British Rail Class 319
The British Rail Class 319 is an electric multiple unit passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited's Holgate Road carriage works for use on north–south cross-London services. These dual-voltage trains are capable of operating on 25 kV AC railway electrification| from AC overhead wires or 750V DC from a third rail.
Built in two batches in 1987–88 and 1990, the units were primarily used on the then-new Thameslink service from Bedford to Brighton and various other destinations south of London. The majority of the fleet remained in use on the Thameslink route after its reshaping and privatisation in 1997. Some of the fleet was also used by Connex South Central and latterly Southern on various services operating out of London Victoria, including flagship expresses to Brighton.
A total of 44 sets were converted to s which is a mixture of Bi-mode multiple units and Tri-mode multiple units. Two Class 319s have been converted to a tri-mode Class 799 which runs on hydrogen and electricity with the 25kVAC and 750VDC equipment retained.
Description
Plans for north–south railways across central London go back to the 1940s at least, when there were several proposals in the 1943 County of London Plan which were developed further in a following report in 1946.The Victoria line, which opened in stages from 1968, had been one of the routes suggested in these plans. Another involved reviving the disused Farringdon to Blackfriars route for passenger trains, and this began to be considered seriously in the 1970s. The British Railways Board then developed plans for what would become Thameslink, and the newly created business sector of Network SouthEast inherited responsibility for the project in 1986. Services between Bedford, Farringdon, Blackfriars and Brighton began under the Thameslink brand in 1988.
As the Thameslink service was to use a route with 25kV AC OHLE north of Farringdon and along the branch to Moorgate, and 750V DC third-rail electrification south of Farringdon, the Class 319 trains were equipped for dual-voltage operation.
They were also the first British Rail units to use modern thyristor control in place of a camshaft and resistor bank.
The body shape of the Class 319 is slightly different from contemporary electric units due to restrictions in the loading gauge in Kings Cross Tunnel, which meant that other dual-voltage units were not suitable. They were also required to have emergency end doors in the cabs, due to the twin single-bore layout of Smithfield tunnel preventing normal train evacuation.
Two sub-classes of Class 319 units, 60 Class 319/0s and 26 Class 319/1s, were originally built. Over the years, the units have been refurbished, creating five sub-classes, of which four still exist.
passenger units and postal units were developed from the Class 319 design, using similar traction equipment and the same steel body design, with revised cab designs. The 325 units used a Networker style cab design.
Class 319/0
The first batch of 60 units, built in 1987 and 1988, was classified as Class 319/0. Units were numbered in the range 319001–060 and had a maximum speed of. Each unit consisted of four steel carriages: two outer driving trailers, an intermediate motor with a roof-mounted Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph and four DC GEC G315BZ traction motors, and an intermediate trailer housing a compressor, motor alternator and two toilets. Seating was standard-class only, in 2+3 layout.The technical description of the unit formation is DTSO+MSO+TSO+DTSO. Individual vehicles were numbered as follows:
- 77291–77381 and 77431–77457 — DTSO
- 62891–62936 and 62961–62974 — MSO
- 71772–71817 and 71866–71879 — TSO
- 77290–77380 and 77430–77456 — DTSO
The DTSO vehicles originally featured a lockable sliding door between the driving cab and the first set of power doors and tip-up longitudinal seating to enable parcels to be carried securely. This facility was rarely used and the sliding door was removed.
Unit 319011 is the only remaining member of the 319/0 subclass; all others were converted to Class 319/2 or Class 319/4 in the late 1990s, or Class 768s Class 769s or Class 799s in the 2010s or scrapped.
Class 319/1
Built in 1990, this second batch of 26 units was numbered in the range 319161–186. The formation of the second batch of sets was similar to that of the earlier units, with the addition of first-class seating at one end of the train for use on longer-distance Bedford to Brighton services. Like the first batch, standard-class seating was of a 2+3 layout. First-class seating was in 2+2 layout.Units were formed in the arrangement DTCO+MSO+TSO+DTSO. Individual vehicles were numbered as follows:
- 77459–77497 and 77971–77983 — DTCO
- 63043–63062 and 63093–63098 — MSO
- 71929–71948 and 71979–71984 — TSO
- 77458–77496 and 77972–77984 — DTSO
All were converted to Class 319/3 in the late 1990s.
Class 319/2
In 1997, seven of the Class 319/0 sets were converted especially for use on Connex South Central express services between London Victoria and Brighton. Work carried out at Railcare Wolverton included new, lower-density seating, a disabled toilet, and a special 'lounge' seating area in the saloon space below the pantograph in the MSO, where stowage for a refreshment trolley and a small serving counter were also fitted.Units involved were renumbered from 319014–020 to 319214–220. They retained their low-density layout, but the lounge area was replaced by standard seating following their return to use on Thameslink services.
Class 319/3
In the period 1997–99, Thameslink arranged for all of its 319/1 units to be converted at Eastleigh Works for use on the shorter-distance Luton to Sutton/Wimbledon services, then known as 'Thameslink CityMetro'. These units lost their first-class seating and were renumbered into the 319/3 series. They were painted in a navy-blue and yellow livery at this time.Various refurbishments have taken place since 1999, including:
- Minor refresh by Thameslink including new seat covers between 2003 and 2005
- Relivery and interior refresh by Railcare Wolverton for First Capital Connect completed in 2010
- New passenger information system, new seat covers and an internal and external repaint for units transferring to Northern Rail and similar work for those remaining on Thameslink in the interim, starting in 2014.
Class 319/4
Upon completion, these units were renumbered as 319421-460 and moved on to the Bedford to Brighton service, branded as 'Thameslink Cityflier'.
From 2003 to 2005, during the Thameslink blockade, some minor interior updating took place such as recovering seats with an updated Thameslink moquette. First-class compartments were refurbished with new carpet, retrimmed seats and chrome-plated heater panels, apart from unit 319444, which retained its 1997-designed interior.
A later refresh was unveiled by the then-new operator First Capital Connect on 26 October 2006. Unit 319425 was renamed Transforming Travel for the occasion and showcased the following improvements:
- Emergency brake pressure increased to the +12% G standard, giving an extra 1 Bar brake cylinder pressure in emergency
- Emergency brake 'timeout' period reduced from 2 minutes to 20 seconds
- DC traction motors rewound to improve reliability
- Improved motor control hardware with a new Remote Communications Frame
- New 'easy to clean' flooring
- Retrimmed seats into the First Capital Connect moquette
- Some seats in standard class were removed and vertical luggage stacks installed in their place; a further two seats were removed in the TSO vehicle to allow easier access to the toilet
- Repainted dado side panels and wall ends
- Existing stanchions painted pink
- New stanchions leading from some seats to the overhead luggage rack to provide standing passengers with something to hold on to and more support
- Improved, brighter fluorescent lighting diffusers