British Rail Class 325
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| British Rail Class 325 | |
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 Three Class 325 heading north through Crewe in July 2006. |
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| In service | 1995 - |
| Manufacturer | BREL |
| Number built | 16 |
| Specifications | |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
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Similar in end-on appearance to a Class 365 or Class 465 Networker unit, the Class 325 was British Rail's newest unit (in the late 1980s & early 1990s) to take over parcels working on electrified lines. The units were built between 1988 & 1995
[edit] History
The 16 units were built by ABB, unlike the Networker units which were built at BREL York, between 1988 & 1995 and were fitted with large round oleo buffers. They are very similar to the Class 319s, sharing the same traction equipment and body design, but are fitted with cabs of the same design as the Networkers. TOPS numbers are on the front under the driver's window, and were in a non-standard font. The livery was Post Office red, with two yellow stripes running along the lower bodyside before turning sharply backwards and pointing up towards the roof, black cab window surrounds and a full yellow warning panel. Four cars made up each set, with roller doors in place of sliding ones and no windows. They were provided with a pantograph to pick up power from the 25 kV AC overhead wires, and also a shoe to pick up power off the 750 V DC third rail.
After introduction, which was relatively trouble-free (although the fact that the Class 325 shares traction equipment with the Class 319 was a big factor), the units settled into carrying parcels and mail from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh at 100 mph (161 km/h), at which they were successful.
Privatisation of British Rail placed the units under EWS control to operate the postal trains that they inherited. Such work continued alongside Class 86s up the West Coast Main Line and East Coast Main Line until 2003, when Royal Mail withdrew the postal contracts resulting in a decrease in use until the units entered store following the end of work.
Upon GB Railfreight gaining a new contract for mail transport over Christmas 2004, the Class 325s returned to limited work operating in multiple. Again, work with locomotive haulage occurred, but now they were more powerful and younger Class 87s. The haulage was provided more to keep up route and traction knowledge for the Class 87s than because of any unreliability with the Class 325s. Although the powered vehicles were removed from some sets, they have now been re-instated. A traction reshuffle saw the Class 325s resume service with their power cars and without locomotive haulage.
For now, despite few calls on the fleet's abilities to easily handle vast quantities of mail, a secure future seems assured. It is hoped that more work will be opened up by Royal Mail in due course. At present, there is a decided case of under-utilisation of assets, as they are capable of far more than is being done with them. No more than six are in service each day, leaving ten spare.
There has been suggestion that the Class 325s could be converted to passenger use, but although this would be possible, by replacing the roller doors with sliding doors, and fitting windows, as well as internal fittings, the cost would unlikely justify the benefit compared to just purchasing new trains.
[edit] External links
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