#2582

British Rail Class 503

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Metro-Cammell· from 1938· class of British 3-car electric multiple units

6 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. Image-British-Rail-Class-503: No machine-readable author provided. Spsmiler assumed (based on copyright claims).· Public domain
2. 04.09.82 West Kirby Class 503s (6887476467): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
3. 04.09.82 West Kirkby Class 503s (6887476467): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
4. 24.09.83 Rock Ferry Class 503s (6887477111): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
5. 24.09.83 New Brighton Class 503s (5958458123): Phil Richards from London, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
6. British Rail Class 503 (DTS number 29289): Snowmanradio at English Wikipedia ( Original text: snowmanradio )· CC BY-SA 3.0

what is it?

British Rail Class 503 passenger trains were 65 mph (105 km/h) electric multiple units. They were introduced in two batches: the first were in 1938, by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), with a further batch (built to a similar design) in 1956 by the then nationalised British Railways (BR). When introduced by the LMS, they were known officially as Class AM3.

who runs it

London, Midland and Scottish Railway British Rail

base stats

speed 105 km/htop speed
power 403 kWpower output
weight 77 tin working order
seats 40passengers
built 19made in total

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 88 years ago, in 1938.
403 kW is about 5 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
Weighs about as much as 13 African elephants (~6 t each).
53.6 m long: about 12 cars parked nose to tail.
Served for 47 years (1938–1985).

multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.

spec sheet

built: 1938
in service from: 1938
retired: 1985
status: retired
number built: 19
kind: multiple unit
traction: electric
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: Metro-Cammell
operators: London, Midland and Scottish Railway, British Rail
top speed: 105 km/h
power: 403 kW
gauge: 1,435 mm standard gauge
electric system: 650 V DC third rail or fourth rail
wheel arrangement: Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′
formation: 3 cars per trainset:DMBS, Driving Motor Brake Second+TS, Trailer Second+DTS, Driving Trailer Second
length: 53.6 m
weight: 77 t
capacity: 40 passengers

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q286540, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 503 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.