| British Rail Class 488 | |
|---|---|
 A Class 488 coach at London Victoria in 2003 | |
| In service | 1973–present |
| Manufacturer | BREL, Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Formation | 2-car (Class 488/2), 3-car (Class 488/3) |
| Operators | Network Rail Ministry of Defence |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 66 ft 1⁄2 in (20.13 m) |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 9+1⁄4 in (3.89 m) |
| Maximum speed | 90 mph (140 km/h) |
| Weight | 105 t (103 long tons; 116 short tons) |
| Bogies | B5 |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 488 are unpowered trailer sets, converted from Mark 2F coaches for the Gatwick Express service from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport.
The sets were converted from conventional locomotive-hauled coaching stock in 1983–1984, and were used in combination with Class 73 electro-diesel locomotives and Class 489 luggage vans. Two variations were converted: 2-car sets (containing first class accommodation) and 3-car sets (containing standard class accommodation only). They are officially formed of two subclasses. The two-car units are classified as Class 488/2 and are numbered in the range 488201–488210 and the three-car sets are Class 488/3 and are numbered 488301–19.