British Rail Class 305

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British Rail Class 305
Railway Station, York - geograph.org.uk - 3182651.jpg
Class 305 unit at York
In service1959–2001
Manufacturer British Rail
Order no.
  • 30566 (BDTSOL, 305/2, as built)
  • 30567 (MBSO, 305/2)
  • 30568 (TSOL, 305/2)
  • 30569 (DTSO, 305/2)
  • 30570 (BDTSO, 305/1)
  • 30571 (MBSO, 305/1)
  • 30572 (DTSO, 305/1) [1] [2]
Built at
Family nameBR First Generation EMU
ReplacedSteam locomotives and carriages
Constructed1959–1960
Refurbished1983–1984 (305/2 facelift) [4]
Number built71
Number scrapped71
Successor Class 322
Class 323
FormationClass 305/1
BDTSO+MBS+DTSO
Class 305/2 As Built
BDTSOL+MBSO+TCsoL+DTS
Class 305/2 Facelifted
BDTCOL+MBS+TSOL+DTSO
Class 305/3
BDTSO+MBS+TCsoL+DTSO [5] [6]
DiagramAs Built
Class 305/1
  • 413 MBSO
  • 436 BDTSO, DTSO

Class 305/2
  • 405 MBSO
  • 437 DTS
  • 438 BDTSOL
  • 455 TCsoL

TOPS Codes
Class 305/1
  • E204.0A MBSO
  • EE209.1B DTSO
  • EF205.0A

Class 305/2
As Built
  • ED205.1B MBS
  • EE210.0A DTS
  • EF206.0A BDTSOL
  • EH302.1B TCsoL

Refurbished
  • ED216.0A MBSO
  • EE220.0A DTS
  • EF304.0A BDTSOL
  • EH223.0A TSOL
[7] [8] [2] [9]
Design codeAM5
Fleet numbersClass 305/1:
  • 305401-305452
  • 75462-75513 BDTSO
  • 61429-61480 MBS
  • 75514-75565 DTSO

Class 305/2:
  • 305501-305519
  • 75424-75442 BDTSOL later BDTCOL
  • 61410-61428 MBS later MBSO
  • 70356-70374 TCsoL later TSOL
  • 75443-75461 DTS later DTSO [2]
Capacity272 seats (305/1),
344 2nd + 19 1st (305/2) [2]
Operators
Depots
Specifications
Car body constructionWelded steel and spayed asbestos
Train length199 ft 6 in (60.81 m) (305/1)
265 ft 8+12 in (80.99 m) (305/2)
Car length63 ft 6+12 in (19.37 m) [9]
Width9 ft (2.74 m) [9]
Height12 ft 7 in (3.835 m) [9]
DoorsSlam Door
Articulated sections3 or 4
Wheelbase
  • 46 ft 6 in (14.173 m) (bogie centres)
  • 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) (bogies) [9]
Maximum speed75 mph (121 km/h) [11]
Weight
Traction motors 4 × GEC WT380 of 153 kW (205 hp) [1]
Auxiliaries240 V from the tertiary winding of the main transformer for heating and for a Westinghouse charger feeding 110 V dc for lighting and battery charging [3]
Power supply Mercury-arc rectifiers [3] (later replaced with silicon diode)
HVAC Electric
Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead
(and 6.25 kV until 1983)
Current collector(s) Pantograph
Bogies
  • Gresley ED5 (MBS)
  • Gresley ET8 (DTS)
  • Gresley ET5 (BDTS, BTDC, TS [9]
  • compound bolster [3]
Braking system(s) Westinghouse EP air [3]
Safety system(s) AWS [9]
Coupling system Drophead [9]
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 305 was an alternating current (AC) electric multiple unit (EMU). Under the pre-1973 British Rail numbering system, the class was known as AM5; when TOPS was introduced, it became Class 305.

Contents

Subclasses

Class 305 had four subclasses:

Operations

A Class 305 at Edinburgh Waverley in September 2001 Scotrail 305501 at Edinburgh Waverly.jpg
A Class 305 at Edinburgh Waverley in September 2001

305/1 units were generally deployed on inner suburban services on the Lea Valley lines out of London Liverpool Street to Chingford, Enfield Town and Hertford East. They mainly worked the Chingford and Enfield branches, where their average scheduled speed was 22  mph (35  km/h ). [3] However, they were also used on the Great Eastern lines out of London Liverpool Street and occasionally worked out of their ‘normal’ operating area when coupled to a 305/2 unit or any of the compatible EMUs in use at the time. These units were distinguished by their lower backed seating. 305/1 units were replaced from 1980 onwards by Class 315 units. They were not generally used elsewhere, but a small number of units are believed to have operated around Manchester for a brief period in the mid 1990s.[ citation needed ] All examples of the subclass were scrapped.

305/2 units were generally deployed on outer suburban services on the Lea Valley Line out of London Liverpool Street to Bishops Stortford, the extent of electrification until 1987, where their average scheduled speed was 34  mph (55  km/h ). [3] Like the 305/1 units, they could occasionally be seen on other services out of Liverpool Street and were sometimes coupled to other compatible EMUs for multiple working.

One unit was converted in 1984 for use as a mobile classroom in connection with the East Coast Main Line electrification project, becoming unit 305935, painted in InterCity livery. One of the driving vehicles contained blue asbestos and was subsequently replaced with a driving vehicle from a withdrawn Class 302 set, forming a hybrid set but retaining the same unit number (305935). [13] The unit was later used in East Anglia as part of the Great Eastern electrification and was deployed at Ipswich, Harwich Town and Cambridge. [14]

The 305/2s were refurbished in the mid-late 1980s. As with the 308s, this involved moving first class to a driving trailer, new interior panels, new seats and fluorescent lights.

The 305/2s were initially replaced on the Lea Valley Line by British Rail Class 310 units during the late 1980s/early 1990s. Most of the 305/2s were overhauled at Doncaster, painted in Regional Railways livery and shortened to 3-car sets, before moving to the Manchester area, taking over services previously diagrammed by Class 304 units.

A handful were further repainted into Greater Manchester PTE livery, some regaining their TSO trailer and receiving additional luggage racks dedicated to the new services to Manchester Airport. Once Class 323 units were introduced, the 305s were gradually withdrawn; a few were retained on Glossop line services until track alignment was performed in 1997, allowing the longer bodied Class 323s to negotiate the sharp curves at Dinting station. The surviving units also occasionally turned up on other local services around Manchester, with the last 305 to work in the North West believed to be 305506 on 22 May 2000 operating the 20:57 from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Piccadilly. [15]

Five 305/5s (305501-502, 508, 517 and 519) moved to Glasgow Shields depot retaining their 4-car configuration; they finished their working lives running the route from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick. The last unit in service, 305517, ran its final service on 25 January 2002, operating the 17:15 North Berwick to Edinburgh Waverley; it was sent for scrap on 31 January 2002, along with 305501 and 305519.[ citation needed ]

Accidents and incidents

Preservation attempts

AC EMU Group aimed to save a Class 305 driving trailer, but by the time funding was found, they had all been scrapped, so a Class 308 driving trailer was saved instead.

Related Research Articles

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The British Rail Class 312 alternating current (AC) electric multiple units (EMUs) were built between 1975 and 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, as well as the last class of multiple unit to be built with slam 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 404</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 308</span> 1959 British electric passenger trains

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 311</span> Class of 19 three-car electric multiple units

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 487</span> Class of British electric multiple unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Classes 445 and 446</span> Prototype British electric multiple unit trainsets

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 309</span> Electric multiple unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 401</span> British electric train classification

The Southern Railway (SR) gave the designation 2-BIL to the DC third rail electric multiple units built during the 1930s to work long-distance semi-fast services on the newly electrified lines from London to Eastbourne, Portsmouth and Reading. This type of unit survived long enough in British Rail ownership to be allocated TOPS Class 401.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 419</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 303</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 310</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 504</span> 1959 British Rail electric multiple unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 503</span> Class of British electric multiple unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 302</span> 1958 British Rail electric multiple unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 304</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Fox 1994, pp. 10–11
  2. 1 2 3 4 Longworth 2015, pp. 129–130, 134–135, 158, 178–180
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Multiple-Unit Stock for New Great Eastern Electric Services". The Railway Magazine . No. January 1961. pp. 11–13.
  4. Bowles, L.J. (1985). British Rail Coaching Stock 1985. Shepperton,Surry,UK. p. 121. ISBN   9780711014558.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Longworth 2015, pp. 70–71
  6. British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume 1989. Shepperton, Surry, UK: Ian Allan. 1989. pp. 81–82. ISBN   0711018499.
  7. British Rail Coaching Stock 1983/84. Shepperton, Surry, UK: Ian Allan. 1989. pp. 103–104. ISBN   0711013527.
  8. British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume 1989. Shepperton, Surry, UK: Ian Allan. 1989. pp. 81–82. ISBN   0711018499.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Diagram Book 1986, ED204, ED205, ED216, EE209, EE210, EE220, EF205, EF206, EF304, EH223, EH302.
  10. Fox 1987, pp. 51–52
  11. Marsden, Colin (1982). Motive Power Recognition 2 EMUs. Shepperton,Surrey,UK: Ian Allan. p. 16. ISBN   0711011656.
  12. Wood, Roger (1989). British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume 1989. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan. Multiple Units, p. 82. ISBN   0711018499.
  13. SWAIN, A. (1990) British Rail Fleet Survey 11, Overhead Line Electric Multiple-Units. Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd.
  14. Cowley 1987 , p. 42
  15. "Class 305s on the LM". Modern Locomotives Illustrated . No. 228. December 2017. p. 27.
  16. McCrickard, John P (6 October 2016). "January 1990 to December 1990". Network South East Railway Society. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.

Sources

Further reading