British Rail Class 404

The Class 404 name covers the 4-COR electric multiple units that the Southern Railway built for the London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour route, together with the 4-RES restaurant and 4-BUF and 4-GRI variants. Full electric services over the Portsmouth direct line began in April 1937, using 29 four-car corridor units and 19 restaurant units, and a second phase of 26 corridor units followed when the Three Bridges, Horsham and coastal routes were electrified in 1938. All the phase one carriages except the first class trailers, and all the phase two units, were built by the Southern Railway at its Eastleigh Works. The corridor design was meant for principal services, with a restaurant unit placed between two corridor units in a twelve-car formation. The units lasted long enough in British Rail ownership to receive the TOPS number 404, and one complete unit, 3142, was saved for preservation.