British electric passenger train
The British Rail Class 360 Desiro is an electric multiple-unit class that was built by Siemens Transportation Systems between 2002 and 2005. The Class 360 is currently operated by East Midlands Railway and Rail Operations Group.
Description
Class 360/1
First Great Eastern ordered 21 four-car Class 360/1s to replace its slam-door Class 312 units. 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.[5][6] In February 2004, 360115 returned to Wildenrath for tests aimed at improving pantograph performance.[7]
They were primarily used on Great Eastern Main Line services from London Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester Town and Ipswich. They also ran to Walton-on-the-Naze and the Mayflower line. They occasionally operated through to Norwich.[8]
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 were not maintained by the franchisee, but under contract by Siemens at Ilford EMU Depot.[3]
All were replaced by Class 720s in 2020/2021 and moved to East Midlands Railway (EMR) to operate services on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to Corby from May 2021.[9][10] They will have their 3+2 seating replaced with 2+2 and be modified to operate at 110 mph (180 km/h).[11] They will be based at Bedford Cauldwell Walk depot.[12][13]
Beginning in June 2020, all were cycled through Siemens at Kings Heath Depot, Northampton to be modified for 110 mph (180 km/h) operation.[14] The first was transferred to EMR's Cricklewood Depot in November 2020,[15] with all having transferred by February 2021.[16]
They were introduced on 16 May 2021 with East Midlands Railway, with 360102 and 360112 being vinyled into the EMR Connect livery as part of the launch.[17] Repainting of the units began in June 2021 at Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh.[18]
Class 360/2
In June 2003, BAA ordered four Class 360/2s for its London Paddington to Heathrow Airport stopping trains, to be known as Heathrow Connect.[19][20] 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.[21][22]
The first arrived at Old Oak Common TMD in November 2004.[23] Heathrow Connect services commenced in June 2005.[24] An extra set was ordered arriving in England in November 2005, but didn't enter service for 12 months.[25] In 2007 additional carriages were delivered to increase all sets to five carriages.[26][27] In 2010, 360205 was revinyled into Heathrow Express livery to operate its Heathrow Central to Heathrow Terminal 4 shuttle.[28]
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.[29] On 30 July 2020, the Class 345 began entering passenger service on the Heathrow branch with the last Class 360 withdrawn on 13 September 2020.[30][31][32]
In February 2021, Rail Operations Group announced it had purchased the five-strong fleet from Heathrow Airport Holdings. The fleet was moved to MOD Bicester for storage, pending further use with the company.[33]
