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1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Mersey Railway (All About Railways, Hartnell): Andy Dingley (scanner)· Public domain
what is it?
Mersey Railway electric multiple units were electric multiple units introduced on the underground Mersey Railway, now a part of Merseyrail, in 1903. In the early 1900s the railway was bankrupt as it used steam locomotives that left a dirty atmosphere in the tunnel and passengers preferred the ferries. However, the railway was rescued by Westinghouse Electric, who electrified the railway and provided the first electric multiple units.
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 123 years ago, in 1903.
- Weighs about as much as 3 African elephants (~6 t each).
- 18 m long: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.
- Served for 54 years (1903–1957).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1903
- in service from
- 1903
- retired
- 1957
- status
- retired
- number built
- 12
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- electric
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- G.F. Milnes & Co., Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
- operators
- Mersey Railway, British Rail
- top speed
- —
- power
- —
- gauge
- 1,435 mm standard gauge
- electric system
- 600 V DC third and fourth rail
- formation
- MF, Motor First+TF, Trailer First+TT, Trailer Third+TT+MT, Motor Third (1903 stock), MF+TF+TT+MT (1923 stock), TT+TT+TT…
- length
- 18 m
- weight
- 20 t
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q6820557, Wikipedia: Mersey Railway electric units (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.