BR First Generation AC EMU - Poll

[Steven B]

A poll for BR's first generation AC powered EMUs, 1948-1970!

Class 301 (AM1)
Allocated to prototype units which were used on the Lancaster/Morecambe/Heysham route. Converted from fourth rail EMUs in 1952 to run on 6.6kV AC they were withdrawn in 1966. Never received a TOPS number.
Non survive.

Class 302 (AM2)
Mk1 based unit introduced between 1958 and 1960 for the London, Tilbury and Southend line. Final unit withdrawn 1998. Seven converted for parcels work.
Two driving trailers survive.

Class 303 (AM3)
Known as the "Blue Train", the class was introduced in 1960 for services in North Clyde and Cathcart lines in Strathclyde. The final unit were withdrawn in 2002.
Several were transfered to North West England where they were used on services between Crewe and Manchester/Liverpool
One complete unit survives.

Class 304 (AM4)
Externally very similar to the class 305, 308 and 504 these units were introduced in 1959.
Built for services on the newly electrified line between Crewe and Manchester/Liverpool/RUgby
The last unit was withdrawn in 1996, being replaced by class 305 and later class 323.
Non survive.

Class 305 (AM5)
Built between 1959 and 1960, these units started life on the Lea Valley lines from London Liverpool Street, working mainly to Chingford and Enfield.
Refubished in the mid 1980s several were transfered to the Manchester area, whilst others relocated to Glasgow, running between Edinburgh Waverley and North Berwick.
The last units ran in 2002.
Non survive.


Class 306 (AM6)
Ordered by the LNER in 1938, these units weren't delivered until after nationalisation.
Initially built to run on 1500V DC, they were converted to 25kV AC around 1960.
They were generally confined to the London Liverpool Street to Shenfield services.
Withdrawn in the early 1980s, one unit survives as part of the national collection.


Class 307 (AM7)
Built from 1954 these units were used on trains from Liverpool Street to Shenfield and Southend Victoria.
Withdrawn from NSE by 1991, five units were transfered to West Yorkshre where they ran for another 2 years before being replaced.
Driving trailers were converted to propelling control vehicle for use on parcels/post trains with a number surviving.

Class 308 (AM8)
Built between 1959 and 1961 these units started life running from Liverpool Street to Shenfield, Witham, Colchester and Clacton.
A later batch ran from Fenchurch Street to Tilbury Riverside.
The final batch was used between Liverpool Street and Chingford/Enfield Town.
Generally withdrawn from the south east by the early 1980s, a number were converted to parcels and sandite use.
A number were transfered to West Yorkshire where they ran until 2001. One driving trailer has been preserved.

Class 309 (AM9)
The "Clacton Express" - another early 1960s build, these were another unit to be found on the Great Eastern Mainline, running from Liverpool Street to Clacton and Walton-on-the-Naze.
Withdrawn from the GEML in 1994 seven unit found a new life in the North West, running between Manchester and Crewe/Birmingham International.
Two three car sets survive.

Class 310 (AM10)
A 1965 built unit, used on the southern end of the West Coast Main Line and around the West Midlands.
All withdrawn by 2002, no survive.

Class 311 (AM11)
Another Scotish unit - built between 1966 and 1967 for the lines from Glasgow to Gourock and Wemyss Bay.
Very similar to the class 303, they were used until 1990 with two being transfered to departmental use.
One driving coach survive.

[Ed]

Thanks for this Stephen, be interesting to see how many other members would like these as RTR models.


Ed

[Adam1701D]

Although technically not "First Generation", do not forget the Class 312 (AM12). These units saw plenty of action on the Great Northern, Great Eastern, LTS and West Midlands networks and would be ideal stablemates for Revolutions Class 313s.

[martyn]

One problem with the 309s is they were three main types, with later remarshalling making 5 sub types.

4 car all passenger seating

4 car, one being a griddle (and one of these buffets was later non-standard with the others, as pointed out by crewearpley elsewhere). Griddle cars later withdrawn; @Bob, the replacement griddle car was the one with B4 bogies.

2 car. Some later had 2 ex loco hauled mk1s added to make 4 car units, but still with the pantograph car at one end (unlike the 4 car sets which had the pantograph 'inside' the set).

Quite a number of liveries, though.

Martyn

Later;

They did a number of high speed trials on the WCML at various times.

They were the first 100mph EMUs and remained the only ones until APT.

[AdrianC]

One problem with the 309s is they were three types.

4 car all passenger

4 car, one being a buffet (and one of these buffets was later non-standard with the others, as pointed out by crewearpley)

2 car.

Martyn

Also the 2 cars were made up to 4 cars later on, and then various ones reduced to 3 car.

Quite a lot of variation for a relatively small class!

[Tank]

Well done for making the poll. Not my area, but I'll be interested in the results.

[crewearpley40]

Apart from the original 4 car class 310s a further 3 car sub class 310/ 1 was created in the 90s

See https://railrevisited.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-last-days-of-central-trains-class-310.html?m=1


For use on the Northampton/ Rugby to Walsall/ Birmingham routes and Trent Valley stopping services often with short platforms in Regional, WMPTE and that ghastly blue / yellow livery


Some units https://uktransport.fandom.com/wiki/British_Rail_Class_310

In the mid late 80s received flat windscreens

So livery/ detailing challenges

[AdrianC]

Although technically not "First Generation", do not forget the Class 312 (AM12). These units saw plenty of action on the Great Northern, Great Eastern, LTS and West Midlands networks and would be ideal stablemates for Revolutions Class 313s.

And largely the same as the 310s too, with the two notable body differences being the lack
of gangway between the MBSO and the TSO (i.e. in the middle, which was added after they left the WMCL) and the guards area being seperate from the luggage area so there's an extra door.

Aren't they the only UK EMUs based on the MK2 body shell?

[martyn]

One problem with the 309s is they were three types.

4 car all passenger

4 car, one being a buffet (and one of these buffets was later non-standard with the others, as pointed out by crewearpley)

2 car.

Martyn

Also the 2 cars were made up to 4 cars later on, and then various ones reduced to 3 car.

Quite a lot of variation for a relatively small class!

Your post came in as I was editing my own, which now reflects some of these alterations.

Martyn

[crewearpley40]

Correct Adrian


https://electrarail.co.uk/class-310-4-car-emu-124-p.asp


Based on the mk 2s need 4 coaches

[AdrianC]

One problem with the 309s is they were three types.

4 car all passenger

4 car, one being a buffet (and one of these buffets was later non-standard with the others, as pointed out by crewearpley)

2 car.

Martyn

Also the 2 cars were made up to 4 cars later on, and then various ones reduced to 3 car.

Quite a lot of variation for a relatively small class!

Your post came in as I was editing my own, which now reflects some of these alterations.

Martyn

Great minds and all that @martyn 

Perhaps worth noting that the 307s had two main iterations. When they were converted from 1500DC to 25kv AC from 1960-62, the guards van and the pantograph were moved to an inner vehicle from behind one of the drivers cabs.

All the ER units that were refurbished in the early 80s (307s, some 302s, 4-car 308s and some of the 4-car 305s) also had changes with the 1st class moving to behind one of the drivers cabs, with the middle of the 3 bays not having any door. The toilet layout also changed.

[Intercity]

Your list mentions the 304 as being scrapped in 1988, the last one ran in 1996 and after a failed preservation attempt was scrapped in 2001, they ran as far as Euston although not very often and some went to the Eastern Region temporarily while other units were converted to run on higher voltage after OHLE upgrades.

[Bob G]

I only remember these from my spotting days rather than want them for a model, but seeing as I have two Revolution 313s on order, I'd happily take some AM4s/AM10s/AM9s for nostalgia purposes.

Bob

[Steven B]

Your list mentions the 304 as being scrapped in 1988, the last one ran in 1996 and after a failed preservation attempt was scrapped in 2001, they ran as far as Euston although not very often and some went to the Eastern Region temporarily while other units were converted to run on higher voltage after OHLE upgrades.

You're right, "scrapped" changed to "withdrawn" & date changed in my original post. Thanks for the correction!

Steve B.

[Steven B]

Although technically not "First Generation", do not forget the Class 312 (AM12).

Certainly not forgotten, but I felt there should be a cut off date. 1970 felt reasonable as nothing after the class 311 no other AC EMUs was based on the Mk1 carriage.

There's around 30 other AC EMUs been built since the 1970s. You could also add >10 AC/DC dual voltage units. One for another poll another day!


Steven B.