ScotRail Class 320 EMUs 2020 - 2023

Описание: This video is like four months later, but here we are!

The British Rail Class 320 EMU is a three car electric multiple unit commuter train built between 1987 and 1990 for work on the Glasgow Suburban North network later the North Clyde Line to replace the ageing Class 303/AM3 and 311/AM11 blue trains of 1960 and 1967 respectively. Twenty two 3 car EMUs were built at BREL’s York Holgate Road works and started entering passenger service in 1990, like all rolling stock in the region of the time it was painted in Strathclyde Transport’s Red and Black livery. They started to replace Class 303/311s operating on the North Clyde Line from Helensburgh, Balloch and Milngavie through to Airdrie, Drumgelloch and Springburn. The units were equipped with a Brecknell Willis High Speed Pantograph and four Brush TM21-41 traction motors (similar to the older 318) but these units only had a maximum permitted speed of 75mph due to the closer nature of the stations and stop/start operations. They have been operated as DOO from the beginning as issued in the “Strathclyde Manning Agreement” of 1985 which entailed all electric trains operating in the Strathclyde region of ScotRail should be fully DOO by the 1990s. When British Rail was privatised in 1997, National Express inherited the ScotRail franchise, but on a contract to the new Strathclyde Passenger Transport which would see the units repainted into a new Crimson and Cream livery (inspired by the blood and custard of the 50s and 60s). The first unit was chosen to wear an experimental version of the livery with a low waistband and that was 320306 which was named “Model Rail Scotland” after the Model Railway Show’s 30th Anniversary. The second unit to wear a prototype livery with a much higher waistband was 320307, like 156433 both these units were repainted with grey roofs, the final livery production was applied to units 308 - 322 with several gaining names, 308/309/311/312/321/322 were all progressively named over the next few years. In 2002, the units were all extensively refurbished with brand new moquette for the seats, PIS displays and vinyl flooring. The external design screens were also changed from Vultron to Dot-matrix. The livery was also revised with a newer SPT logo (similar to the one used on 170470/471 and the 334s) also added was full cream doors (to comply with the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations Act or RVAR) during this time, the franchise was passed from National Express to FirstGroup under First ScotRail. They still contracted to run the trains under the SPT brand until 2008 when SPT was replaced by Transport Scotland and by then it was decided that all trains in Scotland (including the SPT area) should carry one livery dubbed ScotRail Saltire with white saltire cross markings on the carriage ends and a blue body with grey doors. By this point, the Airdrie to Bathgate line had reopened and been electrified as the DOO operations was solely for 334/380 operations as they featured internal CCTV cameras. Class 320s were gradually replaced on the main North Clyde services by 334s who in-turn were also cascaded from Ayrshire Coast workings by newer Class 380 “Desiro” units. This allowed for yaw dampers to be fitted to the class so they could be paired up with Class 318s and have a maximum speed of 90mph to operate on Argyle Line services shared with the West Coast Main Line to Lanark. And from December 2010, Class 320s started to appear on Argyle Line duties to Lanark, Larkhall, Motherwell and Coatbridge. The first unit to be refurbished externally was 320306 in August 2011 with all twenty two being completed by December 2013, all units kept their SPT interiors (like the Class 156s), they appeared on services to Cumbernauld and via Whifflet from December 2014. The franchise passed onto Abellio ScotRail in April 2015 who decided to take on seven Class 321/4s coming off lease from London Midland as they were looking to replace the fleet with fifteen Class 319s off lease from Thameslink. And from 2016 Class 320/4s 411 - 417 joined the ScotRail fleet to increase capacity on the suburban services, by this point their operations extended to cover the Cathcart Circle and peak-time Inverclyde services with Lanark services being moved to Glasgow Central High Level. Five more ex Great Northern Class 321/4s 401//403/404/418/420 joined the ScotRail fleet in 2018 when all Class 320s from both batches would undergo an extensive internal overhaul including adding power sockets and Wi-Fi plus relaid floor vinyls and moquette being in the saltire blue. In May 2019, both the class and the 318s started to appear on regular Inverclyde and Paisley Canal diagrams to cover for replacing Class 314s that previously ran them. Their third overhaul came in 2020 when they were sent to Bonnyton Works for a T-BOX overhaul of the electrical equipment and motors with this now being completed as of 2024.