British Rail Class 300
Encyclopedia
Class 300 was allocated to a proposed fleet of parcels-carrying electric multiple unit
s, which were to be converted from former Class 307
units.
In the early 1990s, the Class 307 passenger units were being withdrawn from service. At the same time, the Parcels sector
of British Rail
were looking for a fleet of parcels multiple units, which would be more cost effective to run than locomotive-hauled stock as previously used. One suggestion was to convert a number of Class 307 units to meet the need, as had been done with four of the similar Class 302
units, and several Class 307 units were set aside and stored with this possibility in mind.
However, the age and design of the units counted against them, and the decision was taken instead to build new units, which became the Class 325
. However, the driving cars from the Class 307s were still used by the Parcels sector. They were converted into Propelling Control Vehicle
s (PCV) and used as a kind of driving trailer car at the end of locomotive-hauled parcels trains.
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...
s, which were to be converted from former Class 307
British Rail Class 307
The British Rail Class 307 electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh Works from 1954-1956. They were initially classified as AM7 before the introduction of TOPS.-Description:...
units.
In the early 1990s, the Class 307 passenger units were being withdrawn from service. At the same time, the Parcels sector
Rail Express Systems
Upon the sectorisation of British Rail during the 1980s the Parcels Sector was created. In 1991 this was rebranded Rail Express Systems. The Rail Express Systems launch event was held at Crewe Diesel Depot in October 1991. For this event examples of Class 08, 47, 86 & 90 locomotives were painted...
of British Rail
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...
were looking for a fleet of parcels multiple units, which would be more cost effective to run than locomotive-hauled stock as previously used. One suggestion was to convert a number of Class 307 units to meet the need, as had been done with four of the similar Class 302
British Rail Class 302
The British Rail Class 302 was a type of electric multiple unit introduced between 1958 - 1960 for outer suburban passenger services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway route...
units, and several Class 307 units were set aside and stored with this possibility in mind.
However, the age and design of the units counted against them, and the decision was taken instead to build new units, which became the Class 325
British Rail Class 325
The British Rail Class 325 is a 4 car dual-voltage 25 kV alternating current or 750 V direct current electric multiple unit train used for postal train services. They are based on the Class 319. The Class 325 was British Rail's newest unit to take over parcels working on electrified...
. However, the driving cars from the Class 307s were still used by the Parcels sector. They were converted into Propelling Control Vehicle
Propelling Control Vehicle
A Propelling Control Vehicle is a type of British railway carriage for carrying mail. They were converted from Class 307 driving trailers and have a cab at one end. This allows mail trains to be propelled at low speed, with the locomotive at the rear of the train being driven from the...
s (PCV) and used as a kind of driving trailer car at the end of locomotive-hauled parcels trains.