British Rail Class 311
Encyclopedia
The British Rail
Class 311 alternating current
(AC) electric multiple unit
s (EMU) were built by Cravens
at Sheffield
in 1967. They were intended for use on the line from to and , which was electrified in 1967.
units built in 1960. The interiors were also very similar, although the Class 311s had fluorescent lighting (unlike the Class 303s which were fitted with tungsten filament bulbs).
Along with the Class 303s, the wrap-around driving cab windows were replaced with flat, toughened glass in the 1970s to give better protection to drivers in the event of attacks by stone-throwing vandals.
system, and the units were renumbered 311092-110. Each unit was formed of three carriages; two outer driving trailers, an intermediate motor coach. The technical description of the formation was BDTCOL+MBSO+DTSO. Individual carriages were numbered as follows:
.
In practice, the Class 311s operated almost interchangeably with the Class 303s. The units could be found in service across the Glasgow electrified suburban network (north and south of the Clyde, and as far south as Ayr).
Consideration was given to upgrading 11 of the units for the Ayr line electrification until it was found to be cheaper to buy 21 of the new Class 318
units and the plan was cancelled.
After being withdrawn from normal traffic, two units, nos. 311103/104 were transferred to departmental duties as Class 936
sandite units, nos. 936103/104. These lasted in service until 1999, when they were withdrawn. They were not scrapped immediately as Railtrack
was anxious to ensure that one of the units was preserved. In 2002, Railtrack donated one of the units to the Summerlee Heritage Park
museum in Coatbridge
. The other unit was scrapped in 2003.
One of the driving coaches on the unit donated to Summerlee was subsequently scrapped as part of the refurbishment of the museum.
This unit was the former Class 936
sandite unit, no. 936103, formed of 977844+977845+977846.
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
Class 311 alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s (EMU) were built by Cravens
Cravens
Cravens Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Limited was a railway rolling stock builder in the Darnall district of Sheffield, England. Cravens built many diagrams of coaching stock for the Pre-grouping Railway companies of Great Britain, the Grouped companies and for British Railways itself. They...
at Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in 1967. They were intended for use on the line from to and , which was electrified in 1967.
Appearance
Outwardly, the units were virtually identical to the earlier Class 303British Rail Class 303
The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced in 1960 for the electrification of the North Clyde and the Cathcart Circle lines in Strathclyde...
units built in 1960. The interiors were also very similar, although the Class 311s had fluorescent lighting (unlike the Class 303s which were fitted with tungsten filament bulbs).
Along with the Class 303s, the wrap-around driving cab windows were replaced with flat, toughened glass in the 1970s to give better protection to drivers in the event of attacks by stone-throwing vandals.
Construction
19 units were built, initially classified as AM11 units, and numbered 092-110. This was later changed to Class 311 under the TOPSTOPS
Total Operations Processing System, or TOPS, is a computer system for managing the locomotives and rolling stock owned by a rail system...
system, and the units were renumbered 311092-110. Each unit was formed of three carriages; two outer driving trailers, an intermediate motor coach. The technical description of the formation was BDTCOL+MBSO+DTSO. Individual carriages were numbered as follows:
- 76403-76421 - BDTCOL
- 62163-62181 - MBSO
- 76422-76440 - DTSO
Operations
The units were built to operate services on the newly electrified routes from to and to ; now known as the Gourock and Wemyss Bay branches of the Inverclyde LineInverclyde Line
The Inverclyde Line is a railway line running from Glasgow Central station through Paisley and a series of stations to the south of the River Clyde and the Firth of Clyde, terminating at Gourock and Wemyss Bay, where it connects to Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services...
.
In practice, the Class 311s operated almost interchangeably with the Class 303s. The units could be found in service across the Glasgow electrified suburban network (north and south of the Clyde, and as far south as Ayr).
Consideration was given to upgrading 11 of the units for the Ayr line electrification until it was found to be cheaper to buy 21 of the new Class 318
British Rail Class 318
The British Rail Class 318 is an electric multiple unit train, which operates exclusively in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network in West Central Scotland. The units were introduced fully on 29 September 1986 as part of the electrification of the Ayrshire Coast Line between and...
units and the plan was cancelled.
Withdrawal
Being a much smaller fleet, the Class 311s were replaced (in the 1990s) earlier than the Class 303s.After being withdrawn from normal traffic, two units, nos. 311103/104 were transferred to departmental duties as Class 936
British Rail Class 936
The British Rail Class 936 was reserved for former electrical multiple units not from the South-East, converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, and de-icing duties.Merseyrail Units...
sandite units, nos. 936103/104. These lasted in service until 1999, when they were withdrawn. They were not scrapped immediately as Railtrack
Railtrack
Railtrack was a group of companies that owned the track, signalling, tunnels, bridges, level crossings and all but a handful of the stations of the British railway system from its formation in April 1994 until 2002...
was anxious to ensure that one of the units was preserved. In 2002, Railtrack donated one of the units to the Summerlee Heritage Park
Summerlee Heritage Park
Summerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, formerly known as Summerlee Heritage Park is an award-winning industrial museum in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland...
museum in Coatbridge
Coatbridge
Coatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era...
. The other unit was scrapped in 2003.
One of the driving coaches on the unit donated to Summerlee was subsequently scrapped as part of the refurbishment of the museum.
Preservation
- 311103 - 76414+62174+76433 - Summerlee Heritage ParkSummerlee Heritage ParkSummerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, formerly known as Summerlee Heritage Park is an award-winning industrial museum in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland...
, CoatbridgeCoatbridgeCoatbridge is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. The town, with neighbouring Airdrie, is part of the Greater Glasgow urban area. The first settlement of the area stretches back to the Stone Age era...
(One driver trailer since scrapped)
This unit was the former Class 936
British Rail Class 936
The British Rail Class 936 was reserved for former electrical multiple units not from the South-East, converted for departmental use. Units were converted for various tasks, including application of sandite, and de-icing duties.Merseyrail Units...
sandite unit, no. 936103, formed of 977844+977845+977846.