Hornby R3258

British Rail Class 401 2086 British Rail (Blue)

Class & Prototype

Class: British Rail Class 401

• Traction: Electric Multiple Unit
• Built: 1935-1938
• Total Built: 152

The British Rail Class 401, originally Southern Railway 2-BIL (2-car Bi-Lavatory stock), comprised 152 electric multiple units built between 1935-1938 for semi-fast services on newly electrified routes from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth, and Reading. Each 2-car unit featured a Motor Brake Third and Driving Trailer Composite with dual lavatories, 550hp total power from two English Electric motors, and 75mph maximum speed.

Built in four batches at SR Eastleigh Works, the units pioneered electro-pneumatic control systems and established operational patterns that influenced British electric railway development for decades. They served faithfully for 36 years until withdrawal in 1971, with four units destroyed during World War II. Only unit 2090 survives in preservation at the National Railway Museum, York.

Hornby has produced comprehensive OO gauge models since 2013 in multiple liveries including SR green, BR green, and BR blue variants, all featuring DCC Ready capability. The models accurately represent this historically significant class that bridged the gap between early suburban electric units and modern EMU design, making them essential for authentic Southern Railway and early British Rail layouts.

Prototype: 2086

• Ordered By: -
• Built By: -
• Built At: -
• Built: -
• Withdrawn: -
• Length of Service: -
• Running Numbers: -
• Names: -

Operator & Livery

Operator: British Rail

British Rail (1965-1997) transformed Britain's railways through revolutionary modernisation, introducing the iconic double arrow logo, Rail Blue livery, and business sectorisation. BR pioneered high-speed rail with the InterCity 125 and Advanced Passenger Train, electrified major routes, and created profitable divisions like InterCity and Network SouthEast. From steam succession through diesel and electric development to privatisation preparation, British Rail's diverse locomotive fleet, multiple livery schemes, and operational scenarios provide unparalleled variety for railway modellers across all scales and periods.

Livery: Blue

BR Blue, also known as Rail Blue or Monastral Blue, was introduced in 1965 as part of British Rail's comprehensive corporate identity overhaul that accompanied the rebranding from British Railways to British Rail. The colour was officially defined by British Standards BR28/6001 (airless spray finish) and BR28/5321 (brush finish), representing a dark, greyish blue tone specifically chosen to hide dirt and weathering effects well.

The livery was prototyped on the experimental XP64 train in 1964 before becoming the standard scheme from 1 January 1965. Rail Blue was applied to all diesel and electric locomotives with yellow warning panels (initially small, then extending to full yellow ends from 1966). The standardised application included the iconic double arrow logo and Rail Alphabet typeface, creating one of the most successful transport corporate identities of the 20th century.

The livery dominated British Rail operations for over two decades until sectorisation in the 1980s began fragmenting the unified appearance. Despite initial colour fading problems in early applications, these were resolved by the late 1970s when the Large Logo variant was introduced featuring extended yellow areas and full-height double arrow symbols. Rail Blue's enduring appeal among railway enthusiasts reflects its role as the definitive British Rail image during the organisation's most unified period.