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Class 332 for Siemens new Goole site as final units sent for scrap

WITH a £40 million contract to build a new train manufacturing factory for Siemens at Goole having recently been awarded, three vehicles from Heathrow Express unit No. 332001 have been delivered to the site.

The vehicles are Nos. 63400, 72412 and 74800, and are likely to be used for staff training. All have been re-branded for Siemens. The fourth vehicle, No. 78401, was sent to Sims Metals, Peterborough, for disposal.

February 16 saw the final move of the two remaining sets at Old Oak Common for disposal at the Sims site at Newport Docks, and means the 14-strong fleet has been sent for scrap since they ceased service on December 28.

They were hauled to Newport by GBRf Nos. 66708 and 66775, which carried a special farewell headboard.

First Class 360 appears at St Pancras

AS part of preparations to introduce Class 360/1 EMUs between London St Pancras and Corby from May, set No. 360117 visited St Pancras on February 16 as part of platform train interface checks.

Introduction of the trains will provide a 30-minute frequency service from Corby, Kettering, Wellingborough and Bedford to Luton Airport and St Pancras. A statement from the airport said the trains were the first significant step towards a branded‘Luton Airport Express’service.

ROG buys Heathrow Connect fleet for logistics traffic

THE Rail Operations Group (ROG) has completed the purchase of the fleet of five Class 360/2 EMUs from Heathrow Airport Limited, the parent company of Heathrow Express.

ROG Business Development Director Gordon Cox said the company has‘identified the potential of this wellmaintained multiple unit fleet to assist in our transformation of UK rail freight logistics’but, at present, how or where they will be used is not known. A quantity of spare parts come with the deal.

It is known that a number of companies are looking at how rail can aid their logistics as part of a move to reduce emissions.

Training

Originally built in 2002 by Siemens as four 4-car testbed units and numbered 350001- 004, only 350001 came to the UK as a staff training unit at Siemens Northam depot, though the set did spend some time stored at MoD Shoeburyness.

Units 002-004 remained at Siemens Wildenrath test track and, with No. 350001, were later rebuilt to form the 360/2s.

Former TfL and Heathrow Connect Class 360/2 set Nos. 360203/204 at the buffer stops at MoD Bicester.

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After rebuilding, the first Heathrow Connect set was unveiled to the trade press at Wildenrath in November 2004, and after driver and staff training, the sets entered service from June 2005, providing a local stations service to Heathrow. A fifth unit was ordered in November 2005, and by 2007, all units had been lengthened to five cars; one set was dedicated to the Heathrow Central to Terminal 4 shuttle.