Class 314 EMU to be set aside by Angel Trains for potential preservation

hexagon789 · 11 Feb 2018

Apologies if this has already been mentioned on a thread and if this is the wrong discussion area but Angel Trains have decided to keep one Class 314 unit aside for preservation: https://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/scotrail-class-314-electric-unit-to-be-preserved/

Angel Trains said that it will lay a unit aside for preservation

The pending departure of the faithful 314s has been flagged up to passengers with specially designed notices on the sets themselves, as these classic, electric traction units come closer to working their final journeys on the Glasgow suburban network.

Sixteen units were built by BR at York in 1979 specially for the reopening of Glasgow’s Argyle Line, and the class immediately impressed the travelling public ....

I'm quite fond of the Class, the may be getting on a bit and oft derided as "clapped oot auld buggies", but they are pretty reliable units and have served Scotland's electric network well over the past 39 years. While I'm quite glad one is being kept aside for preservation, I fear that if preserved the unit will either end up like the sole Class 303, preserved in running order but incapable of running under its own power or like the Class 311, plinthed in a museum.

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skyhigh · 15 Feb 2018

The quote I saw earlier was much less certain...

An Angel Trains spokesman told RAIL that the ‘314s’ are destined to be sent for scrap as soon as they are withdrawn, although any attempts to save vehicles for preservation will be considered.

So it sounds like if someone wants to preserve one they'd consider it, but no firm plans at the moment.

yorksrob · 15 Feb 2018

Well, I hope someone manages it and it doesn't suffer the fate of EPB 5001.

43096 · 15 Feb 2018

The problem with EMUs is what do you use them for? Even the units that have been preserved to date have failed to find much of a use, despite generally being compatible coupling and brake-wise with air-brake locos. So a 314 with Tightlock couplers etc is going to be even less use. Hate to say it, but the chances are such a unit will end up rotting in a siding somewhere, slowly becoming an eyesore.

yorksrob · 15 Feb 2018

Bring back the good old days of depot pets.

On a serious note, I can imagine in a depot with a very uniform fleet, the chance to look after something of a completely different generation must be good, not only for instilling pride in the railway and its history amongst employees, but also in skills development.

Islineclear3_1 · 15 Feb 2018

Good if Angel Trains want to do this but I would have thought a 313, or even a 508 would be more suitable (can't remember who the owning companies are)

As for depot pets, I remember 306.017 being Ilford's pet, 4732 and 2090 being Brighton's pets and 3417 being Wimbledon's pet. I think Ramsgate had a pet too but can't remember what it was - a Cep I think. I hope Brighton thinks of 313.201 as its pet

yorksrob · 15 Feb 2018

robert7111a said:
I think Ramsgate had a pet too but can't remember what it was - a Cep I think. I hope Brighton thinks of 313.201 as its pet

There was a green painted CEP towards the end, but I'm not sure it counts as a pet as it didn't survive there beyond its other classmates as far as I'm aware.

Islineclear3_1 · 15 Feb 2018

yorksrob said:
There was a green painted CEP towards the end, but I'm not sure it counts as a pet as it didn't survive there beyond its other classmates as far as I'm aware.

That would have been 1592 but yes, it got just as shabby as the rest of the remaining class so agree, don't think it counts.

yorksrob · 15 Feb 2018

robert7111a said:
That would have been 1592 but yes, it got just as shabby as the rest of the remaining class so agree, don't think it counts.

Yes, they did end up in a bit of a state !

61653 HTAFC · 16 Feb 2018

Two of the last Manchester 101s (the SPT "Blue Train" liveried one and "Daisy" the green one which was the last to keep its centre car), whilst they weren't kept any longer than the rest of the fleet, always seemed to get a bit more TLC than the standard Reggie Railways units.

alexl92 · 17 Feb 2018

43096 said:
The problem with EMUs is what do you use them for? Even the units that have been preserved to date have failed to find much of a use, despite generally being compatible coupling and brake-wise with air-brake locos. So a 314 with Tightlock couplers etc is going to be even less use. Hate to say it, but the chances are such a unit will end up rotting in a siding somewhere, slowly becoming an eyesore.

How much work would be required to make them run as an unpowered set connected to a dmu? A bit like the VEP+4TC units on th south coast, but using a Class 15X as the powered unit?

antharro · 18 Feb 2018

The pending departure of the faithful 314s has been flagged up to passengers with specially designed notices on the sets themselves...

Anyone got a pic of one of these notices? Would be interested to see what it says. Also good on Angel for keeping a set aside. Any idea who will be looking after it?

Highlandspring · 18 Feb 2018

Note the original press release states that Angel will be "offering" a unit for preservation, not that one will definitely be preserved; the title of this thread is misleading in that respect. Presumably if no group or individual comes forward to take the set (and I don't see why anyone would want to keep an AC EMU that can't be used) then it'll be scrapped.

hexagon789 · 18 Feb 2018

Highlandspring said:
View attachment 42945

Note the original press release states that Angel will be "offering" a unit for preservation, not that one will definitely be preserved; the title of this thread.

Apologies for that, it wasn't intended to be misleading, but with hindsight I would agree it is a bit.

hexagon789 · 18 Feb 2018

Duly amended

DarloRich · 19 Feb 2018

Highlandspring said:
View attachment 42945

Note the original press release states that Angel will be "offering" a unit for preservation, not that one will definitely be preserved; the title of this thread is misleading in that respect. Presumably if no group or individual comes forward to take the set (and I don't see why anyone would want to keep an AC EMU that can't be used) then it'll be scrapped.

is there not a Scottish Railway Museum?

HainultLoop · 20 Feb 2018

DarloRich said:
is there not a Scottish Railway Museum?

I can't see them taking on a three car EMU with limited potential use, and they also don't have all that much room at Bo'ness. I reckon they'd take one driving car at most perhaps. It would be great if more of these second generation EMUs were preserved as they start to come out of service but they do take a lot of space in museums and wouldn't really have much potential on heritage lines.

hexagon789 · 21 Feb 2018

Hopefully someone keep's a full unit, or at least a Driving car. I agree, preserving EMUs is never an easy business, I just hope that the 314s, a Class which I grew up with, aren't all sent to the knackers and erased from physical railway history.

apk55 · 23 Feb 2018

What about getting some kit as used for the class 230 and converting into a DEMU

MatthewRead · 23 Feb 2018

apk55 said:
What about getting some kit as used for the class 230 and converting into a DEMU

To be used where the Welsh valley's

Colby James · 11 Dec 2019

I know it’s ages ago does anyone know what unit is being preserved

E759 · 11 Dec 2019

DarloRich said:
is there not a Scottish Railway Museum?

http://www.srpsmuseum.org.uk/emulist.htm
could be added to their existing collection!

hexagon789 · 11 Dec 2019

Colby James said:
I know it’s ages ago does anyone know what unit is being preserved

I wasn't aware one was being actually preserved, rather that Angel Trains had said they would retain one for a while to see if any interested parties wished to preserve it

Aictos · 11 Dec 2019

Why? A Class 313 is better as it demonstrates both AC and DC operation yes it’s 3 coaches vs 4 coaches but for technical research purposes and as a example of what was possible with the PEP design I really do think that it ought to be a Class 313 even if it’s just a museum exhibit.

Can’t really see why a 314 needs to be preserved at all.

Colby James · 11 Dec 2019

Someone better ask which unit is being saved for Preservation it is very important

Tempest3K · 11 Dec 2019

Colby James said:
Someone better ask which unit is being saved for Preservation it is very important

Why? Plenty of time for that to be decided

hexagon789 · 11 Dec 2019

Colby James said:
Someone better ask which unit is being saved for Preservation it is very important

Ideally they'll select which one they think is in the best external condition

prod_pep · 11 Dec 2019

It would be fantastic were one to be preserved and a static exhibit is far better than nothing.

My nomination would be 314210 as it was the unit which opened the Argyle Line, carrying the Queen, on 1st November 1979. I'm no royalist but it's a decent claim to fame and I've always found 210 to be a great runner.

hexagon789 · 11 Dec 2019

prod_pep said:
It would be fantastic were one to be preserved and a static exhibit is far better than nothing.

My nomination would be 314210 as it was the unit which opened the Argyle Line, carrying the Queen, on 1st November 1979. I'm no royalist but it's a decent claim to fame and I've always found 210 to be a great runner.

It's also in one of the best external states, compared with say '205 which is not

Glenmutchkin · 11 Dec 2019

E759 said:
http://www.srpsmuseum.org.uk/emulist.htm
could be added to their existing collection!

If only there was unlimited space available at Bo'ness. There isn't really enough room for what is already on site.

Class 314 EMU to be set aside by Angel Trains for potential preservation

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