Class 360 'Desiro' Profile and Models
360108 at Kettering in August 2022. ©Keuneke
The British Rail Class 360 Desiro is an electric multiple-unit class that was built by Siemens Transportation Systems between 2002 and 2005. 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. 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. 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. In June 2003, BAA plc ordered four Class 360 units for its Heathrow Connect service, which was designed to complement the non-stop Heathrow Express service by calling at a number of intermediate stations. In February 2021, Rail Operations Group (ROG) announced it had purchased the five-strong fleet from Heathrow Airport Holdings to be converted to freight units but this never transpired. Two were scrapped but three were acquired by the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE). The units will be used in the running-in process for the GCRE's infrastructure test track. |
|
Type of Unit |
Electric Multiple Unit - 25kV 50Hz AC Overhead |
Builder |
Siemens |
Build Dates |
2002 to 2005 |
Total Built |
26 sets |
Coaches Per Unit |
4 or 5-car |
Power Output |
2,080hp |
Top Speed |
100 to 110 mph |
Passenger Capacity |
280 to 333 seats |
Operated By |
East Midlands Railway First Great Eastern Global Centre of Rail Excellence Greater Anglia Heathrow Connect Heathrow Express National Express East Anglia TFL Rail Rail Operations Group |
Main Duties |
Regional Passenger |
In Service Until |
Present |
Surviving Examples |
21 in service 2 scrapped |