Class 460

[387star]

Hi

Looking for some info on class 460s.... AKA darth vaders

How many types of class did these units convey? I think business in addition to first? There were round chairs with tables were there not?

Are there pics of the luggage van? Never seen inside. Did station staff and the guard arrange for luggage to be moved to this area? I suppose not dissimilar to an HST power car

What were the other options that national express or other bidders considered for the gatwick express rolling stock ?

Why did the units have such peculiar front ends?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Hi

Looking for some info on class 460s.... AKA darth vaders

How many types of class did these units convey? I think business in addition to first? There were round chairs with tables were there not?

Just first and standard class with normal seats. There were some rounded bar stool type seats in the 319/2s when those were on the Brighton fasts - it might be those you are thinking of?

Are there pics of the luggage van? Never seen inside. Did station staff and the guard arrange for luggage to be moved to this area? I suppose not dissimilar to an HST power car

Never saw the luggage are being used myself, but that doesn't mean it wasn't used at some point.

Why did the units have such peculiar front ends?

The designer was drunk.

 

[cjmillsnun]

The designer was drunk.

 

[Helvellyn]

If I recall the DMFLO vehicle, that was mostly luggage van, had low back fixed sofa style seating.

The luggage van was designed for when there were check-in facilities at Victoria (certainly BA had check-in there) and the bags were put in sealed containers and transferred to Gatwick securely for onward sorting for the appropriate flights. After 9/11 it became unfeasible to maintain off-site check-in facilities and they closes.

Similar facilities were built at Paddington in "the Lawn" area. Again, BA certainly had check-in facilities here.

As to the front ends, I guess the aim was to give them a distinctive look as a small, dedicated fleet for a high profile service. It might have been better if they were built as four car units - GatEx could have then run 8-car formations in the peaks, and 4-car on certain off-peak and overnight services. But the need for a luggage van meant they went for an 8-car unit that was effectively replicating the 73/488/489 set-up.

 

[swt_passenger]

I think the luggage vans were only used for a fairly short period when you could check luggage in at Victoria. Security rules changed and it stopped.