When National Express won the Gatwick Express franchise, part of the agreement was to replace the  Class 73/2 locomotives, British Rail Class 488 Mark 2F coaching stock, and Class 489 motor luggage vans.
Therefore, an order was placed with Alstom for the construction of eight Class 460 units.

Deliveries of the new units began in 2000.
The units featured sloping cab-ends, which earned them the nickname Darth Vaders among rail enthusiasts.
A Juniper coupler is located under the removable nose cone although only intended for emergency use.

Each 8-car unit was formed of a driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor (DMLFO+TFO+TCO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+DMSO).

They were mechanically similar to the Class 458s operated by South West Trains, but the "Darth Vader" nose cones on the Class 460s look very different from the Class 458s' flat cab fronts.
The windows in the doors on the Class 460 were also smaller than on the Class 458.

On 22 June 2008 the fleet was transferred to Southern when the Gatwick Express franchise was incorporated into the Southern franchise.

From December 2010 the Class 460s were gradually withdrawn from service in favour of refurbished Class 442s, with the final units going off lease in September 2012.
 The Class 460s were allocated to Stewarts Lane Depot.
When National Express won the Gatwick Express franchise, part of the agreement was to replace the  Class 73/2 locomotives, British Rail Class 488 Mark 2F coaching stock, and Class 489 motor luggage vans. Therefore, an order was placed with Alstom for the construction of eight Class 460 units.
Deliveries of the new units began in 2000. The units featured sloping cab-ends, which earned them the nickname Darth Vaders among rail enthusiasts. A Juniper coupler is located under the removable nose cone although only intended for emergency use.
Each 8-car unit was formed of a driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor (DMLFO+TFO+TCO+MSO+MSO+TSO+MSO+DMSO).
They were mechanically similar to the Class 458s operated by South West Trains, but the "Darth Vader" nose cones on the Class 460s look very different from the Class 458s' flat cab fronts. The windows in the doors on the Class 460 were also smaller than on the Class 458.
On 22 June 2008 the fleet was transferred to Southern when the Gatwick Express franchise was incorporated into the Southern franchise.
From December 2010 the Class 460s were gradually withdrawn from service in favour of refurbished Class 442s, with the final units going off lease in September 2012.  The Class 460s were allocated to Stewarts Lane Depot.
British Rail Class 460