NEW DESKS FOR CLASS 442s

DB ESG has signed a contract with South Western Railway to supply 36 new driver desk panels for the 18 Class 442 units operating on the London Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour route. These new panels are required following the retractioning of these units, which results in considerable alterations to the in-cab controls, including the removal of the brake system pressure gauge. The customer decided these modifications warranted a new modern and clean layout for the driver desks, hence this new order.

‘442’ on the move: Nos 37800/20314/20311 haul No 442402 and accompanying barrier wagons on the 5Q77 07.45 Eastleigh Arlington to Wolverton Centre Sidings working at Egham on 16 May 2020.
Ken Brunt

The contract covers the turnkey design, approvals, supply, installation and testing of the panels. DB ESG will subcontract the panel construction to the Swiss family-owned company EAO AG, which will provide pre-assembled renewed panels, indicators and switches. The panels will be installed on the trains at Bournemouth depot.

Neil Drury, Engineering Director at South Western Railway, said, ‘We are pleased to confirm DB ESG will be taking on the work to design and fit new modern desks in the drivers’ cabs which forms part of our major overhaul to AC traction for our Class 442 fleet.’