THE 400 Series Preservation Group, owners of 4-VOP EMU set No. 3905 at the East Kent Railway, is negotiating with Beacon Rail Leasing and Arlington Fleet Services, regarding the future of the first built Class 313 unit No. 313201 (313101/313001). It is hoped agreement will be reached shortly for the three-car unit to be kept in operational condition at Eastleigh Works. The purchase price for the unit is already covered.
Built by BREL, York in 1976/77, the dual-voltage Class 313s remained in use with Southern until May 2023. This unit was repainted in heritage BR blue and grey by Beacon Rail and Govia Thameslink Railway and with No. 313213, worked a farewell railtour on April 29.
The Class 313s spent most of their lives in north London on Euston–Watford DC and North London Line services with BR, later with Silverlink and London Overground. They were transferred to Southern in 2010 for use on the third-rail 750V DC system, based at Brighton Lovers Walk depot.
No. 313201 will be the only one of the class to be kept in operational condition as well as at present being the only preserved third-rail EMU in the UK in working order. It comprises DMS No. 62529, TS No. 71213 and BDMS No. 62593. The unit was slated for retention by the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board on the grounds of it being the first Class 313 built, making it the first production unit derived from the PEP experimental design of 1971. The PEP family of EMUs went on to include Classes 314, 315, 507 and 508. Early this year however, the board decided to designate Network Rail’s unit No. 313121 instead, as unlike 313201, it retains its original seating and dual-voltage running equipment.