The Southern Railway built 152 of these two-car, two-lavatory outer-suburban electric multiple units between 1935 & 1938. The 2-BILs were successors to the 2-NOL units and were considerably more comfortable since, although they were the same overall length at 129’6”, they had 30% less seats at 24 x First Class and 88 x Third Class (down from 24 First and 135 Third in the 2-NOL). ‘BIL’ stood for ‘bi-lavatory’ – i.e. there were two lavatories, one per coach and although there was no corridor connection between coaches, each had a side corridor for access to the lavatory.

The first 10 units (which are NOT modelled by Electrifying Trains!) were at first numbered 1891 – 1900, and were built in 1935 for the Eastbourne semi-fast service; their Driving Trailers (DTC’s) were built at Eastleigh, whilst half of the Motor Brakes (MTB’s) were constructed by Metro-Cammel whilst the other half were by BRCW.

These units carried 2 x 275hp English Electric traction motors and cab-mounted Metro-Vick control gear, their windows were not flush to the carriage sides and they had wooden droplights with louvres over doors and a smaller guards van. All 10 of these first-build units were eventually withdrawn during 1969. 2-BIL No.2008 in 1968

[Foxley slide, courtesy of Southern Electric Group]

The remaining 142 units (which the Electrifying Trains model does represent) were built in batches from 1936 to 1938 and all had detail differences from the first 10 units. Units built in 1936 for Portsmouth & Alton line services, were initially numbered 1901 – 20 and 1954 – 1971, whilst those built in 1937 for Bognor Regis & Portsmouth routes, were numbered 2049 – 2116. The final batch, built during 1938 for Reading & other services were numbered 2117 – 2152, and meanwhile all of the pre-1937 build were re-numbered 2001 – 2048 by the end of that year. Thus the final range of numbers became 2001 – 2152.

Units beyond the first 10 were fitted with underfloor mounted English Electric electro-pneumatic control gear, on a wooden frame covered with steel panels. These units were withdrawn between 1968 and 1971. Following accident damage, three units were re-formed to included all steel Driving Trailer Composites (again, not yet modelled by Electrifying Trains, these being Units 2100 & 2133 from 1951, and Unit 2069 from 1952.

All 152 units first appeared in SR Maunsell lined olive, migrating later to unlined malachite green, then BR(S) green, followed by the addition of small yellow warning panels front & rear – with black inverted triangle at the brake van end. Later still, many of the units were to appear in standard BR corporate rail blue livery with all yellow ends. Some units went on into Departmental Service as de-icing or stores trains to which the model could be modified. Unit 2090 has been preserved and can be seen at ‘Locomotion’ – the National Railway Museum at Shildon. 2-BIL No.2034 at Ford in 1971

[Bryan Rayner, courtesy of Southern Electric Group]

The first 10 units were later used on a wide range of stopping & semi-fast services from Waterloo and Victoria, and between Portsmouth & Hastings. 2-BIL units were often seen coupled to 2-HAL units – as already available from Electrifying Trains – the type of 2 car unit which followed on from the 2-BIL.