Class 322 Profile and Models
322481 at Bradford Foster Square in May 2019. ©citytransportinfo
The British Rail Class 322 were electric multiple unit passenger trains which were built by British Rail Engineering Limited in 1990 for the Stansted Express service from London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport. In the lead up to the privatisation of British Rail, in 1994 all were sold to Eversholt Rail Group. All passed with the franchise to West Anglia Great Northern in January 1997. Having been replaced by Class 317s on Stansted services, they were used indiscriminately as part of the general fleet. In 1998 two Class 322 units were sub-leased to North Western Trains to operate a service between Euston and Manchester Airport but the service was discontinued after a year. In December 2001, all were transferred to National Express ScotRail to replace the slam-door Class 305s on the North Berwick Line. On the instructions of the Strategic Rail Authority, all returned to WAGN in March 2004 in preparation for the takeover of the franchise by One. Having been deemed surplus by One, in July 2005 all returned to Scotland to operate with First ScotRail on the North Berwick Line. Having been superseded by Class 380s, all were transferred to Northern Rail in July and August 2011. In July 2020 all were leased to Greater Anglia to operate services out of London Liverpool Street on the Great Eastern Main Line. Greater Anglia withdrew the fleet from service in August 2022, and by the end of September all five units had been scrapped. |
|
Type of Unit |
Electric Multiple Unit - 25kV 50Hz AC Overhead |
Builder |
BREL York Works |
Build Dates |
1990 |
Total Built |
5 sets |
Coaches Per Unit |
4-car |
Power Output |
1,336hp |
Top Speed |
100 mph |
Passenger Capacity |
309 seats |
Operated By |
British Rail First ScotRail Greater Anglia North Western Trains Northern Rail Northern Trains ONE National Express ScotRail Silverlink West Anglia Great Northern |
Main Duties |
Suburban & Express Passenger |
In Service Until |
2022 |
Surviving Examples |
0 |