British Rail Class 360
British Rail Class 360 Desiro | |
---|---|
A Heathrow Connect Class 360/2 Desiro | |
The interior of a Heathrow Connect Siemens Class 360/2 Desiro EMU | |
In service | 12 August 2003 - Current |
Manufacturer | Siemens |
Family name | Desiro |
Constructed |
2002 - 2005 2007 - 2008 (Thailand) |
Number built | 26 trainsets |
Formation | 3/4/5 cars per trainset |
Fleet numbers |
360101 - 360121 360201 - 360205 |
Capacity |
16 First, 264 Standard (360/1)[1] 16 First, 324 Standard (360/2) |
Operator(s) |
Abellio Greater Anglia Heathrow Express Heathrow Connect State Railway of Thailand |
Specifications | |
Car length | 20.34 m (66 ft 9 in) |
Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
Height | ? |
Maximum speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
Weight | 170 tonnes (167 long tons; 187 short tons)[1] |
Power output | 1,550 kW (2,080 hp)[1] |
Acceleration | 0.98 m/s2 (3.2 ft/s2)[1] |
Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead |
Current collection method | Pantograph |
Braking system(s) | Air, regenerative |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Class 360 is an electric multiple-unit that was built by Siemens in two sub-types from 2002–2003 and 2004-2005. These units are part of the Siemens Desiro family.
The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 380, 444 and 450.
Description
Unlike the South West Trains and West Coast Main Line Desiros, the Class 360 lacks inter-unit gangways. This was a late design change, as the Health and Safety Executive was not happy with the driver's visibility with the previous design's gangway cab for Driver Only Operation.
The Class 360 has air conditioning, rapid acceleration technology, and a top speed of 100 mph (161 km/h).
Current operations
United Kingdom
Greater Anglia
First Great Eastern ordered 21 4-car units to replace its elderly Class 312 slam-door units. They entered service in August 2003, and by mid-2004 had completely replaced the old trains. They are primarily used on London Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea, Ipswich and Colchester Town services. They also run to Walton-on-the-Naze at peak times.
In April 2004 FirstGroup lost the franchise to the National Express Group, which operated the Great Eastern routes as part of its National Express East Anglia franchise. The franchise is now operated by Greater Anglia. Though operated by Greater Anglia, the Class 360 is not maintained by the franchise but is under contract from Siemens for routine maintenance at Ilford Depot near London.[2]
These are to be replaced by Bombardier Aventra units entering service between 2019-2020, which means that the class 360/1s will be passed on to another company. It has not yet been announced where they will be passed on to.
Heathrow Connect
Heathrow Connect normally runs five 5-car units operating London Paddington-Heathrow Airport stopping trains. For a period in early 2016, service was suspended to facilitate the use of the Class 360 trains on the Heathrow Express service, whose Class 332s had been taken out of service for safety reasons.
The trains entered service on 12 June 2005. These units were originally intended as Class 350s for prospective spot hire. In 2010, one unit (360205) was transferred to Heathrow Express to operate its Heathrow Terminal 4 shuttle service.
Thailand
Nine Desiro Class 360/2 units have been supplied for the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (SARL) in Thailand. Four are four-car sets for Express services running non-stop from City Air Terminal at Makkasan to the airport. Another five sets are three-cars for City Line Service stopping at all stations from Phayathai to the airport.[3] The air-conditioning system on these trains is designed for the Thai climate, and the roof-mounted equipment pods are much larger than those on the UK units.
Accidents and incidents
- On 25 May 2014, 360 205 derailed as it entered Paddington due to maintenance errors.[4]
Fleet details
Class | Cars per Set | No. Built | No. Range | Operator | Year Built | Remark |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 360/1 | 4 | 21 | 360101-360121 | Abellio Greater Anglia | 2002–2003 | |
Class 360/2 | 5 | 4 | 360201-360204 | Heathrow Connect | 2004–2005 | |
1 | 360205 | Heathrow Express | ||||
Class 360 Thailand |
4 | 4 | 1012-1014-1013-1011 1022-1024-1023-1021 1032-1034-1033-1031 1042-1044-1043-1041 |
State Railway of Thailand | 2007–2008 | for Express Line service |
3 | 5 | 2012 - 2013 - 2011 2022 - 2023 - 2021 2032 - 2033 - 2031 2042 - 2043 - 2041 2052 - 2053 - 2051 |
for City Line service |
Gallery
- First Great Eastern liveried Class 360/1 EMU No. 360109 calls at Marks Tey, with a service bound for London Liverpool Street
- The interior of First Class cabin aboard a Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU
- The interior of Standard Class accommodation aboard a Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU
- The only Siemens Class 360/1 Desiro EMU in National Express East Anglia livery was No. 360115 and is seen departing London Liverpool Street, with a service bound for Clacton. When Abellio Greater Anglia took over the franchise, it was reverted to the white stripe livery.
- Class 360/1 Desiro EMU in unbranded First Great Eastern livery with Abellio Greater Anglia white stripe added on the side at London Liverpool Street
- Brand new Heathrow Connect Siemens Class 360/2 Desiro EMU No. 360203 at London Paddington, in the dedicated platform for Heathrow Connect services
- Heathrow Express Class 360/2 Desiro EMU No. 360205 normally operates the Terminal 4 shuttle, but is pictured here at Paddington
- Desiro built for use on the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link in Thailand
- Inside Desiro Class 360/2 Suvarnabhumi Airport Link City Line Train
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 360. |
- 1 2 3 4 Desiro UK Class 360 Multiple Unit - Siemens Mobility. Page 37. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ↑ Class 360 - National Express East Anglia - Siemens. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Bangkok Desiro deliveries begin", Railway Gazette International, 10 September 2007.
- ↑ "Derailment of an empty passenger train at Paddington station 25 May 2014" (PDF). Rail Accidents Investigation Branch. Retrieved 17 June 2016.