British Rail Class 360

The British Rail Class 360 is an electric multiple-unit class that was built by Siemens between 2002 and 2005. Part of the Siemens Desiro family, they are currently operated by East Midlands Railway.

British Rail Class 360 Desiro
Heathrow Connect 360202 at Southall in 2017
Interior of a Greater Anglia Class 360/1
In service12 August 2003 – present
ManufacturerSiemens Mobility
Built atKrefeld, Germany
Family nameDesiro
ReplacedClass 312
Constructed2002 - 2005
Number built26 sets
Formation4/5 carriages
Fleet numbers360101 - 360121
360201 - 360205
Capacity16 First, 264 Standard (360/1)[1]
16 First, 324 Standard (360/2)
Operator(s)East Midlands Railway
Specifications
Car length20.34 m (66 ft 8 3⁄4 in)
Width2.8 m (9 ft 2 1⁄4 in)
Maximum speed360/1: 110 mph (180 km/h)
360/2: 100 mph (160 km/h)
Weight170 tonnes (167 long tons; 187 short tons)[1]
Power output1,550 kW (2,080 hp)[1]
Acceleration0.98 m/s2 (3.2 ft/s2)[1]
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead
Current collection methodPantograph
Braking system(s)Air, regenerative
Safety system(s)AWS, TPWS, ATP (360/2 only)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Description

Class 360/1
Greater Anglia 360101 at Manningtree in December 2017

First Great Eastern ordered 21 four-car Class 360/1s to replace its slam-door Class 312s. Built in Krefeld Germany, the units feature air conditioning, plug doors, CCTV, a wheelchair area, and first class at the cab ends. After being tested at the Wildenrath, Germany and Velim, Czech Republic test tracks, the first entered service in August 2003.[2][3] In February 2004, 360115 returned to Wildenrath for tests aimed at improving pantograph performance.[4]

They are primarily used on Great Eastern Main Line services from London Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town and Ipswich. They also run to Walton-on-the-Naze and the Mayflower line. They have on occasions operated through to Norwich.[5]

In April 2004, the Great Eastern franchise was merged into the Greater Anglia franchise that was awarded to National Express East Anglia. All passed with the franchise to Greater Anglia in February 2012. The Class 360s are not maintained by the franchise, but under contract by Siemens at Ilford EMU Depot.[6]

These are to be replaced by Class 720s and will move to East Midlands Railway (EMR) to operate services on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to Corby from May 2021.[7][8] They will have their 3+2 seating replaced with 2+2 and be modified to operate at 110 mph (180 km/h).[9] They will be based at Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot.[10][11]

Beginning in June 2020, all were cycled through Siemens at Kings Heath Depot, Northampton to be modified for 110 mph (180 km/h) operation.[12] The first was transferred to EMR's Cricklewood Depot in November 2020.[13]

Class 360/2
TfL Rail 360205 at London Paddington in July 2019

In June 2003 Heathrow Connect ordered four Class 360/2s for its London Paddington to Heathrow Airport stopping trains.[14][15] These were built using four trains that had been built for Angel Trains as a speculative order numbered 350001 to 350004. Only 350001 came to England, being used for training by South West Trains at Northam Carriage Servicing Depot. The others remained at the Wildenrath test track in Germany.[16][17]

The first arrived at Old Oak Common TMD in November 2004.[18] Services commenced in June 2005.[19] An extra set was ordered arriving in England in November 2005, but didn't enter service for 12 months.[20] In 2007 additional carriages were delivered to increase all sets to five carriages.[21][22] In 2010, 360205 was revinyled into Heathrow Express livery to operate its Heathrow Central to Heathrow Terminal 4 shuttle.[23]

In May 2018 TfL Rail inherited all five of Heathrow Connect's Class 360s, which were replaced by Class 345 units once problems with the European Train Control System in the Heathrow tunnel were resolved.[24] On 30 July 2020, the Class 345 began entering passenger service on the Heathrow branch with the last withdrawn on 13 September 2020.[25][26][27] As at December 2020, all were in store at Old Oak Common TMD.[28]

Accidents and incidents
  • On 25 May 2014, 360205 derailed as it entered Paddington due to bogie maintenance errors, exacerbated by a track defect.[29]

Fleet details
Class Cars per Set No. Built No. Range Operator Year Built Notes
Class 360/1 4 21 360101-360121 East Midlands Railway 2002–2003 To enter service in May 2021[30]
Class 360/2 5 5 360201–360205[28] Stored 2004–2005

References
  1. Desiro UK Class 360 Multiple Unit Archived 6 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine - Siemens Mobility. Page 37. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  2. FGE Class 360 Desiro moves to Czech Republic for tests Rail issue 443 4 September 2002 page 60
  3. Desiro makes its FGE debut run Rail issue 468 20 August 2003 page 8
  4. FGE 360 Desiro returns to Germany Rail issue 483 17 March 2004 page 31
  5. NXEA to clear Class 360s to Norwich Today's Railways UK issue 105 September 2010 page 67
  6. Class 360 - National Express East Anglia - Siemens. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  7. Hitachi rumoured to have won EMR bi-mode deal Rail issue 884 31 July 2019 page 28
  8. Class 360 introduction delayed by Pandemic - Railnews. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  9. Class 360/1s earmarked for 110mph running Rail issue 886 28 August 2019 page 10
  10. A New Era for the East Midlands as Abellio starts its fifth franchise Today's Railways UK issue 214 October 2019 page 26
  11. Completion of rail work near Kettering marks major milestone in £1.5bn scheme - Northamptonshire Telegraph. Retrieved 2020-11-11.
  12. Greater Anglia Class 360/1s being readied for East Midlands switch Rail issue 908 1 July 2020 page 26
  13. EMR 170 debuts on Robin Hood line Modern Railways issue 867 December 2020 page 84
  14. Heathrow Express orders Siemens Desiro EMUs for new stopping trains Rail issue 465 9 July 2003 page 10
  15. Desiros ordered for Heathrow Airport local stopping service The Railway Magazine issue 1228 August 2003 page 8
  16. Class 350s could be rebuilt Rail issue 472 15 October 2003 page 6
  17. 360s to use old bodies Rail issue 484 31 March 2004 page 24
  18. First Class 360/2 arrives Rail issue 502 8 December 2004 page 27
  19. Take off! New Heathrow Connect targets airport staff Rail issue 516 22 June 2005 page 8
  20. Final HEx 360 arrives Today's Railways UK issue 50 February 2006 page 57
  21. Fifth coaches arrive for HEx 360s Today's Railways UK issue 62 February 2007 page 62
  22. New 360/2 Vehicles Arrive Rail issue 559 14 February 2007 page 55
  23. Heathrow Express livery for Connect 360 The Railway Magazine issue 1312 August 2010 page 72
  24. Crossrail: behind schedule, over budget and under pressure International Railway Journal 8 May 2019
  25. "First '345' reaches Heathrow". Key Modern Railways.
  26. Heathrow 360s Retired Modern Railways issue 865 October 2020 page 85
  27. Aventras rule on Heathrow Connect Railways Illustrated November 2020 page 10
  28. "First of the Heathrow Class 332s is scrapped". Rail. No. 920. 16 December 2020. p. 27.
  29. "Derailment of an empty passenger train at Paddington station 25 May 2014" (PDF). Rail Accidents Investigation Branch. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  30. Big changes delayed until next year - Northamptonshire Telegraph. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
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