British Rail Class 325

British Rail Class 325

Infobox EMU
name = British Rail Class 325
background = #AB273A



caption = Three Class 325 units working in multiple heading north through Crewe in July 2006.
imagesize=300px
Manufacturer = BREL York
InService = 1995 -
Built = 16 trainsets
Formation = 4 cars per trainset
Operator = FirstGBRf
MaxSpeed = convert|100|mph|km/h|0|lk=on|abbr=on
Voltage = 25 kV AC Overhead lines or 750 V DC 3rd rail
Gauge = Standard gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
The British Rail Class 325 is a dual-voltage alternating current (AC) electric multiple unit (EMU) train used for postal train services. They have a similar end-on cab appearance to the Class 365 and Class 465 "Networker" units built at approximately the same time. The Class 325 was British Rail's newest unit to take over parcels working on electrified lines.

History

The 16 units were built by ABB Group between 1988 and 1995, unlike the Networker units which were built at BREL York. They are very similar to Class 319 units, 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 of the cabs under the driver's window in a non-standard font, and the units were numbered 325001-325017. The units are fitted with large round oleo buffers, and have no gangways between carriages. They carry a livery of 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. Each set is made up of four cars, with roller doors in place of sliding ones and no windows. Each car has two roller shutter sliding doors on each side and is designed to hold up to 12 tonnes. They have a pantograph to pick up power from the 25 kV AC overhead lines, and also a shoe to pick up power off the 750 V DC third rail. They cannot work in multiple with any other multiple unit stock, but are fitted with drop-head buck-eye coupling and can therefore be hauled by locomotives.

After introduction, which was relatively trouble-free due largely to the fact that the Class 325 shares traction equipment with the Class 319, the units successfully settled into carrying parcels and mail from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh at convert|100|mph|km/h|0|lk=on|abbr=on. They are based at Crewe works.

Privatisation of British Rail placed the units under EWS control to operate the postal trains that they inherited. Such work continued alongside Class 86s locomotives up the West Coast Main Line and East Coast Main Line until 2003, when Royal Mail withdrew the postal contracts, resulting in decreasing use until the units entered storage following the end of work.

When GB Railfreight gained a new contract for mail transport over Christmas 2004, the Class 325s returned to limited work operating in multiple. Work with locomotive haulage also occurred again, now with newer, more powerful 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, they are an under-utilised asset as they are capable of handling far more work than is being done with them. No more than six units are in service each day, leaving ten spare.

There has been suggestion that the Class 325 units could be converted to passenger use. Although this would be possible, by replacing the roller doors with sliding doors and fitting windows and internal fittings, the cost would be so great as to be unlikely to justify the benefit compared to just purchasing new trains.

External links

* [http://www.therailwaycentre.com/Pages%20EMU/Recognition%20EMU/IllusEMU_325.html The Railway Centre Class 325 page]


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