BRITISH RAIL CLASS 325

Similar in end-on appearance to a Class 365 or Class 465 Networker unit, the Class 325 was British Rail's newest unit (in the late 1980s & early 1990s) to take over parcels working on electrified lines.
The units where built between 1988 & 1995

Contents

History

External links

History

The 16 units were built by ABB, unlike the Networker units which were built at BREL York, between 1988 & 1995 and were fitted with large round 'Oleo' buffers. They are very similar to the Class 319s, sharing the same traction equipment and body design, but are fitted with cabs of the same design as the Networkers. TOPS numbers are on the front under the driver's window, and were in a non-standard font. The livery was Post Office red, with two yellow stripes running along the lower bodyside before turning sharply backwards and pointing up towards the roof, black cab window surrounds and a full yellow warning panel. Four cars made up each set, with roller doors in place of sliding ones and no windows. They were provided with a pantograph to pick up power from the 25kv overhead wires, and also a shoe to pick up power off the 750v third rail.
After introduction, which was relatively trouble free (the next new vehicles were the Class 92s, which took much longer to appear, although the fact that the 325s share traction equipment with the 319s was a big factor), the units settled into carrying parcels and mail from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh at 100 mph, at which they were successful.
Privatisation placed the units under EWS control to operate the postal trains that they inherited. Such work continued alongside Class 86s up the West and East Coast Main Lines until 2003, when Royal Mail withdrawing the postal contracts resulting in a decrease in use until the units entered store following the end of work. This fate for the ten-year-old units was at least better than that for the 39-year-old 86s, which were withdrawn.
Upon GB Railfreight gaining a new contract for mail for transport over Christmas 2004, the 325s returned to limited work operating in multiple. Again, work with AC electrics occurred, but now they were more powerful and younger Class 87s, which haul the units over around half of their 'beat' from Sheildmuir in Glasgow to Warrington or Warrington to Willesden, North London. Originally this was with 87013 and 87014, but after Virgin borrowed 87013 for a weekend it suffered a number of minor failures which highlighted the lack of maintenance which the pair had received in recent years, and the expense which would be required to run them sustainably. Subsequently GB Railfreight replaced these with 87012 and 87019. Other locos which for a period normally hauled the trains included 87002, 87006, 87022, 87026 and 87028. The haulage was provided more to keep up route and traction knowledge for the 87s than because of unreliable 325s, and although recently the powered vehicles have been removed from some sets, they have now been re-instated.
A traction reshuffle saw the 325s resume service with their power cars, leaving the 87s surplus. Three were sent to Virgin, two went into store, and the remaining pair, 87022 and 87028, had their cabs repainted. Despite this, neither locomotive has done much work since, and they are no longer regularly involved with mail trains. While for Christmas 2005 a there were a large number of 87-hauled mail trains, for Christmas 2006 there were none.
For now, despite few calls on the fleet's abilities to easily handle vast quantities of mail, a secure future seems assured. It is hoped that more work will be opened up by Royal Mail in due course. At present, there is a decided case of under-utilisation of assets, as they are capable of far more than is being done with them. No more than six are in service each day, leaving ten spare.
There has been suggestion that the 325s could be converted to passenger use, but although this would be possible, by replacing the roller doors with sliding doors, and fitting windows, as well as internal fittings, the cost would unlikely justify the benefit compared to just purchasing new trains.

External links

★ The Railway Centre

★ The 87s which now haul the 325s