Class 442s: The Wessex Electrics

First introduced in the late 1980s, the Class 442s were like nothing that had been seen before in terms of Southern Region electric multiple units.

These stylish and sleek trains were the first electric multiple units capable of reaching 100mph, and after many years travelling on the old Southern slam-door stock, mostly in vehicles that dated back to the steam era, the public's experience of riding in one of the 442s must have been incredible.

The class served with several operators, including South West Trains, Southern and South Western Railway.

With the advent of COVID-19 and the cutbacks to rail services across the country, after 35 years of service, the Class 442s found themselves on the chopping block.

This book is a pictorial tribute of more than 200 images to what was, by far and away, the best electric unit ever to have worked on the Southern Region electrified lines.