London Victoria railway station|London Victoria]] in 1998
| background = #B1004D
| manufacturer = [[Holgate Road carriage works]]<br>[[Adtranz]] (reconstruction)
| formation =
| numberbuilt = 1 vehicle
| yearconstruction = 1965<br>1997 (reconstruction)
| numberscrapped = 1 vehicle
| service = 1997
| weight =
| capacity = 77
| maxspeed = {{cvt|100|mph|0}}
| brakes =
| engine =
| operator = Adtranz (technology demonstrator)|
}}
The '''British Rail Class 424''' "Networker Classic" was a [[prototype]] [[electric multiple unit]] (EMU) built in 1997 by [[Adtranz]] at [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works]] from a [[British Rail Class 421|Class 421]] driving trailer vehicle.

==Project==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}[[File:1717 at Clapham Junction.JPG|thumb|4 Cig vehicle similar to the one converted]]
The "Networker Classic" concept involved rebuilding [[British Rail Mark 1|Mark 1]] design Southern Region EMUs of Classes [[British Rail Class 411|411]], [[British Rail Class 421|421]] and [[British Rail Class 423|423]] to meet current [[crashworthiness]] standards and have electric sliding doors instead of slam doors. This involved building a new bodyshell on the existing chassis, but keeping the original electrical and motor equipment. Therefore, the aim was to produce a 'new' unit at one quarter the cost of manufacturing a train from scratch. The rebuilt units would have had a life of at least fifteen years, thus saving considerable amounts of money when replacing old stock. The unit is known for its similar looks with the [[British Rail Class 170]] and the [[British Rail Class 357]], albeit using pocket doors more similar to the subsequent classes [[British Rail Class 376|376]] and [[British Rail Class 378|378]], and unlike said trains used pocket doors for the driver cab doors, like those of the 1972 design and earlier [[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3-derived]] units.

==Prototype==
One vehicle, no. 76112 from 'Phase 1' [[British Rail Class 421|4Cig]] unit 1749, was rebuilt as a prototype in 1997. This saw the original Mark 1 bodyshell removed from the chassis at [[Doncaster Works]], and replaced with a new one at [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works]] resembling a then brand new [[Turbostar]] train installed.<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Adtranz launches new Networker Classic rebuild at Wembley show |magazine=[[Rail Magazine]] |issue=318|date=19 November 1997|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title= Enter the Adtranz Classic |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1161|date= January 1998|page=45}}</ref> The controls from the 4Cig unit were retained in the driving cab.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} It was displayed to the public at [[London Victoria railway station|London Victoria]], paired with unrebuilt DT 76747 from [[British Rail Class 421#4Big units|4Big]] unit 2256 for comparison purposes.<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Adranz Classic takes to the rails |magazine=[[The Railway Magazine]] |issue=1165|date= May 1998|page=60}}</ref> The converted vehicle had a total capacity of 77 passengers in Standard Class only; had the full 4-car unit undergone the same conversion, then it would have had capacity for up to 310 passengers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class424_exp.html |title=Experimental Class 424, "Adtranz Classic" |date=3 December 2002 |website=Southern Railway E-Group |access-date=9 May 2019 }}</ref>

The prototype unit had not carried passengers throughout its life, as the electric controls were unsuitable for the Class 424.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}

Although [[Connex South Central]] had at one stage proposed ordering some, the train companies turned to new-build rolling stock, which saw the introduction of the ''[[Electrostar]]'', ''[[Siemens Desiro|Desiro]]'' and ''[[Alstom Coradia Juniper|Juniper]]'' families.<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Connex will order 497 vehicles in OPRAF deal for longer franchise |magazine=[[Rail Magazine]] |issue=330|date= 6 May 1998|page=7}}</ref> As a result, the single Class 424 vehicle was stored at Derby Litchurch Lane Works until 2012, when it was removed for disposal.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Pritchard |first1=Robert |year=2012 |title=325 sent for scrap |magazine=Today's Railways |issue=125 |page=69 |publisher=Platform 5 }}</ref> The unrebuilt [[British Rail Class 421|4Cig]] trailer (unit 1399), which paired with the vehicle, was scrapped from the [[East Kent Railway (heritage)|East Kent Railway]] after restoration attempts failed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=5129 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409014819/http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=5129 |archive-date=9 April 2014 |title=BR 76747 Driving Trailer Composite 4-CIG EMU built 1970}}</ref>

==Fleet Details==
{| class="wikitable"
!Class
!Operator
!No. Built
!Year built
!Cars per Set
|-
|'''Class 424'''
|ADtranz
|align=center|1
|align=center|1997
|align=center|1
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.semgonline.com/gallery/class424_exp.html Experimental Class 424, "Adtranz Classic"] - Southern Electric Group
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030503135119/http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Recognition%20Tech%20Data%20EMU/EMU_424.html Railway Centre Technical Data]}}
* [http://wmbusphotos.com/Trains/other/networkerclassic.html Photograph] at [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works]] in August 2011
{{British Rail EMU}}

[[Category:British Rail electric multiple units|424]]
[[Category:Abandoned trains of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Train-related introductions in 1997]]
[[Category:750 V DC multiple units]]
[[Category:Non-passenger multiple units]]

British Rail Class 424 - Revision history

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