British Rail Class 303

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A pair of Class 303s in the old, 1980s onwards, Strathclyde Passenger Transport orange livery at Glasgow Central station.
Photograph used by kind permission of James Howie.

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. They were initially classified as AM3 units before the introduction of TOPS.

The units were later used on the Inverclyde and Argyle lines of the Glasgow suburban railway network as various electrification schemes came to fruition.

[edit] Description

Ninety-one 3-car units were built by Pressed Steel at Linwood near Paisley, from 1959-1961, although they were not introduced into service until 1960. A further 19 near-identical Class 311 units were built in 1967 following the Inverclyde electrification, although these units were built by Cravens in Sheffield.

When new, the units were initially numbered in the range 001-091, but were later renumbered to 303001-091. Each unit consisted of 3-cars coupled together in a semi-permanent formation, and up to four sets could be operated in multiple to form up to a 12-car formation. Although 6-car formations were frequent, there were occaisions when 9-car formations operated with passengers. 12-car formations were usually only seen as a result of train failures or ECS workings to the depots at Shields Road or Hyndland. The two outer carriages of each unit were driving trailers, with an intermediate motor coach containing the motor bogies and electrical gear. Units operated from the standard 25kV AC overhead system, with power collection via a pantograph on the motor coach. The technical description of the formation was DTSO+MBSO+BDTSO. Individual vehicle numbers are shown below.

• 75566-75600 and 75746-75801 - DTSO
• 61481-61515 and 61812-61867 - MBSO
• 75601-75635 and 75802-75857 - BDTSO

The class was built in two batches; units 303001-035 were built 1959-60 (nominally for the North Clyde) and units 303036-091 were built 1960-61 (nominally for the Cathcart Circle).

Based on the Mark 1 bodyshell design, the 303s utilised electrical gear made by Metrovick. The 303s were originally dual voltage - parts of the North Clyde Line and Cathcart Circle electrification was limited to 6.25kV (rather than the standard 25kV arrangement) due to limitations in insulation technology, although this feature was rendered redundant as 25kV was eventually standardised across the entire line. Following a series of transformer explosions, the entire stock of Class 303s had to be hastily withdrawn from service after only a few weeks' service. The old steam-operated service was temporarily reinstated whilst urgent modifications were made. This also delay the handing over of the Cathcart Circle service to electric operation.

The units had many features which made them state of the art at the time of their introduction. This included the use of pneumatically operated sliding passenger doors (the only Mark 1 based EMU to use this feature), with passenger-operated opening buttons. In practice, the doors were usually operated by the train guard (later driver, after modification for driver-only operation). Other distinctive features included the wrap-around front cab windows (although these were removed in the 1970s) and the glass partitions in the carriages which allowed passengers in the front and rearmost carriages to see the drivers' view of the track. This was particularly appreciated in the scenic riverside areas around Craigendoran and Helensburgh.

Following the electrification of the lines from Glasgow Central to Gourock and Wemyss Bay in 1967, the Class 303s started to be used interchangibly with the almost indentical new Class 311s. The interiors of the Class 303s were fitted with tungsten light bulbs whilst the Class 311s had fluorescent lighting.

The Class 303 fleet were nicknamed the "Blue Trains" upon their introduction, owing to the striking Caledonian Blue livery. This was later changed to the standard BR Blue, quickly superseded by BR Blue/Grey livery in the later 1960s and early 1970s.

[edit] Refurbishment

In 1984, the ScotRail-sector of British Rail began a major refurbishment programme for 50 of the 25-year old units. To conform to contemporary health and safety standards the asbestos insulation was removed. Among the many improvements, connection doors between coaches and a new type of push button passenger door controls were introduced along with all-new interiors, new fluorescent lighting and most units received new "hopper-style" windows. The new seating was controversial - it was almost identical to that of the Class 314, albeit with a 2+2 configuration. This allow for many more standing passengers, but with far fewer seats than previously. The original seating was deep sprung and (arguably) far more comfortable.

The glass bulkheads behind the driving cabs was another casualty of the refurbishment - passengers could no longer see the driver's view through the front windows. Following refurbishment, units were repainted in the striking new orange/black livery introduced by newly-created Strathclyde PTE.

[edit] Decline

Most of the remaining unfurbished units were withdrawn at the end of the 1980s, following introduction of new Class 320 units introduced on the North Clyde route in 1990. In 1984, following a decline in passengers in the Glasgow area, several Class 303s were transferred to Manchester to replace the Class 506s previously used on the lines to Hadfield and Glossop. All but one of these, no. 303048, were withdrawn by the mid-1990s. This unit was transferred north again to Glasgow, and retained in unfurbished condition for special trains. It was originally intended to preserved this unit, but due to asbestos-contamination it was scrapped in 1996.

Following privatisation of British Rail, the surviving 40 units passed to the ScotRail franchise. By now electrification around Glasgow had spread, and units could be found working on many routes, such as those to Gourock, Balloch, Motherwell, Coatbridge and Ardossan Town to name a few. Four units, nos. 303019/021/023/087 received SPT's attractive new carmine/cream livery.

However, the Class 303 fleet was on borrowed-time. As part of ScotRail's franchise commitment, new Class 334 "Juniper" units were built from 1999-2000 by Alstom to replace the last of the elderly units. After a plagued introduction, the "Juniper" fleet started to enter service in large numbers on the SPT network in 2001/2002, allowing the Class 303 units to be withdrawn. Following withdrawal, the units were towed to Immingham RFT for scrap. The last Class 303 train operated on the North Clyde Line on 30 December 2002, specially formed of two units, nos. 303011 and 303088. When the service terminated at Helensburgh Central, the era of the 303 was finally over.

Through its 42-year career, the Class 303 fleet was a much loved and accepted part of the fabric of Glaswegian life, and happily one unit has been saved for preservation.

[edit] Further Use

A few vehicles were converted for departmental use, following withdrawal from service.

• BDTSO 75613 from unit 303013 is currently used by the British Transport Police at Gravesend.
• Unit 303049 was converted into a test unit, numbered 303999. It was used by Network SouthEast from 1991 until 1996, and was later scrapped.

[edit] Preservation

One complete unit has been saved for preservation. It is a hybrid unit consisting of the driving vehicles from set 303032 and the motor coach from 303023, which replaced 303032's own damaged motor coach. Unit 303023 was one of only four to carry the later SPT carmine/cream livery.

A complete Class 311 unit, which were almost identical to the Class 303s, has also been preserved.

[edit] External links

• http://www.eastbank.btinternet.co.uk/303.htm , a web-page dedicated to the Blue Train