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| British Rail Class 312 | |
|---|---|
 First Great Eastern Class 312 atKirby Cross in 2004 | |
 Inside a Class 312 unit before refurbishment | |
| In service | 1975–2004 |
| Manufacturer | British Rail Engineering Limited |
| Orderno. |
|
| Built at | Holgate Road, York |
| Family name | BR First Generation (Mark 2) |
| Replaced | Class 125 |
| Constructed | 1975–1978 |
| Number built | 49 |
| Number preserved |
|
| Successor | |
| Formation | |
| Diagram | |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Operators | |
| Depots | |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel[2] |
| Train length | 256 ft8+1⁄2 in (78.245 m)[3] |
| Car length | |
| Width | 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)[2] |
| Height | 12 ft4+1⁄2 in (3.772 m)[2] |
| Floor height | 3 ft 9 in (1.14 m)[2] |
| Doors | Hinged, manually operated ("slam")[3] |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed |
|
| Weight |
|
| Traction motors | 4 ×English Electric 546A[4][5] |
| Power output | 1,080 hp (810 kW)[3] |
| HVAC | Electric heating[2] |
| Electric system(s) |
|
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′ |
| Bogies |
|
| Minimum turning radius | 231 ft 0 in (70.41 m)[2] |
| Braking system(s) | Electro-pneumatic[2] |
| Safety system(s) | AWS[2] |
| Coupling system | Drop-headbuckeye[6] |
| Multiple working | Within class, and withClass 310 |
| Seating | Transverse |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 312alternating current (AC)electric multiple units (EMUs) were built between 1975 and 1978[7] for use on outer-suburban passenger services. It was the last class of multiple unit to be constructed with theBritish Rail Mark 2 bodyshell, as well as the last class of multiple unit to be built withslam doors in Britain. These features contributed to their relatively early withdrawal at 25–28 years old, compared with a typical EMU life expectancy of 30–40 years.
The design of these units was based on theClass 310 used on the suburban services out of London Euston, but were rated for a higher top speed of 90 mph (140 km/h) and they had flat windscreens from the outset. The only significant difference between sub-classes was that the 312/1 units were also equipped to work on the 6.25kV AC overheadelectrification system used on parts of theGreat Eastern Main Line andLondon, Tilbury and Southend line networks.
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As built, the 312/0 fleet were used on the newly electrified Great Northern outer suburban services from London King's Cross toRoyston. The 312/1s were built for Great Eastern line services fromLondon Liverpool Street. The four 312/2 units were mainly used to enhance local services betweenBirmingham New Street andBirmingham International, but were also used on other services in the West Midlands.
During the late 1980s, the class 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 units lost their blue/grey livery (312/0) or all-over blue livery (312/1 and 312/2 as introduced) in favour ofNetwork SouthEast (NSE) livery (312/0-1), whilst of the four 312/2 units, 312204 carriedWest Midlands Passenger Transport Executive yellow and blue livery and the others were dressed in the standard blue and grey, before their transfer to NSE.
At the same time, or soon after, units were reallocated. The Class 312/0 units moved to theGreat Eastern Main Line following the arrival of a more modern 100 mph (160 km/h)Class 317 fleet. The 312/1 subfleet consequently moved to theLondon, Tilbury and Southend line, displacing older Class302 and305 units. The section of 6.25 kV on the GEML had been converted to the now standard 25 kV, meaning the exclusive dual-voltage capability of this subfleet would continue to be useful, the line still being dual-voltage at the time.
The 312/2 units would also go to the Great Eastern, replaced by modified310 units released by the delivery ofClass 321/4 units in the West Midlands. These moves were complete by the end of the 1980s, and allocations remained broadly stable untilprivatisation and the period until withdrawal in 2003–04.
Upon privatisation, the fleet was divided between three franchises:
Central Trains inherited four units, 312725–728. These were used primarily on fastBirmingham New Street toLiverpool Lime Street services and were painted inRegional Railways livery. Their stay with Central Trains did not last long and they were transferred to LTS Rail (later rebrandedc2c) in 1996.
First Great Eastern inherited 24 units, 312701–724. These were used mainly onColchester toWalton-on-the-Naze andManningtree toHarwich services andLondon Liverpool Street toIpswich andClacton peak trains. In later years, two former LTS units, 312728/784, were acquired to replace accident-damaged units such as 312707, written off by anarson attack whilst stabled at Colchester station on 11 March 2003.
In 2003, First Great Eastern acquired newClass 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 on 25 June 2004 after the return of the fiveClass 322 units, which had been on hire toScotRail.
With all sets on the London Liverpool Street toSouthend service having been replaced byClass 321 units, the last service to survive east ofShenfield was the early morning 12-car service fromSouthminster to London, where 321 units could only operate in 8-car configuration.
c2c (operating theLondon, Tilbury and Southend franchise) inherited 21 units, 312729/730/781–799, which were supplemented later by the four formerCentral Trains units, 312725–728. These latter units were repainted inNetwork SouthEast livery, which were some of the last vehicles to be so treated.
The final units were withdrawn from service in 2003, having been replaced by newClass 357/2Electrostar units. Two units were transferred later toFirst Great Eastern to supplement their fleet, as detailed earlier.
Vehicles 78037 and 71205 from unit 312792 have been preserved and were atElectric Railway Museum, Warwickshire.[9]
Following the closure of the ERM, both vehicles moved to theColne Valley Railway, Essex in March 2018, taking them back to their native operating area.
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 | 1976–1978 | 312001–312026 | 312701–312726 | 76949–76974 | 62484–62509 | 71168–71193 | 78000–78025 | Great Northern |
| 312/1 | 1975–1976 | 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 |
| Operator | No. of units | Unit numbers | Withdrawn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Trains | 4 | 312725–312728 | 1996 | Transferred to c2c |
| c2c | 25 | 312725–312730,312781–312799 | March 2003 | - |
| First Great Eastern | 24 | 312701–312724 | June 2004 |
|
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