British Rail Class 360
British Rail Class 360 Desiro | |
---|---|
Greater Anglia 360101 at Manningtree in 2017 | |
The interior of a Greater Anglia Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU | |
In service | 12 August 2003 - Current |
Manufacturer | Siemens Mobility |
Family name | Desiro |
Constructed |
2002 - 2005 2007 - 2008 (Thailand) |
Number built | 26 trainsets |
Formation | 3/4/5 cars per trainset |
Fleet numbers |
360101 - 360121 360201 - 360205 |
Capacity |
16 First, 264 Standard (360/1)[1] 16 First, 324 Standard (360/2) |
Operator(s) |
Greater Anglia TfL Rail State Railway of Thailand |
Specifications | |
Car length | 20.34 m (66 ft 9 in) |
Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
Weight | 170 tonnes (167 long tons; 187 short tons)[1] |
Power output | 1,550 kW (2,080 hp)[1] |
Acceleration | 0.98 m/s2 (3.2 ft/s2)[1] |
Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead |
Current collection method | Pantograph |
Braking system(s) | Air, regenerative |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Class 360 is an electric multiple-unit that was built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002–2003 and 2004–2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family, which also includes Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450.
Description
Unlike the South West Trains and West Coast Main Line Desiros, the Class 360 lacks inter-unit gangways. This was a late design change, as the Health and Safety Executive was not happy with the driver's visibility with the previous design's gangway cab for Driver Only Operation.
The Class 360 has air conditioning, rapid acceleration technology, and a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h).
Current operations
United Kingdom
Greater Anglia
First Great Eastern ordered 21 four-car units to replace its elderly Class 312 slam-door units. They entered service in August 2003, and by mid-2004 had completely replaced the old trains. They are primarily used on London Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea, Ipswich and Colchester Town services. They also run to Walton-on-the-Naze at peak times.
In April 2004, FirstGroup lost the franchise to National Express, which operated the Great Eastern routes as part of its National Express East Anglia franchise. The franchise is now operated by Greater Anglia. The Class 360 is not maintained by the franchise, but is under contract from Siemens for routine maintenance at Ilford Depot in east London.[2]
These are to be replaced by Bombardier Class 720 Aventra units that will be entering service in 2019 and 2020. It has not yet been announced by the rolling stock operating company where the units will go to next.[3]
TfL Rail
On 20 May 2018, TfL Rail inherited all 5 of Heathrow Connect's Class 360s, which had also allowed the use of Oyster card on this line. The Heathrow Express remains unaffected of this change, and Oyster is still not valid on the Express.
Thailand
Nine Desiro Class 360/2 units have been supplied for the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (SARL) in Thailand. Four are four-car sets for Express services running non-stop from City Air Terminal at Makkasan to the airport. Another five sets are three-cars for City Line Service stopping at all stations from Phayathai to the airport.[4]
Former operations
United Kingdom
Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect normally runs 5 five-car units operating London Paddington-Heathrow Airport stopping trains. For a period in early 2016, service was suspended to facilitate the use of the Class 360 trains on the Heathrow Express service, whose Class 332s had been taken out of service for safety reasons.
The trains entered service on 12 June 2005. These units were originally intended as Class 350s for prospective spot hire. In 2010, one unit (360205) was transferred to Heathrow Express to operate its Heathrow Terminal 4 shuttle service. Heathrow Connect was replaced by TfL Rail on 20 May 2018,[5] and subsequently all 5 units were rebranded and transferred to TfL Rail operation.[6]
Heathrow Express
For a short period of time in 2016, the Heathrow Connect service was suspended to facilitate the use of the Class 360 units on the Heathrow Express. A routine maintenance check by Siemens meant a technical issue was identified and resulted in the majority of the Class 332 units being taken out of service as a safety precaution.[7] One Class 360 unit was rebranded and given the Heathrow Express livery, being dedicated to the shuttle service linking Heathrow Terminal 4 with Heathrow Central, however this unit returned to Heathrow Connect shortly afterwards and has been under the operation of TfL Rail since 20 May 2018.
Accidents and incidents
- On 25 May 2014, unit 360205 derailed as it entered Paddington due to bogie maintenance errors, exacerbated by a track defect.[8]
Fleet details
Class | Cars per Set | No. Built | No. Range | Operator | Year Built | Remark |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 360/1 | 4 | 21 | 360101-360121 | Greater Anglia | 2002–2003 | |
Class 360/2 | 5 | 5 | 360201-360205 | TfL Rail | 2004–2005 | |
Class 360 Thailand |
4 | 4 | 1012-1014-1013-1011 1022-1024-1023-1021 1032-1034-1033-1031 1042-1044-1043-1041 |
State Railway of Thailand | 2007–2008 | for Express Line service |
3 | 5 | 2012 - 2013 - 2011 2022 - 2023 - 2021 2032 - 2033 - 2031 2042 - 2043 - 2041 2052 - 2053 - 2051 |
for City Line service |
Gallery
- First Great Eastern liveried Class 360/1 EMU No. 360109 calls at Marks Tey, with a service bound for London Liverpool Street
- The original interior of First Class cabin aboard a Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU
- The original interior of Standard Class accommodation aboard a Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU
- Refreshed First Class interior on a Class 360/1 operated by Greater Anglia.
- Refreshed Standard Class interior on a Class 360/1 operated by Greater Anglia.
- The only Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU in National Express East Anglia livery, 360115, seen departing London Liverpool Street. It was later reverted to the white stripe livery.
- Class 360/1 Desiro EMU in unbranded First Great Eastern livery with Abellio Greater Anglia white stripe added on the side at London Liverpool Street
- Brand new Heathrow Connect Siemens Class 360/2 Desiro EMU No. 360203 at London Paddington, in the dedicated platform for Heathrow airport services
- Heathrow Express Class 360/2 Desiro EMU No. 360205 formerly operated the Terminal 4 shuttle (it is now a TfL Rail Elizabeth Line unit).
- Desiro built for use on the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link in Thailand
- Inside Desiro Class 360/2 Suvarnabhumi Airport Link City Line Train
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 360. |
- 1 2 3 4 Desiro UK Class 360 Multiple Unit Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine. - Siemens Mobility. Page 37. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ↑ Class 360 - National Express East Anglia - Siemens. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ http://www.eadt.co.uk/home/so-where-will-greater-anglia-s-old-trains-go-1-4746986
- ↑ "Bangkok Desiro deliveries begin", Railway Gazette International, 10 September 2007.
- ↑ "Heathrow Airport". Crossrail. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ↑ "TfL Rail on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ↑ "Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect service update". Heathrow Express. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
- ↑ "Derailment of an empty passenger train at Paddington station 25 May 2014" (PDF). Rail Accidents Investigation Branch. Retrieved 17 June 2016.