Introduction

It is now some forty years since the term ‘Second Generation EMU’ entered rail industry parlance. The British Rail (BR) Class 313 heralded a new era back in 1976/77 with BR’s first order of suburban passenger trains with both a pantograph (for 25Kv AC) and shoegear (for 750V DC ‘third rail’).

These units continue to see daily service both on north of London commuter services and on Sussex’s Coastway services. Since those early days, over forty classes of EMU have entered traffic throughout what is now, of course, a privatised railway.

More and more operators are able to opt for their use over DMUs as more of the country benefits from installation of an electrified railway. This book offers a look at all the classes found in the UK, as well as a look at the country’s electrified lines.