British Rail Class 307

The British Rail Class 307 electric multiple units were built by BR at Eastleigh Works from 1954 to 1956.

The units were constructed to operate off the 1,500 V direct current (DC) overhead power system used on Eastern Region suburban lines from Liverpool Street to Shenfield and Southend Victoria.

However, in the late 1950s / early 1960s, these lines were converted to the 6.25 kV/25 kV alternating current (AC) overhead system, which was adopted as standard and coincided with the introduction of new Class 302 (AM2) units.

Therefore, from 1960 to 1962, the entire AM7 fleet was extensively rebuilt at Eastleigh Works to allow units to operate from the new voltage system.

Work involved replacing all compartments with open saloons and the fitting of gangways between vehicles within a unit.

When new, these trains were used on the newly electrified Great Eastern Main Line, running between Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria on semi-fast services.

In 1960 the electrification system on this route was converted from 1,500 V DC to 25 kV AC overhead, necessitating the rebuild of the fleet.

As 316998, the BDTBSO coach had its seating removed and the electrical equipment mounted in the passenger cabin and cooling provided via a large grill fitted in place of the guard's doors on the left hand side.

Later, the unit was altered for 750 V DC third rail operation, the pickup shoes being mounted on the former MSO and renumbered 316997.

After the decision not to proceed with the Class 300, Rail Express Systems instead sought driving trailers to operate in push-pull mode with a locomotive.

The rebuilding work included removal of the windows and slam-doors, the fitting of roller-shutter doors, and modernisation of the cab.

A rake of derelict PCV's are at Hellifield (N Yorks) (in Feb 2019) owned by West Coast Railways.

75018 (ex-977708) was bought by the AC Loco Group at Barrow Hill Engine Shed for spares recovery.

British Rail Class 307 train at London Liverpool Street station. The frosted windows show the location of the toilets. The second carriage includes some first-class seating.
Refurbished British Railways Class 307 train showing the special headboard carried at the launch of the first refurbished train.
The front of a refurbished British Railways Class 307 train without the headboard. Part of a Class 315 train can be seen behind.
Side view of a refurbished British Railways Class 307 train, showing that it has also been repainted in blue/grey livery and that the first-class seating has been relocated and converted from compartment with side corridor to 'open' format
Interior of a refurbished British Railways Class 307 train showing the high capacity 2+3 standard/second class seating
Propelling Control Vehicle , NAA 94308 propelling a train into Plymouth station on 29 August 2003. This vehicle is painted in unbranded Rail Express Systems livery.