The Electro-pneumatic brake system on British railway trains was introduced in 1950 and remains the primary braking system for multiple units in service today. The Southern Region of British Railways operated an intensive self-contained fleet of electric multiple units for suburban and middle distance passenger trains. From 1950, an expansion of the fleet was undertaken and the new build adopted a braking system that was novel in the UK, the electro-pneumatic brake in which compressed air brake operation was controlled electrically by the driver. This was a considerable and successful technical advance, enabling a quicker and more sensitive response to the driver’s operation of brake controls.
Read more about Electro-pneumatic Brake System On British Railway Trains: Origins, The First EP-fitted Units, Westinghouse and EP Brake Operation, Advantages and Developments, The Next Generation, Current Use, Further Reading
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