The British Rail Class 303 electric multiple units, also known as "Blue Train" units, were introduced for the electrification of the North Clyde line in Strathclyde. They were initially classified as AM3 units before the introduction of TOPS.
The units were later used on the Cathcart Circle , Inverclyde and Argyle lines of the Glasgow suburban railway network as various electrification schemes came to fruition.
Description
Ninety-one 3-car units were built by Pressed Steel in Glasgow, from 1959-1961, although they were not introduced into service until 1960. A further 19 near-identical Class 311 units were built in 1967 following the Inverclyde electrification, although these units were built by Cravens in Sheffield.
When new, the units were initially numbered in the range 001-091, but were later renumbered to 303001-091. Each unit consisted of 3-cars coupled together in a semi-permanent formation, and two sets could be operated in multiple to form a 6-car formation. The two outer carriages of each unit were driving trailers, with an intermediate motor coach containing the motor bogies and electrical gear. Units operated off the standard 25kV AC overhead system, with power collection via a pantograph on the motor coach. The technical description of the formation was DTSO+MBSO+BDTSO. Individual vehicle numbers are shown below.
- 75566-75600 and 75746-75801 - DTSO
- 61481-61515 and 61812-61867 - MBSO
- 75601-75635 and 75802-75857 - BDTSO
The class was built in two batches; units 303001-035 were built 1959-60 and units 303036-091 were built 1960-61.
The electrical gear of the Class 303 units was made by Metrovick and the units had many features which made them state of the art at the time of their introduction. This included the use of pneumatically operated sliding passenger doors, which were centrally operated by the driver of the train. Other distictive features included the wrap-around front cab windows (although these were removed in the '70s) and the glass partitions in the carriages which allowed passengers in the front and rearmost carriages to see the drivers' view of the track ahead.
The Class 303 fleet were nicknamed the "Blue Trains" upon their introduction, owing to the striking Caledonian Blue livery. This was later changed to the standard BR Blue, quickly superceded by BR Blue/Grey livery in the later 1960s and early 1970s.
Refurbishment
In 1984, the ScotRail-sector of British Rail began a major refurbishment programme for the 25-year old units. Among the many improvements, connection doors between coaches and pushbutton passenger door controls were introduced along with all-new interiors, new flourescent lighting and most units recieved new windows with "hopper-style" windows. The glass bulkheads behind the driving cabs however would be one casualty of the refurbishment - passengers could no longer see the driver's view through the front windows. Following refurbishment, units were repainted in the striking new orange/black livery introduced by newly-created Strathclyde PTE.
Decline
Most of the remaining unfurbished units had been withdrawn at the end of the 1980s, following introduction of new Class 320 units introduced on the North Clyde route in 1990. A few survived though, and were transferred south for suburban trains around Manchester. All but one of these, no. 303048, were withdrawn by the mid-1990s. This unit was transferred north again to Glasgow, and retained in unfurbished condition for special trains. It was originally intended to preserved this unit, but due to asbestos-contamination it was scrapped in 1996.
Following privatisation of British Rail, the surviving 40 units passed to the ScotRail franchise. By now electrification around Glasgow had spread, and units could be found working on many routes, such as those to Gourock, Balloch , Motherwell and Coatbridge to name a few. Four units, nos. 303019/021/023/087 received SPT's attractive new carmine/cream livery.
However, the Class 303 fleet was on borrowed-time. As part of ScotRail's franchise commitment, new Class 334 "Juniper" units were built from 1999-2000 by Alstom to replace the last of the elderly units. After a plagued introduction, the "Juniper" fleet started to enter service in large numbers on the SPT network in 2001/2002, allowing the Class 303 units to be withdrawn. Following withdrawal, the units were towed to Immingham RFT for scrap. The last Class 303 train operated on the North Clyde Line on 30 December 2002, specially formed of two units, nos. 303011 and 303088. When the service terminated at Helensburgh Central, the era of the 303 was finally over.
Through its 42-year career, the Class 303 fleet was a much loved and accepted part of the fabric of Glaswegian life, and happily one unit has been saved for preservation.
Further Use
A few vehicles were converted for departmental use, following withdrawal from service.
Preservation
One complete unit has been saved for preservation. It is a hybrid unit consisting of the driving vehicles from set 303032 and the motor coach from 303023, which replaced 303032's own damaged motor coach. Unit 303023 was one of only four to carry the later SPT carmine/cream livery.
A complete Class 311 unit, which were almost identical to the Class 303s, has also been preserved.
