British Rail Class 310
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
(BR) Class 310 is a slam-door
, alternating current
(AC) electric multiple unit
(EMU) introduced in 1963 as part of the West Coast Main Line
electrification project. They were initially classified as Class AM10 units before the introduction of the TOPS
classification system. Constructed at BR's Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
. They consisted of four carriages - a second class driving trailer, a second class trailer, a second class motor car (with guard's/luggage compartment above which the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph was mounted) and a composite (1st and 2nd class) driving trailer. The maximum speed was 75 miles per hour. A glass partition behind the driver's cab enabled passengers in the leading and rear coaches to have an excellent view of the line ahead or behind.
Original livery was overall Rail Blue, later amended to the familiar blue and grey colour scheme.
Initially they were primarily used on local services from London Euston to Bletchley, Milton Keynes
, Northampton
and Birmingham
, and within the West Midlands
. They were also the first EMUs to be based on the British Rail Mark 2
bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction.
During the mid 1980s they underwent their heavy C1 refurbishment at Wolverton which included new flat windscreens, a corridor connection
between the Motor Vehicle (MBS) and trailer (TSO), and a PA system among other modifications.
The main fleet of Class 310/0 units was replaced on the Euston commuter routes with Class 317/1
units which began to enter service on the route in late 1987, however the Class 317 units were then superseded by the new build of Class 321/4
within about 2 years.
All Class 310 units that survived into the 21st century were withdrawn between 2001 and 2004.
) which operated them on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
. They were replaced by Class 357
units from 1999 to 2002.
The thirteen 310/1 units came under the control of Central Trains
. All were withdrawn by 2002 and replaced by a mixture of Class 170 and Class 323
units.
In 2002, vehicles from two Class 310/1 units, numbers 310109 and 310113, were used to create a single four-car departmental unit, 960201
which could operate on either alternating current
(AC) or direct current
(DC) lines for test purposes.
The set consisted of two driving cars, a Class 310 power car with Hitachi
equipment and either a standard Class 310 25 kV
power car or a modified 650 V third rail
vehicle from a Class 423 (4-VEP)
unit. One of these two vehicles was included in the formation depending upon where the unit was operating (on 25 kV overhead lines or third rail). To facilitate third rail running, shoegear was fitted to each driving car. The unit was known as the 'Hitachi Verification Train' or 'V Train' and was used by Hitachi
to test and prove its traction equipment in the UK. The subsequent order for the Class 395
Javelin trains which will run on the High Speed 1 line benefitted from this exercise. The V train was scrapped at MoD Pig's Bay in Shoeburyness
in 2007.
Details and more pictures of the V train on AC, DC and the High Speed 1 lines can be found at Train Testing - Hitachi's V train.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
(BR) Class 310 is a slam-door
Slam door trains
The term Slam-door trains or 'slammers' generally refers to diesel multiple units and electric multiple units that were designed before the use of automatic doors on railway carriages was common...
, alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
(EMU) introduced in 1963 as part of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
electrification project. They were initially classified as Class AM10 units before the introduction of the TOPS
TOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
classification system. Constructed at BR's Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works was built by the Midland Railway in Derby, England. The plant has been through many changes of ownership and is currently owned by Bombardier Transportation, a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Canada. As of 2011 it is the only remaining passenger rolling stock...
. They consisted of four carriages - a second class driving trailer, a second class trailer, a second class motor car (with guard's/luggage compartment above which the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph was mounted) and a composite (1st and 2nd class) driving trailer. The maximum speed was 75 miles per hour. A glass partition behind the driver's cab enabled passengers in the leading and rear coaches to have an excellent view of the line ahead or behind.
Original livery was overall Rail Blue, later amended to the familiar blue and grey colour scheme.
Initially they were primarily used on local services from London Euston to Bletchley, Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, and within the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
. They were also the first EMUs to be based on the British Rail Mark 2
British Rail Mark 2
The Mark 2 family of railway carriages were British Rail's second design of carriages. They were built by British Rail workshops between 1964 and 1975...
bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction.
During the mid 1980s they underwent their heavy C1 refurbishment at Wolverton which included new flat windscreens, a corridor connection
Corridor connection
A Corridor connection is a flexible connector fitted to the end of a railway coach to enable passage from one coach to another without falling out of the train.-Coaches:...
between the Motor Vehicle (MBS) and trailer (TSO), and a PA system among other modifications.
The main fleet of Class 310/0 units was replaced on the Euston commuter routes with Class 317/1
British Rail Class 317
The British Rail Class 317 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL York in two batches, from 1981-82 and 1985-87. They were the first of several classes of British Rail EMU to be based on the all-steel Mark 3 bodyshell, departing from the "PEP"-aluminium design which had...
units which began to enter service on the route in late 1987, however the Class 317 units were then superseded by the new build of Class 321/4
British Rail Class 321
The British Rail Class 321 alternating current electric multiple units were built by BREL York in three batches from 1988-91. The design was successful and led to the development of the similar Class 320 and Class 322 units for use by Strathclyde PTE and Stansted Express respectively...
within about 2 years.
All Class 310 units that survived into the 21st century were withdrawn between 2001 and 2004.
Sub-classes
- 310/0 - four-car units. All 310s were originally 310/0s.
- 310/1 - three-car units modified for use in the Midlands.
Privatisation
All 310/0 units came under the control of LTS Rail (now c2cC2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
) which operated them on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...
. They were replaced by Class 357
British Rail Class 357
The British Rail Class 357 "Electrostar" alternating current electric multiple units were built by ADtranz at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England, in two batches from 1999 to 2002 at a cost of approximately £292 million...
units from 1999 to 2002.
The thirteen 310/1 units came under the control of Central Trains
Central Trains
Central Trains was one of the original 25 train operating companies to emerge from the break-up of British Rail between 1994 and 1997. The company operated local, urban and secondary express services across central England and Mid Wales.-Overview:...
. All were withdrawn by 2002 and replaced by a mixture of Class 170 and Class 323
British Rail Class 323
The British Rail Class 323 electric multiple units were built by Hunslet TPL from 1992-93. Forty-three 3-car units were built for inner-suburban services around Birmingham and Manchester...
units.
Departmental usage
British Rail Class 960
The British Rail Class 960 was reserved for former diesel multiple units converted for departmental use, and former electrical multiple units rebuilt as test trains...
which could operate on either alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) or direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC) lines for test purposes.
The set consisted of two driving cars, a Class 310 power car with Hitachi
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
equipment and either a standard Class 310 25 kV
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
power car or a modified 650 V third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
vehicle from a Class 423 (4-VEP)
British Rail Class 423
The British Rail Class 423 electrical multiple units were built by BR at York Works from 1967 to 1974, although the MBSOs and TSOs of the first 20, 7701-7720, were constructed at Derby Works. They feature manually-opening doors next to every seating row and were the last coaching stock built in...
unit. One of these two vehicles was included in the formation depending upon where the unit was operating (on 25 kV overhead lines or third rail). To facilitate third rail running, shoegear was fitted to each driving car. The unit was known as the 'Hitachi Verification Train' or 'V Train' and was used by Hitachi
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
to test and prove its traction equipment in the UK. The subsequent order for the Class 395
British Rail Class 395
British Rail Class 395 is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit used by train operating company Southeastern for its services along High Speed 1 and onwards to the Kent coast. The trains were built in Japan by Hitachi and shipped to the United Kingdom to operate new high speed domestic services...
Javelin trains which will run on the High Speed 1 line benefitted from this exercise. The V train was scrapped at MoD Pig's Bay in Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...
in 2007.
Details and more pictures of the V train on AC, DC and the High Speed 1 lines can be found at Train Testing - Hitachi's V train.