BRITISH RAIL CLASS 310

The British Rail 'Class 310' was a slam-door electric multiple unit introduced in 1966 as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification project. Constructed at Derby Carriage Works, they consisted of four carriages - a second class driving trailer, a second class trailer, a second class motor car (with guard's/luggage compartment above which the pantograph was mounted) and a composite (1st and 2nd class) driving trailer. The maximum speed was 75 miles per hour. A glass partition behind the driver's cab enabled passengers in the leading and rear coaches to have an excellent view of the line ahead or behind.
Original livery was overall rail blue, later amended to the familiar blue and grey colour scheme.
Initially they were primarily used on local services from London Euston to Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Birmingham, and within the West Midlands. They were also the first EMUs to be based on the Mark 2 bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction.
During the mid 1980s they underwent their heavy C1 repair at Wolverton which included new flat windscreens, a corridor connection between the TSO and the MBS, and a PA system among other things.
The main fleet of class 310/0 was replaced on the Euston commuter routes with Class 317/1 units which began to enter service on the route in late 1987, however the 317s were then superseded by the new build of Class 321/4 within about 2 years.
All Class 310 units that survived into the 21st century were withdrawn between 2001 and 2004.

Contents

Sub-classes

Privatisation

Departmental Usage

Preservation

Sub-classes

★ 310/0 - four car units. All 310s were originally 310/0s.

★ 310/1 - three car units modified for use in the Midlands.

Privatisation

All 310/0 units came under the control of LTS Rail (now c2c). They were replaced by Class 357 units.
The thirteen 310/1 units came under the control of Central Trains. All were withdrawn by 2002, replaced by a mixture of Class 170 and Class 323 units.

Departmental Usage

Vehicles from two class 310/1 units, numbers 310109 and 310113, were used to create a single four-car departmental unit, 960201. A modified 3rd rail vehicle from a 4-VEP unit could also be substituted for the ex-Class 310 motor. The unit was used by Hitachi to test its equipment. It was scrapped in 2007.

Preservation

There is some talk of seeing a Class 310 preserved, but due to asbestos, at best this would be a stripped carriage.