British Rail Class 312

British Rail Class 312
File:312718 and 312721 at Kirby Cross.JPG Class 312, nos. 312718 and 312721, at Kirby Cross station in Essex on 6 March 2004. These units were operating a farewell excursion train ('The Grand Slam') to commemorate their retirement from service. These two units were among the final three of their type in traffic with First Great Eastern, and were withdrawn in June 2004.
In service	1975 - 2004
Manufacturer	BREL York
Family name	BR First Generation (Mark 2)
Number built	49 trainsets
Formation	4 cars per trainset
Operator	British Rail
Specifications
Maximum speed	90 mph (145 km/h)
Weight	Total - 156.6 tonnes
Traction system	General Electric Company
Braking system(s)	Air (EP/Auto)
Multiple working	Class 302-312
Gauge	{{#switch:sg |3mm=3 mm (0.118 in) |4mm=4 mm (0.157 in) |4.5mm=4.5 mm (0.177 in) |4.8mm=4.8 mm (0.189 in) |6.5mm=6.5 mm (0.256 in) |6.53mm=6.53 mm (0.257 in) |8mm=8 mm (0.315 in) |8.97mm=8.97 mm (0.353 in) |9mm=9 mm (0.354 in) |9.42mm=9.42 mm (0.371 in) |10.5mm=10.5 mm (0.413 in) |11.94mm=11.94 mm (0.470 in) |12mm=12 mm (0.472 in) |12.7mm=12.7 mm (0.5 in) |13mm=13 mm (0.512 in) |13.5mm=13.5 mm (0.531 in) |14mm=14 mm (0.551 in) |14.125mm=14.125 mm (0.556 in) |14.2mm=14.2 mm (0.559 in) |14.28mm=14.28 mm (0.562 in) |14.3mm=14.3 mm (0.563 in) |15.76mm=15.76 mm (0.620 in)

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).

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, 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.

British Rail

File:312-seen-out-train-window.jpg

The front of a British Rail Class 312 in 1970s blue/grey livery passes through East London on a working to London Liverpool Street Station, as seen from the open window of another train.

File:312792 at Shoeburyness.jpg

312792 at Shoeburyness in Essex on 29 March 2003. This was the final day of operation of the class on c2c. This unit is painted in Network SouthEast livery. Since this photograph was taken, part of this unit has been preserved.

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.

Post-privatisation

Upon privatisation, the fleet was divided between three franchises.

Central Trains

Central Trains 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.

First Great Eastern

First Great Eastern 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.

LTS Rail

LTS Rail 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.

Preserved

Vehicles 78037 and 71205 from unit 312792 have been preserved and are under restoration at Electric Railway Museum, Baginton (website).

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

References

File:Manningtree 2.jpg

A First Great Eastern class 312 at Manningtree station, Essex in 2001.

Sources

• Template:Marsden-2-EMU

External links

• Railway Heritage Register Carriage Survey Project

Template:Commonscat Template:Mark 2-derived

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