#3758
British Rail Class 206
🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by Unknown builder· from 1964· class of 6 three-car diesel-electric multiple units created by using two cars from a 6S and one from a 2-EPB
1 photo from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Tadpole unit at guildford: Dr Neil Clifton· CC BY-SA 2.0
what is it?
The British Rail Class 206 or 3R was a type of Diesel-electric multiple unit (DEMU), introduced in 1964. They were not 'built' as such but rather re-formed from Class 201 and EPB vehicles for use on Reading-Redhill-Tonbridge (North Downs Line) services. Six three-car sets were created, numbered 1201-1206.
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 62 years ago, in 1964.
- 447 kW is about 5 family cars (~85 kW each) flat out.
- Served for 21 years (1964–1985).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1964
- in service from
- 1964
- retired
- 1985
- status
- retired
- number built
- 6
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- builders
- Unknown builder
- operators
- British Rail, Southern Region of British Railways
- top speed
- 121 km/h
- power
- 447 kW
- formation
- DMBS+TSL+DTS
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q12857855, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 206 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.