British Rail Class 312
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 312 is a type of alternating current
(AC) electric multiple unit
(EMU) built in 1975-1978 for use on outer-suburban passenger services. It was the last class of multiple unit to be constructed with the British Rail Mark 2
bodyshell, and also the last with slam doors. This latter feature contributed to their relatively early withdrawal (25-28 years old, compared with a life expectancy of 30 years).
These units were based on the Class 310
, used on the suburban services out of London Euston. The only significant difference between the various sub-classes was that the 312/1 units were also equipped to work on the 6.25 kV
AC overhead electrification system
used on parts of the Great Eastern Main Line
and London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
networks.
As built, the 312/0 units were used on the newly-electrified Great Northern outer suburban services from London King's Cross to Royston
. The 312/1s were built for Great Eastern line services from London Liverpool Street. The four 312/2 units were mainly used to enhance local services between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International
, but were also used on other services in the West Midlands.
During the late 1980s, the units received an interior refurbishment that saw the wooden panel interiors covered with fascia panels, the removal of window blinds and other alterations. At the same time the units lost their blue/grey livery (312/1 and 312/2 units had been all-over blue when introduced) in favour of Network SouthEast
(NSE) livery (the four 312/2 units carried West Midlands PTE yellow and blue livery before their transfer to NSE).
During the late 1980s the units were reallocated to new areas. The class 312/0 units moved to the Great Eastern Line following the delivery of class 317
units; the 312/1 units consequently moved to the London, Tilbury and Southend line, displacing older class 302
and 305
units. The class 312/2 units also moved to the Great Eastern, replaced by modified 310
units released by the arrival of class 321
units. These moves were complete by the end of the 1980s, and allocations remained broadly stable until their withdrawal during 2003-04.
inherited four units, 312725-728. These were primarily used on fast Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street
services, and were painted in Regional Railways
livery. Their stay with Central Trains did not last long and they were transferred to LTS Rail (since rebranded c2c
) in 1996.
inherited 24 units, 312701-724. These were used mainly on Colchester
to Walton-on-the-Naze
and Manningtree
to Harwich
services and London Liverpool Street to Ipswich
and Clacton peak trains. In later years, two former LTS units, 312728/784, were acquired to replace accident-damaged units such as 312707, written off by an arson
attack whilst stabled at Colchester Station.
In 2003, First Great Eastern acquired new class 360
units to replace these trains. Units were gradually removed from traffic, and by March 2004 only three sets, 312718/721/723, remained in service. A farewell charter train operated on their previous routes using two of these units. The final sets were used on peak trains, and were withdrawn in July 2004 after the arrival of five class 322
units that had been on hire to ScotRail
.
inherited 21 units, 312729/730/781-799, later supplemented by the four former Central Trains
units 312725-728. These latter units were repainted in Network SouthEast
livery, some of the last vehicles to be so treated.
The final units were withdrawn from service in 2003, having been replaced by new class 357/2 "Electrostar"
units. Two units were later transferred to First Great Eastern
to supplement their fleet.
.
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...
Class 312 is a type of 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) built in 1975-1978 for use on outer-suburban passenger services. It was the last class of multiple unit to be constructed with 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, and also the last with slam doors. This latter feature contributed to their relatively early withdrawal (25-28 years old, compared with a life expectancy of 30 years).
Description
The table below illustrates the original formation, numbering and areas of use:| Sub-Class | Built | Unit Numbers | BDTSOL | MBSO | TSO | DTCOL | Area of Use | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original | Later | |||||||
| 312/0 | 1976-78 | 312001-312026 | 312701-312726 | 76949-76974 | 62484-62509 | 71168-71193 | 78000-78025 | Great Northern |
| 312/1 | 1975-76 | 312101-312119 | 312781-312799 | 76975-76993 | 62510-62528 | 71194-71212 | 78026-78044 | Great Eastern |
| 312/2 | 1976 | 312201-312204 | 312727-312730 | 76994-76997 | 62657-62660 | 71277-71280 | 78045-78048 | West Midlands |
These units were based on the Class 310
British Rail Class 310
The British Rail Class 310 is a slam-door, alternating current electric multiple unit 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...
, used on the suburban services out of London Euston. The only significant difference between the various sub-classes was that the 312/1 units were also equipped to work on the 6.25 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...
AC overhead electrification system
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
used on parts of the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
and 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...
networks.
British Rail
Royston railway station
Royston railway station serves the town of Royston in Hertfordshire, England. The station is north east of London Kings Cross and south west of Cambridge on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line...
. The 312/1s were built for Great Eastern line services from London Liverpool Street. The four 312/2 units were mainly used to enhance local services between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
, but were also used on other services in the West Midlands.
During the late 1980s, the units received an interior refurbishment that saw the wooden panel interiors covered with fascia panels, the removal of window blinds and other alterations. At the same time the units lost their blue/grey livery (312/1 and 312/2 units had been all-over blue when introduced) in favour of Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
(NSE) livery (the four 312/2 units carried West Midlands PTE yellow and blue livery before their transfer to NSE).
During the late 1980s the units were reallocated to new areas. The class 312/0 units moved to the Great Eastern Line following the delivery of class 317
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; the 312/1 units consequently moved to the London, Tilbury and Southend line, displacing older 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...
and 305
British Rail Class 305
The British Rail Class 305 was an alternating current electric multiple unit . Under the pre-1973 British Rail numbering system, the class was known as AM5...
units. The class 312/2 units also moved to the Great Eastern, replaced by modified 310
British Rail Class 310
The British Rail Class 310 is a slam-door, alternating current electric multiple unit 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...
units released by the arrival of class 321
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...
units. These moves were complete by the end of the 1980s, and allocations remained broadly stable until their withdrawal during 2003-04.
Central Trains
Central TrainsCentral 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:...
inherited four units, 312725-728. These were primarily used on fast Birmingham New Street to Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
services, and were painted in Regional Railways
Regional Railways
Regional Railways was one of the three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982 that existed until 1996, 3 years after privatisation. The sector was originally called Provincial....
livery. Their stay with Central Trains did not last long and they were transferred to LTS Rail (since rebranded c2c
C2c
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...
) in 1996.
First Great Eastern
First Great EasternFirst Great Eastern
First Great Eastern was an award-winning train operating company that operated suburban, local and medium distance train services from London Liverpool Street via Romford to Essex and Ipswich in the United Kingdom on the Great Eastern Main Line railway.First Group gained the Great Eastern...
inherited 24 units, 312701-724. These were used mainly on Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
to Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
and Manningtree
Manningtree
Manningtree is a town and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex, England, which lies on the River Stour. It adjoins built-up areas of Lawford to the west and Mistley to the east and the three parishes together are sometimes referred to as "Manningtree".Manningtree is a claimant for the...
to Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
services and London Liverpool Street to Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
and Clacton peak trains. In later years, two former LTS units, 312728/784, were acquired to replace accident-damaged units such as 312707, written off by an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack whilst stabled at Colchester Station.
In 2003, First Great Eastern acquired new class 360
British Rail Class 360
The British Rail Class 360 electric multiple units were built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002-2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450....
units to replace these trains. Units were gradually removed from traffic, and by March 2004 only three sets, 312718/721/723, remained in service. A farewell charter train operated on their previous routes using two of these units. The final sets were used on peak trains, and were withdrawn in July 2004 after the arrival of five class 322
British Rail Class 322
The British Rail Class 322 electric multiple units were built by BREL in 1990. Five 4-car units were built for the dedicated Stansted Express service from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport. The units were then used by First ScotRail, operating on the North Berwick Branch Line, between /...
units that had been on hire to ScotRail
ScotRail
ScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
.
LTS Rail
LTS RailC2c
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...
inherited 21 units, 312729/730/781-799, later supplemented by the four former 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:...
units 312725-728. These latter units were repainted in Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
livery, some of the last vehicles to be so treated.
The final units were withdrawn from service in 2003, having been replaced by new class 357/2 "Electrostar"
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. Two units were later transferred to First Great Eastern
First Great Eastern
First Great Eastern was an award-winning train operating company that operated suburban, local and medium distance train services from London Liverpool Street via Romford to Essex and Ipswich in the United Kingdom on the Great Eastern Main Line railway.First Group gained the Great Eastern...
to supplement their fleet.
Preserved
Vehicles 78037 and 71205 from unit 312792 have been preserved and are under restoration at Electric Railway Museum, BagintonCoventry Railway Centre
The Electric Railway Museum is located in Warwickshire, south of Coventry city, outside Baginton, and near to Coventry Airport. The heritage railway centre was also known as "The Airfield Line" as the railway was built on the site of a greenfield...
.
Fleet details
| Operator | No. of Units | Unit Numbers | Withdrawn | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Trains | 4 | 312725-728 | 1996 | Transferred to c2c |
| c2c | 25 | 312725-730 312781-799 |
March 2003 | - |
| First Great Eastern | 24 | 312701-724 | June 2004 | 312707 destroyed by arson attack in 2003 312728 and 312784 transferred from c2c in 2003 |