The First EP-fitted Units
The first Southern units fitted with EP brake could be considered the Bulleid double deck 4-DDs built 1949 (4001 & 4002). The EP brake fitted to this stock was not of the self lapping type and still required the Westinghouse brake as the 'fail to safe' braking as the EP brake fitted was of the 'energise to apply' type, which meant if there was a loss of brake control voltage the EP brake was in-operative. The 4-DDs were based on the earlier 4-SUB but were not operationally compatible with either the 4-SUB or later EPB stock.
Starting in 1950, a large new fleet of suburban multiple units was delivered to a pre-war design and, as well as other technical improvements, they were equipped with the electro-pneumatic brake – universally referred to as “the EP brake”. The advance in braking technology dominated the other developments and the designation of the train units was 2-EPB and 4-EPB for the two- and four-car units respectively. The design was successful and a larger fleet of broadly similar design was built and the Kent Coast Line electrification extended the adoption of the EP brake to medium distance passenger operation but still confined to multiple units. (A small fleet of locomotives were built for the Southern Region and had a brake control system fitted that was compatible for interoperability purposes.)
Read more about this topic: Electro-pneumatic Brake System On British Railway Trains
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