声明：吧刊中的英文文献由本人人工翻译。如有错误，烦请指正，谢谢。

众所周知，英国人偏爱在支线线路客运上使用两节编组动车组，而这个传统早在1930年代就开始了。比如南方铁路（SR）在1935年研发了2BIL型动车组。

A number of famous 'named' trains were operated by SR including the Brighton Belle, Bournemouth Belle, Golden Arrow, the Night Ferry (London - Paris and Brussels), Atlantic Coast Express and the Devon Belle.
南方铁路运营一批知名的“命名”旅客列车。这些列车包括“布莱顿美人号”，“伯恩茅斯美人号”，“金箭号”，“午夜渡轮”（运行于伦敦，巴黎和布鲁塞尔区间），“大西洋海岸快线号“和“德文美人号”。

The electrification of the region began in 1929 under the management of Sir Herbert Walker. On completion it was the world's largest electrified railway system.
（南方铁路所管辖的）这一地区的铁路电气化在哈尔伯特沃克先生的管理下于1929年开始。在它被建成时，它是世界上最大的电气化铁路路网。

Southern Railway gave the designation 2-BIL to the DC third rail electric multiple units built during the 1930s. The formation was a 2-car set: MBTL-DTCL, and were called 2-BIL (2-car Bi-Lavatory stock) because each set had two lavatories, one in each car. They were built to work long distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Reading.
在1930年代，南方铁路将2BIL型动车组设计为使用第三轨直流电的电力动车组。车辆编组是两车一组：MBTL-DTCL编组。他们也被叫做2BIL（英文：两车编组，双卫生间车辆的缩写），因为每个编组都有两个卫生间，每个车厢中有一个洗手间。这些车是为在伦敦，伊斯特伯恩，朴茨茅斯和雷丁之间的电气化线路上运行的长途准高速客运服务而建造的。

Between 1935 and 1938, a total of 152 sets of the Class 2-BIL were built in 4 batches and were numbered 2001 - 2152. Numbers 2001 - 2010 in 1935 for service on the London to Eastbourne sector. Numbers 2011 - 2048 in 1936 for the London Waterloo to Alton and Portsmouth slow service. Numbers 2049 - 2116 in 1937 for the Portsmouth to Bognor Regis service and numbers 2117 - 2152 in 1938 for the London Waterloo to Reading route.
在1935年至1938年期间，一共有152对2BIL型动车组被建造。它们分为四期，并且被编号为2001到2152号。2001号到2010号在1935年开始服役，它们在伦敦和伊斯特伯恩之间运行。2011号到2048号在1936年开始服役，它们被用于伦敦滑铁卢站和埃尔顿以及朴茨茅斯之间的慢速旅客列车服务。2049号到2116号在1937年开始服役，运行于朴茨茅斯和伯格诺里吉斯之间。2117号到2152号在1938年投入使用，运行于伦敦滑铁卢-雷丁线路上。

The steel panelled wooden framed bodies were built at SR Eastleigh Works and the steel underframes at SR Lancing Works. Each 2 car unit measured 129'6" long and 9'2" wide and were powered by two English Electric traction motors of 275hp (205kW) with a maximum speed of 60mph. The units were fitted with automatic air-brakes. The 2-BILs weighed 74tons 15cwt and had a passenger capacity of 24 in First Class and 84 or 88 in the Third Class area.
南方铁路下属的伊斯特雷工厂制造了由金属镶板和木质框架构成的转向架，兰辛工厂则制造了底盘。2BIL型动车组在两车编组的情况下有129英尺又6英寸长，9英尺2英寸宽。2BIL型动车组由两个有英国电器生产的275马力（205千瓦）的牵引机驱动，最大速度可达到60英里每时。与此同时，这些车带有自动空气刹车系统。2BIL型动车组重74英制吨又15磅，满载时可运载24个头等舱乘客和84至88名三等舱乘客。

the early years of WWII Southern Region suffered considerable damage due to its proximity to the coast, including the loss of some 2-BIL units. By the end of the War the proportion of freight carried had increased from 25% to 60% as the region had been a marshalling area for troops and armaments destined for the invasion of Europe.
在第二次世界大战早期，南方铁路的一些线路由于其地理位置的原因而饱受战争的摧残（过于靠近英格兰海岸及英吉利海峡），并且，一些2BIL型动车组在战争中损失了。战后，这些地区的铁路营运收入中货运收入占比从25%升高到了60%，原因是这些地区被军队用于军事演习，其目的是应对可能来自欧洲本土的侵略。

The remaining units stayed in service and passed to the newly formed British Railways in 1948 where they were re-classified as Class 401 and continued in service on BR Southern Region until all the units had been withdrawn.
而剩下的那些2BIL型动车组则继续在南方铁路服役。1948年英国铁路公司成立后，它们都被英国铁路公司继承。英国铁路公司将2BIL型改称401型，后来，401型继续在英国铁路的南方大区服役，直到它们全部退役为止。

The only 2-BIL unit to survive was No. 2090, formed of carriages No. 10656 and No. 12123 and is currently on display at the National Railway Museum, Shildon.
今天，只有一组2BIL型动车组保留了下来。它是2090号动车组，由10656号车和12123号车组成。2090号动车组现在在英国国家铁路博物馆Shildon分馆展出。

The set No. 2090, represented in BR Blue livery, consisted of Brake No. 10656 and Composite No. 12123 was outshopped in October 1937 which remained in service until the 11th September 1971. Restored for limited service on 'Special' and 'Open' days, the set was then stored in various locations until moving by road to The National Railway Museum, York in 2003. Now fully restored the set is on display at NRM Shildon.
现在2090号动车组上喷涂的是英国铁路蓝色涂装（而没有刷回原本的南铁绿色涂装）。这个动车组由制动车10656号和“混成车”（指由载客区和行李室组成的老式客车，chenhf56注释）12123号车组成，它们在1937年10月出厂，并在1971年9月11日退役。2090号动车组已被修复，但仅限指定日期才会运行。在2003年之前，2090号被放在不同的位置保管。直到2003年，它才由陆路运输到英国国家铁路博物馆。现在，它在英国国家铁路博物馆Shildon分馆展出。

所有401型在1970年底退役，很多在当年被拆解。但是一些动车组中的车厢被拆出，并用于英国铁路公司的"7TC"市郊服务，例如10351号车。

有资料记载，在上世纪60年达左右，英国铁路公司曾将401型（2BIL型）与402型动车组编挂在一起，形成四车动车组用于市郊通勤列车，效果不错。
（1961年10月，2150号动车组经停Horsted Keynes车站的二号站台，注意车上的数字牌“37”）。

1962年，401型（2BIL型）2004号正在接近Ardingly火车站。