First introduced in the late 1980s, the Class 442s were like nothing
that had been seen before in terms of Southern Region electric multiple
units. These stylish and sleek trains were the first electric multiple
units capable of reaching 100mph, and after many years traveling on the
old Southern slam-door stock, mostly in vehicles that dated back to the
steam era, the public's experience of riding in one of the 442s must
have been incredible. The class served with several operators, including
South West Trains, Southern and South Western Railway. With the advent
of COVID-19 and the cutbacks to rail services across the country, after
35 years of service, the Class 442s found themselves on the chopping
block. This book is a pictorial tribute of more than 200 images to what
was, by far and away, the best electric unit ever to have worked on the
Southern Region electrified lines.