British Rail Class 307

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British Rail Class 307
British Railways Class 307 train in plain blue livery and a BRUTE at London Liverpool Street station.
In service	1953 - 2000
Manufacturer	BR Eastleigh Works
Refurbishment	1983 - 1984
Number built	32 Trainset
Formation	4 cars per trainset
Operator	British Rail
Specifications
Maximum speed	75mph 121km/h
Weight	Total - 153 tons
Braking system	Air (Auto/EP)

British Railways class 307 train in plain blue livery on a working to Southend Victoria awaits its correct departure time at London Liverpool Street station. The frosted windows denote the location of the toilets. The second carriage includes some first class seating.

The British Rail Class 307 electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh Works from 1954-1956. They were initially classified as AM7 before the introduction of TOPS.

[edit] Description

Thirty-two of these 4-car units were built for services on the Great Eastern, Liverpool Street-Shenfield-Southend Victoria. The units were constructed to a similar design to the third-rail EPB units introduced by the Southern Region a few years earlier. However there were several differences, most notably a slightly different front cab (with narrower cab windows)[Not so, see discussion page] and also a different seating arrangement.

The AM7 units were constructed to operate off the 1500 V DC overhead system used on Eastern Region suburban lines. However, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, these lines were converted to the 6.25 kV / 25 kV AC overhead system, which was adopted as standard, and coincided with the introduction of new AM2 units. Therefore, from 1960-1962 the entire AM7 fleet was extensively rebuilt at Eastleigh Works to allow units to operate off the new voltage system.

All units were formed of four-cars. When originally built, units were numbered in the range 01s-32s, and were composed of two outer driving trailers, an intermediate trailer composite (i.e. with some first-class seating), and an intermediate motor brake. When the units were converted from DC to AC in 1960, they were extensively rebuilt. The work including moving the guard's compartment from the motor coach to one of the driving trailers. At the same time, units were renumbered into the range 101-132.

From 1983-1984 the fleet was refurbished. Work involved replacing all compartments with open saloons, and the fitting of gangways between vehicles within a unit. The first-class seating was also moved from the trailer to the non-brake driving trailer. During this period, units were renumbered 307101-307132.

Details of the vehicle designations are shown below.

Refurbished British Railways class 307 train showing the special headboard carried at the launch of the first refurbished train.

The front of a refurbished British Railways class 307 train without the headboard. Behind can be seen part of a class 315 train.

Side view of a refurbished British Railways class 307 train, showing that it has also been repainted in blue / grey livery and that the 1st class seating has been relocated - and converted from compartment with side corridor to 'open' format.

Inside a refurbished British Railways class 307 train showing the high capacity 2+3 standard / second class seating.

[edit] Operations

When new, these units were used on the newly electrified Great Eastern, Liverpool Street-Shenfield-Southend Victoria line, on the Southend semi-fast services. In 1960 this line were re-electrified from 1500v DC to 25kV AC overhead, neccessitating the rebuild of the fleet.

Following refurbishment in 1983, the fleet saw continued use on both the LTS and Great Eastern routes. From 1986, a few units were repainted in the bold new Network SouthEast (NSE) livery. By 1990, however, the class had been displaced from the LTS route by Class 310 units, themselves cascaded from the West Coast Main Line following introduction of new Class 321/4 units, supplemented temporarily by ex-"Bed-Pan" Class 317 units. the units did not last much longer on the Great Eastern route, following introduction of new Class 321/3 and cascaded Class 312 units.

By 1991, all units had been withdrawn from NSE services. However, five units, nos. 307105/111/120/122/130, were given a reprieve, and were overhauled at Doncaster Works, for use on the newly electrified Leeds-Doncaster line. They received the attractive West Yorkshire Metro maroon livery. The use of these units was intended as a stop-gap until three new dedicated Class 321/9 units entered service. The final units were withdrawn in early 1993.

Following withdrawal, large-scale scrapping of the class was delayed as it was intended to rebuild the units as Class 300 parcels units. This plan was dropped in favour of the new-build Class 325 units. However, many of the driving trailer vehicles were eventually rebuilt as Propelling Control Vehicles (see below). The redundant intermediate trailers and motor vehicles were eventually scrapped.

[edit] Further Use

[edit] Departmental Use

Following withdrawal from service, several units were converted for further use as departmental vehicles. These are listed below.

[edit] Crash Tests

Units 307101, 307106 and 307121 were used a crash-test units at Old Dalby, for use in simulated crashes for safety purposes.

[edit] Class 316 Testbed unit

Unit 307118 was converted into a test unit for the 'Holec' three-phase AC traction motors and associated electrical gear used in the Class 323 EMUs. As 316998, the BDTBSO coach had its seating removed and the electrical equipment mounted in the passenger cabin and cooling provided via a large grill fitted in place of the guards doors on the left hand side. The pantograph well was also revised bringing it closer towards the cab.

Later, the unit was altered for 750v DC third rail operation, the pickup shoes being mounded on the former MSO as well as renumbering to 316997. After testing, the unit was stored at the back of Eastleigh T&RSMD. Scrapping took place at Caerwent in July 2006.

[edit] Postal Conversions

Propelling Control Vehicle, NAA 94308 propelling a train into Plymouth station on 29th August 2003. This vehicle is painted in unbranded Rail Express Systems livery.

In the early 1990s, the British Rail parcels sector Rail Express Systems identified the need for driving trailers to operate in push-pull mode with a locomotive. This would remove the time consuming process of changing the locomotive to other end of the train to allow it to leave a terminus. These new vehicles were called Propelling Control Vehicles (PCVs), since it was envisaged that they would only be used to propel a train into or out of a terminus, and not used at high-speed or over long distances.

It was decided to convert the vehicles from the many redundant Class 307 vehicles that were stored at various locations around the country. In 1994, two vehicles were rebuilt as prototype PCV vehicles, and under went an extensive testing procedure. In the period 1994-1996, a further 40 redundant driving trailer vehicles were rebuilt by Hunslet-Barclay in Kilmarnock.

The rebuilding work including removal of the windows and slam-doors, the fitting of roller-shutter doors, and modernisation of the cab. The vehicles were given the TOPS code NAA and were numbered in the range 94300-327 (for former DTCOL vehicles)and 94331-345 (for former DTBSO vehicles).

Vehicle nos. 94300/301 were the prototype Propelling Control Vehicles. Due to their non-standard nature, they have since had their push-pull equipment isolated and are used as standard parcels vans. To reflect this change, the two vehicles have been renumbered to 95300/301.

Details of the vehicles converted to PCVs are shown below.

Carriages nos. 94303/07/10/11/15/16/17/20/22/31/34/36/37/38/39/40/ have been sold for scrap (CF Booths). And 94305/09/19/21/25/41/42/45 ( TJ Thompson )

[edit] Preservation

One driving Brake trailer from unit 307123 has been saved for preservation.

• 75023 - Walthamstow Pump House Museum (website). Restoration on going.

One vehicle, DTBSO no. 75018 (ex-977708) was bought by the AC Loco Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed for spares recovery. It was Scrapped at Caerwent MOD in 2006.