NEWS RELEASE: Embargoed until 31/03/2020 23:59
Unique 4VEP converted to Dual Voltage EMU.
Strawberry Hill Depot, London.
The Southern Electric Traction Group has announced that, thanks to work carried out in strictest secrecy at Bombardier UK’s Ilford works three years ago, unique 4VEP No. 423 417 is to become the first Southern Region Mark One EMU to become dual-voltage. As originally built, the 4VEP, currently under restoration by the Southern Electric Traction Group at Strawberry Hill Depot, was built to accept traction power from the 750V DC Third Rail network. However, in the interests of ensuring the long-term operability of the unit, the SETG have masterminded the conversion of the unit to dual voltage, meaning that it will be able to run under its own power on either the 750V DC third rail network or 25kV overhead system as used elsewhere on the national network. Having completed static testing of the 25kV system, the SETG are ready to move on on to dynamic testing of the new propulsion system.
The SETG commented “This is a great coup for the SETG and a development we think no one anticipated. It will ensure that 4VEP No. 3417 enjoys an even longer and more flexible retirement that would otherwise have been possible. Now that the new 25kV system has been proven during static tests, we are looking forward to the first round of dynamic testing on High Speed Two in Kent during early 2021.”