British Rail Class 365

The British Rail Class 365 Networker Express was a class of dual-voltage (25 kV 50 Hz AC and 750 V DC) electric multiple-unit passenger train built by ABB at Holgate Road Carriage Works in 1994 and 1995 to operate services in South East England and on the Great Northern Route. These were the last trains to be built at the Holgate Road works before its closure. Due to the refurbished front end resembling a smiling face, the trains were nicknamed "Happy Trains" by enthusiasts.[8]

British Rail Class 365
Networker Express
Great Northern Class 365 at London King's Cross in July 2019
Refurbished Great Northern standard-class saloon
In service1996 – 15 May 2021[1]
ManufacturerABB Transportation
Built atHolgate Road Works, York
Family nameNetworker
Constructed1994–1995
Refurbished2013–2016 at Bombardier Ilford
Scrapped2021–2022
Number built41
Number preserved0
(3 vehicles only)
Number scrapped41
Successor
Formation
  • 4 cars per unit:
  • DMOC-TOSL-PTOSL-DMOC
Fleet numbers365501–365541
Capacity263 seats (24 first-class, 239 standard)
Operator(s)
Depot(s)
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium[2]
Train length81.9 m (268 ft 8 in)
Car length
  • DM vehs.: 20.89 m (68 ft 6 in)
  • Trailers: 20.06 m (65 ft 10 in)
Width2.81 m (9 ft 3 in)
Height3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
Maximum speed100 mph (161 km/h)
Weight
  • 151.62 tonnes (149.23 long tons; 167.13 short tons)
Traction systemGEC Alsthom GTO-VVVF
Traction motors8 × 3-phase AC[3]: p.A.6 
GEC Alsthom G354CX
Power output1,256 kW (1,684 hp)
Acceleration0.67 m/s2 (2.2 ft/s2)
Electric system(s)
Current collector(s)
UIC classificationBo′Bo′+2′2′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemTightlock[6]
Multiple workingWithin class
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Notes/references
Sourced from [7] unless otherwise noted.

Background

In the early 1990s, the Networker family was entering large-scale service in the Network SouthEast sector – both third-rail 'Networker' EMUs (Class 465/Class 466) and 'Network Turbo' DMUs (Class 165/Class 166) were in service, with proposals for others, including a so-called "Universal Networker", intended as Classes 371 and 381, that would have dual-voltage capability. However, by 1992, no work had been done in the development of these due to a lack of funding, so a replacement plan was required. For this, the Class 465 was modified for longer-distance services – a prototype was converted from an existing unit (designated as Class 465/3) to determine suitability, before funding was authorised for the purchase of 41 dual-voltage EMUs, each of four cars.[9] These became the Class 365.[10][11]

Network SouthEast won an argument for government investment for the trains, over InterCity's proposal for InterCity 250. The Class 365 was ordered in 1993.[12]

Description

Although specified as a dual-voltage unit, Class 365s never operated with this capability since they were built with only one system of traction current pickup.

The first 16 (365501 to 365516), which worked briefly for Network SouthEast before the South Eastern franchise was awarded to Connex South Eastern, were originally supplied only with DC shoe gear for use on the 750 V third-rail system.[3]: p.A.9  In this configuration the maximum speed was 90 mph (145 km/h).[3]: p.A.6  During testing and commissioning, 365502 ran briefly on the AC network, this being the main reason for the unit being chosen to be subleased to WAGN in the aftermath of the Potters Bar accident in 2002.

When they transferred to West Anglia Great Northern for use with 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line traction supply, the shoes and associated equipment were removed and a Brecknell Willis high speed pantograph was installed, along with other operator and voltage-specific modifications and testing by Bombardier Transportation at its Doncaster Works.[4]

However, the 365s retained the original 750 V DC bus, meaning that when on 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines the current is collected as AC, rectified to DC for the onboard systems, and then inverted back to AC for the 3-phase traction motors. For running on overhead lines the maximum speed was raised to 100 mph (161 km/h).[13]

Basic equipment consisted of:

Dynamic (rheostatic) braking on the two Driving Motor coaches was available in addition to disc brakes, via a system of brake blending.

In common with the whole Networker fleet, wheel slide protection (WSP) operated on every axle. Under braking conditions a blowdown valve released air from the brake cylinder of any axle if the rotational speed varies significantly from the average axle speed on the train.[14]

Internal LED Passenger Information Display Systems and Auto-Announcers were fitted across the fleet.[13]

Ownership

In the lead up to the privatisation of British Rail, responsibility for the Class 365s passed to Eversholt Rail Group.[15] However, because the British Railways Board had leased rather than purchased the Class 365s, under a clause in the original procurement contract, ownership of the remaining 40 sets passed to the Department for Transport subsidiary Train Fleet (2019) Limited in July 2019[16] after it was obliged to pay out the leases to the Royal Bank of Scotland in the event that the trains were not wanted.[17][18] In July 2021, all were sold back to Eversholt after termination of their leases with Govia Thameslink Railway was agreed.[19]

Operations

South Eastern
Connex South Eastern Class 365 at Wandsworth Road in September 2001, with original cab ends.

The first 16 units were fitted for use on the 750 V DC lines. The first was delivered in November 1994, with testing commencing on 15 June 1995.[20][21] Their first use in service occurred on 13 October 1996, but due to problems in obtaining a safety case, they did not enter full service with Connex South Eastern until 16 June 1997.[22][23][24] Before it entered service, 365513 was damaged in a shunting incident at Chart Leacon TMD and was forwarded to Doncaster Works in November 1996.[25]

From August 2002 until January 2003, 365502 was sublet to WAGN to provide cover after 365526 was involved in the Potters Bar accident.[26][27] All passed with the franchise to South Eastern Trains in November 2003. All were transferred to West Anglia Great Northern in 2004.[28][29]

Great Northern
West Anglia Great Northern Class 365 near Potters Bar in May 1998, still in Network SouthEast livery.
First Capital Connect Class 365 near Harringay in May 2012

Twenty-five Class 365s (365517 to 365541) were delivered to Hornsey TMD to operate services on the East Coast Main Line from London King's Cross to Peterborough and King's Lynn. The first entered service with Network SouthEast on 9 December 1996.[30][31] All were included in the transfer of the franchise to West Anglia Great Northern in January 1997. The last was delivered in July 1998.[32]

As part of a project to fit driver's cab air-conditioning, all received new fronts in 2001/02.[33][34] In May 2002, 365526 was involved in the Potters Bar accident and was subsequently written off.[35] From August 2002 until January 2003, 365502 was sublet from Connex South Eastern to provide cover.[26][27] In 2004, all 16 of Connex South Eastern examples (365501 to 365516) were transferred to West Anglia Great Northern to release Class 317s for use by Thameslink.[28][29][36]

The remaining 40 sets passed with the franchise to First Capital Connect in April 2006. A refurbishment program at Ilford EMU Depot commenced in January 2014.[37] All passed with the Thameslink, Southern & Great Northern franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway in September 2014.

In 2017, the Class 365 fleet were relegated to peak-hour services after Class 387s and 700s entered service. It was proposed that some would be transferred to Great Western Railway to operate services on the Great Western Main Line from London Paddington to Newbury and Oxford, but this was aborted with new Class 387s purchased instead.[38][39][40]

Great Northern retained 21 sets to operate limited stop peak-time services between London King's Cross-Peterborough and London King's Cross-Royston.[41][42] The remaining sets were placed in store in Ely.[43][44]

In June 2018, ten were transferred to Abellio ScotRail to operate services from Edinburgh to Glasgow and Stirling.[45][46][47] The other nine moved from Ely to King's Heath TMD, Northampton for further storage before moving to Crewe in September 2018.[48][49]

In March 2021, it was announced that Great Northern would be withdrawing the remaining Class 365s from service in May 2021, in favour of Class 387s transferred from Gatwick Express.[50][51]

The last day of service for the 365s on Great Northern was on 15 May 2021.[1]

ScotRail
Abellio ScotRail Class 365 at Glasgow Queen Street in November 2018

In April 2018 ten Class 365s (509, 513, 517, 519, 521, 523, 525, 529, 533 and 537) were leased to Abellio ScotRail in response to a rolling stock shortage which was caused by the delayed entry to service of the new Class 385s and the imminent transfer of a number of DMUs to Arriva Rail North.[45] They entered service on 23 June 2018 on Glasgow to Edinburgh and Stirling services after modifications and driver training.[46][47][52][53] The ScotRail units were withdrawn in March 2019 and moved to Crewe where they were kept in warm store by Rail Operations Group.[54][55]

Accidents and incidents
  • 365526 – DMOC B and PTOSL were damaged in the Potters Bar rail accident in 2002.[56] After being stored at Crewe Works and later Wolverton Works until the Rail Accident Investigation Branch had completed its investigations, two carriages were used for target practice at RAF Spadeadam, while one was taken to Ilford EMU Depot for stripping of spare parts.[57][58]
  • 365531 – DMOC A was damaged in a fatal collision with a tractor at Black Horse Drove crossing in October 2005.[59]
  • 365532 – DMOC A was damaged in a collision with a tractor at Hatson's User-Worked Crossing in September 2011.[60]
  • 365512 – DMOC B was damaged in a fatal collision with a car at Pleasants crossing in July 2012.[61]
  • A Class 365 unit collided at low speed with another it was due to couple onto at Cambridge station on 30 May 2015. Three passengers sustained slight injuries.[62]
  • 365520 – DMOC B was damaged in a collision with a Land Rover at Nairns User-Worked Crossing in August 2016.[63]

Fleet details
Units:
Class Status Qty. Year built Cars per unit Unit numbers Notes
365 Scrapped[64] 41 1994–1995 4 365501–365541 Three vehicles preserved: DMSO(A) 65917 and TSO 72287 from 365524, and DMSO(B) 65974 from 365540.[65][66]
Vehicle number ranges:[67]
Motor vehicles Trailer vehicles
65894–65975 72240–72321
Illustration of a Great Northern Class 365 unit

Naming

Some were named. 365505 and 365515 were named by Connex South Eastern, and were subsequently removed. Vinyl nameplates with a pink backing were applied to the driving vehicles, behind the cab doors, by First Capital Connect. Following a repaint into Great Northern colours most were removed, but several were reapplied in the same style but with a light blue backing.

  • 365505 – Spirit of Ramsgate
  • 365506 – The Royston Express[68]
  • 365510 – Cambridge and Ely[69]
  • 365513 – Hornsey Depot[64]
  • 365514 – Captain George Vancouver
  • 365515 – Spirit of Dover
  • 365517 – Supporting Red Balloon
  • 365518 – The Fenman
  • 365519 – Peterborough - Environment City[70] Later renamed to Discover Peterborough[69]
  • 365521 – Steven
  • 365527 – Passengers' Champion
  • 365530 – The Interlink Partnership
  • 365531 – Nelson's County - Norfolk[71] Later renamed to Norfolk - Nelson's County[69]
  • 365533 – Max Appeal
  • 365536 – Rufus Barnes – Chief Executive of London TravelWatch for 25 years[72]
  • 365537 – Daniel Edwards (1974–2010) Cambridge Driver[73]
  • 365540 – Garden Cities of Hertfordshire[69]

Preservation

DMSO(A) 65917 and TSO 72287 from unit 365524 along with DMSO(B) 65974 from unit 365540 are to be put on static display at the East Kent Railway, where they will be used as a restaurant, an exhibition area, and a major events venue.[65]

References
  1. "Farewell service sees last last [sic] Great Northern Class 365 out of London King's Cross". RailAdvent. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  2. "Goodbye '365s': were they a good buy?". Rail. No. 953. 23 March 2022. pp. 55–57.
  3. Train Operating Manual: Classes 365, 465, 466. Harrogate: Connex South Eastern. January 1998.
  4. "GN gets to grips with exiled 365s". The Railway Magazine. No. 1240. August 2004. p. 66.
  5. Clinnick, Richard (27 November 2015). "Atlas 200 ETCS to be fitted into GTR Class 365". Rail Magazine. No. 789. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  6. System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  7. "Class 365 Electric Multiple Unit" (PDF). Eversholt Rail Group. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  8. Clinnick, Richard (24 October 2019). "FROM THE ARCHIVES: 'Happy Trains' are award-winning trains". Rail Magazine. No. 888. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  9. "Future Secured for ABB York". The Railway Magazine. No. 1112. December 1993. p. 8.
  10. "Class 365: Networker Express". www.kentrail.org.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  11. "SREmG". sremg.org.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  12. Green, Chris; Vincent, Mike (2014). The Network SouthEast story. Shepperton: Oxford Publishing Co. pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-0-86093-653-4. OCLC 872707499.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  13. Class 365 Drivers' Guide p.3 (General information & differences between 313’s, 315’s, 317’s & 365’s) First Capital Connect 2009
  14. The Class 365 Drivers' Guide. First Capital Connect. 2009.
  15. "25 Years of ROSCOs". Rail Express. No. October 2019. p. 20.
  16. "Forty Class 365s now owned by Government". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  17. "Government takes ownership of Class 365". The Railway Magazine. No. 1422. September 2019. p. 105.
  18. "DfT takes ownership of Class 365 fleet". Today's Railways UK. No. 214. October 2019. p. 69.
  19. "Eversholt Rail regains Class 365 ownership". Railways Illustrated. No. September 2021. p. 13.
  20. "ABB delivers first lease-financed Networker Express". Railway Gazette International. No. December 1994. p. 817.
  21. "Networker Express testing begins". Rail. No. 265. 5 July 1995. p. 63.
  22. "Networker debut for Connex". Rail. No. 295. 1 January 1997. p. 55.
  23. "East Kent's first new commuter trains in 40 years". Rail. No. 308. 2 July 1997. p. 7.
  24. "Class 365s enter service on Connex SE". The Railway Magazine. No. 1157. September 1997. p. 62.
  25. "Unlucky Network Express". Rail. No. 293. 4 December 1996.
  26. Connex 365 replaces WAGN's Potter Bar EMU Rail issue 443 4 September 2002 page 5
  27. WAGN returns Connex Class 365 Rail issue 454 18 February 2003 page 55
  28. SET releases 365s to WAGN Rail issue 485 14 April 2004 page 26
  29. Class 365s finish with SET Entrain issue 30 June 2004 page 29
  30. Class 365 electric units finally put into action on selected WAGN services Rail issue 296 15 January 1997 page 50
  31. Class 365s go live on WAGN The Railway Magazine issue 1150 February 1997 page 49
  32. WAGN formally accepts final 365s Rail issue 336 29 July 1998 page 8
  33. Air-conditioned smile for WAGN's Networkers Rail issue 419 3 October 2001 page 12
  34. New face for 365s The Railway Magazine issue 1208 December 2001 page 81
  35. Potters Bar Class 365 finally written-off Rail issue 489 9 June 2004 page 23
  36. GN gets to grips with exiled 365s The Railway Magazine issue 1240 August 2004 page 66
  37. "New-look train enters service on Great Northern route - Media centre …". archive.ph. 28 January 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  38. 2015-03-23T09:03:00. "First Great Western plans AT300s to Cornwall". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  39. Class 365 and 387/1 units for Great Western Rail Express issue 228 May 2015 page 10
  40. Replacement Anglia Fleets Modern Railways issue 816 September 2016 page 15
  41. "Rolling Stock Perspective" (PDF). Department for Transport. May 2016. p. 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  42. "Improvement Factsheet: Great Northern Outer Services". GTR. p. 2. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  43. Class 365s taken for storage at Ely Rail issue 847 28 February 2018 page 20
  44. First Class 365s sent for secure storage in East Anglia The Railway Magazine issue 1404 March 2018 page 99
  45. Stopgap Class 365s join ScotRail fleet Railways Illustrated issue 185 July 2018 page 10
  46. Networkers enter service with ScotRail Rail Express issue 267 August 2018 page 96
  47. ScotRail Introduces 365s on E&G Modern Railways issue 839 August 2018 page 100
  48. Stored 365s on the move again Today's Railways UK issue 262 October 2018 page 69
  49. Stored Class 365s moved Railways Illustrated issue 189 November 2018 page 17
  50. "Great Northern - Future-changes-to-trains-on-Great-Northern-routes". www.greatnorthernrail.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  51. Stand down for GTR 365s Railways Illustrated May 2021 page 10
  52. Clinnick, Richard. "ScotRail hires in Class 365s for Glasgow-Edinburgh route". RAIL Magazine. Archived from the original on 24 December 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  53. Dalton, Alastair. "New ScotRail trains to ease crush on Edinburgh-Glasgow line". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 25 April 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  54. ScotRail withdraws its Class 365 fleet Rail Express issue 276 May 2019 page 98
  55. Class 365s to be stored at Crewe Rail issue 880 5 June 2019 page 27
  56. Office of Rail Regulation Archived 4 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine – ORR: Accident & Incident Investigation – Potters Bar. Retrieved 13 February 2011
  57. 365 526 disposal Today's Railways UK issue 133 January 2013 page 66
  58. EMU Rail Express issue 239 April 2016 page 91
  59. Collision at Black Horse Drove Crossing, near Littleport, Cambridgeshire 19 October 2005 (PDF), Rail Accident Investigation Branch, 21 July 2006, Wikidata Q111218077
  60. Collision between a train and a tractor, White House Farm User Worked Crossing 25 September 2011 (PDF), Rail Accident Investigation Branch, 29 March 2012, Wikidata Q111218148
  61. "Driver killed in crash with train on 'user operated' level-crossing". www.standard.co.uk. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  62. George, Martin (30 May 2015). "Low-speed train crash injures three people at Cambridge Station". Eastern Daily Press. Norwich. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  63. "Stretham rail crash: Probe after train hits Land Rover on track". BBC News. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  64. Russell, David (July 2022). "Farewell Class 365". Rail Express. No. 314. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. pp. 82–84.
  65. "East Kent Railway preserves shortened Class 365 unit". Rail Express. No. March 2022. p. 36.
  66. Holden, Michael (20 January 2022). "Class 365 EMU to be preserved at the East Kent Railway". RailAdvent. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  67. Groth, Robin (5 May 2015). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011 – Class 365 units in use with GTR and FGW – 2020 accessibility deadline" (PDF). Letter to Eversholt Rail Group. London: Department for Transport. RNO 6/18/2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  68. Foskett, Ewan (5 February 2011). "Train named for town at special ceremony". Royston Crow. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  69. "Promoting tourism". Rail. No. 953. 23 March 2022. p. 57.
  70. WAGN's final picture train Rail issue 529 21 December 2005 page 51
  71. One joins Trafalgar namings along with WAGN at King Lynn Rail issue 524 12 October 2005 page 13
  72. NXEA to name Class 90 Rail issue 589 9 April 2008 page 59
  73. "In memory of driver Daniel". Rail. No. 953. 23 March 2022. p. 56.

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