British Rail Class 318

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British Rail Class 318
Hyndland - Abellio 318262 Cumbernauld service.JPG
ScotRail Class 318 at Hyndland in 2016
318255 Interior.jpg
Interior of a refurbished Abellio ScotRail Class 318
In service29 September 1986 –present
Manufacturer British Rail Engineering Limited
Built at Holgate Road Works, York
Family nameBR Second Generation (Mark 3)
ReplacedBR First Generation DMUs
Constructed1985–1986 [1]
Refurbished
Kilmarnock [2] [3]
Number built21
Formation3 cars per unit:
DTSOL-MSO-DTSO
Diagram
  • DTSOL vehicles: EE227
  • MSO vehicles: EC207
  • DTSO vehicles: EE228
Fleet numbers318250–318270
CapacityAs built: 216 seats
Owners Eversholt Rail Group [4]
Operators ScotRail
Depots Shields Road (Glasgow) [1]
Specifications
Car body construction Steel
Car length
  • DTS vehs.: 19.830 m (65 ft 0.7 in)
  • MS vehs.: 19.920 m (65 ft 4.3 in)
Width2.816 m (9 ft 2.9 in)
Height3.774 m (12 ft 4.6 in)
DoorsDouble-leaf pocket sliding, each 1.010 m (3 ft 3.8 in) wide(2 per side per car)
Wheelbase Over bogie centres:
14.170 m (46 ft 5.9 in)
Maximum speed90 mph (145 km/h)
Weight
  • DTSOL vehs.: 30.1 t (29.6 long tons; 33.2 short tons)
  • MSO vehs.: 50.9 t (50.1 long tons; 56.1 short tons)
  • DTSO vehs.: 29.6 t (29.1 long tons; 32.6 short tons)
Traction motors 4 × GEC G315BZ [5] or Brush TM21-41 [1]
Power output990 kW (1,328 hp) [5] [1]
Acceleration 0.56 m/s2 (1.3 mph/s) max. [4]
Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s) Pantograph (Stone Faiveley AMBR)
UIC classification 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Bogies
  • Powered: BREL BP20
  • Unpowered: BREL BT13
Minimum turning radius 70.4 m (231 ft 0 in)
Braking system(s) Electro-pneumatic (disc)
Safety system(s)
Coupling system Tightlock
Multiple working Within class, and with Class 320
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Notes/references
Specifications as at October 1986 [6] except where otherwise noted.

The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train which operates in west central Scotland. The units were introduced on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between Glasgow Central and Ayr/Ardrossan with alternating current (AC) overhead lines. Their use was extended to Largs in January 1987. They were also used on the Inverclyde Line in small numbers. The trains currently operate Argyle Line (including services to Lanark from Glasgow Central High Level), Cathcart Circle Line, North Clyde Line, Whifflet Line, Paisley Canal Line and Inverclyde Line services. Following the withdrawal of the Class 314 fleet in 2019, these units are the oldest working EMUs in Scotland, having been in revenue-earning service for more than 38 years.

Contents

Background and history

Class 318 at Fairlie in the first month of electric operation 318 253 at Fairlie.JPG
Class 318 at Fairlie in the first month of electric operation
Class 318 in original orange and black Strathclyde Transport livery at Ardrossan Harbour in 1990 Adrossan(1).jpg
Class 318 in original orange and black Strathclyde Transport livery at Ardrossan Harbour in 1990

Effectively a three-car version of the Class 317, 21 of these British Rail Mark 3-based units were built by BREL York works between 1985–1986 to replace the elderly Class 101, Class 107, Class 120 and Class 126 diesel multiple units (DMUs) which had worked the Glasgow South Western sector for nearly 30 years. The technical description of the units are DTSO+MSO+DTSO, consisting of a central motor car (with a roof mounted Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph and four traction motors located under the floor within both bogies (two motors per bogie)) with a driving trailer at either end. The units run on the standard 25  kV AC overhead line system, and are standard-class throughout.

The units have a maximum speed of 90 mph (145 km/h) and up to four sets can be worked in multiple to form a 12-car set, although platforms are capable only of handling eight-car trains. The Class 318 can also operate in multiple with the slightly newer Class 320 in a six-car formation, regularly used on the North Clyde and Argyle Lines. Upon the introduction of the Class 334 on Ayrshire/Inverclyde routes in 2001, both the Class 334 and Class 318 were found operating the North Clyde and Argyle Lines together.

Accidents and incidents

Front view of 318254 shortly after the crash at Largs station Image-Largs0.jpg
Front view of 318254 shortly after the crash at Largs station

Refurbishment

2005-2007

Class 318 in SPT livery with original front end at Gourock in July 2006 British Rail Class 318 at Gourock.jpg
Class 318 in SPT livery with original front end at Gourock in July 2006
Class 318 with revised front end at Glasgow Central Low Level in 2011 318 Lowlevel.JPG
Class 318 with revised front end at Glasgow Central Low Level in 2011

Between 2005 and 2007, all Class 318s underwent a refurbishment by Hunslet-Barclay which involved the removal of the corridor connection on the driving cars allowing the provision of a full-width driver's cab. [11] The passenger accommodation was also improved, with new passenger door controls, a repainted interior, new seat moquette and flooring, and new grab handles. New lighting was also fitted, with similar shades to the Class 320 units along with LED lights for cab indicators and marker lights. New passenger information systems, similar to those seen on other trains, were installed. [11]

In September 2008 the Scottish Government's agency Transport Scotland announced that all ScotRail trains (including from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) would eventually be repainted in a new blue livery with white Saltire markings on the carriage ends. Since the units had recently been refurbished and repainted, they would be the last in the EMU fleet to be repainted in Saltire livery. In the interim, all units had their "SPT Rail" naming removed, leaving them with an unbranded SPT livery.

2013-2017

Two Class 318s stand at Partick station wearing both pre and post-refurbishment liveries in 2017. Old and New 318.jpg
Two Class 318s stand at Partick station wearing both pre and post-refurbishment liveries in 2017.

The Class 318 units received a second refurbishment between October 2013 and October 2017.

The work included:

The refurbishment programme of the Class 318 fleet was completed in October 2017.

2021-2023

The Class 318 units received a third refurbishment between December 2021 and September 2023. [2] [3]

This work included:

Fleet details

ClassOperatorQty.Year builtCars per unitUnit nos.
318ScotRail211985–19863318250–318270

Vehicle numbering

Individual vehicles are numbered in the ranges as follows: [5]

DTSOLMSODTSO
77240–77259, 7728862866–62885, 6289077260–77279, 77289

Named units

Some units have received names: [12]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Marsden, C. J. (2007). "Class 318" . Traction Recognition. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 170–171. ISBN   978-0-7110-3277-4. OCLC   230804946. OL   16902750M.
  2. 1 2 "Class 318". Units. Rail Express . No. 330. November 2023. p. 21.
  3. 1 2 "Brodie's final refurbished '318' released". Rail Magazine . No. 994. 18 October 2023. p. 18.
  4. 1 2 "Class 318". London: Eversholt Rail. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Class 318" . British Rail Motive Power Combined Volume. Shepperton: Ian Allan. 1989. Multiple-Units p. 99. ISBN   978-0-7110-1849-5. OCLC   931408393. OL   32082500M.
  6. ↑ Vehicle Diagram Book No. 210 for Electric Multiple Units (including A.P.T.) (PDF). Derby: Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Department, British Railways Board. October 1986. EC207, EE227, EE228 (in work pp. 84–85 & 168–171). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015 – via Barrowmore MRG.
  7. ↑ firstInsight. First ScotRail. March 2005.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ Rail Accident Report 04/2009: Derailment near Exhibition Centre station, Glasgow, 3 September 2007 (PDF). Derby: Rail Accident Investigation Branch, Department for Transport. February 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "Passengers hurt as trains collide". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Services cancelled after ScotRail train derails". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. May 2022. p. 17.
  11. 1 2 "Class 318 C6X Refurbishment". Loughborough: Brush Traction Group. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011.
  12. ↑ "Class 318". Modern Locomotives Illustrated . No. 225. June 2017. pp. 26–33.

Further reading

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