SR Class 2SL

The Southern Railway (SR) gave the designation 2-SL to the small fleet of electric multiple units dedicated for use on the South London lines. None of these units survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated a TOPS class. In Southern Railway/Region days, they mainly spent their lives as 2-car units on the ex-LBSCR Wimbledon-West Croydon Line (now Croydon Tramway) with head code 2. They were distinctive, because they retained their flat roofs over the driving cabs, where the pantographs were originally situated.

Southern Railway 2-SL
In service	1929–1954
Built at	Peckham Rye Works
Replaced	South London Line stock
Constructed	1929
Entered service	May 1929
Number built	8
Number scrapped	8
Formation	DMBT+DTC
Fleet numbers	1901–1908, later 1801–1808
Capacity	16 first class, 108 third class
Operators	Southern Railway, British Railways
Specifications
Train length	127 ft 2 in (38.76 m)
Width	9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Traction system	Metropolitan-Vickers
Power output	550 hp (410.13 kW)
UIC classification	Bo′2′+2′2′
Braking system(s)	Automatic air
Coupling system	Screw-link
Multiple working	Standard SR system
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Construction

The 2-SL (2-car South London stock, numbers 1801–1808) units were rebuilt in 1929 from the Driving Motor cars originally used in ex-LBSCR AC electric SL stock. They were intended for use on the South London lines. Originally, these units had some First Class accommodation in the Driving Trailer car, but this was later declassified to Third Class only. The units were numbered 1901–1908 before 1936, when those numbers were reused for new 2-BIL units. At the same time, 4-SUB unit number 1801 was renumbered 1600.

Formations

Initial formations of these units were as follows:

Unit Numbers	DMBT	DTC
1901–1908 / 1801–1808	8723–8730	9751–9758

Withdrawal

The majority of these units were withdrawn in 1954, the exceptions being 1802 (in 1951) and 1807 (destroyed in 1940 during a World War II air raid). All were subsequently scrapped.

References

• Marsden, Colin J. (1983). Southern Electric Multiple-Units 1898–1948. Shepperton, Surrey: Ian Allan Limited. pp. 22–23. ISBN 0-7110-1253-9.