The British Rail Class 315 is a fleet of alternating current (AC) electric multiple unit (EMU) trains that were built by British Rail Engineering Limited at Holgate Road Carriage Works in York between 1980 and 1981 to replace the Class 306 units.

It was a variant of unit derived from British Rail's 1971 prototype suburban EMU design which, as the BREL 1972 family, eventually encompassed 755 vehicles across Classes 313, 314, 315, 507 and 508.

[citation needed] The air supply was originally additionally used to operate the passenger doors, but this system was later replaced by an all-electric one.

The leasing company Eversholt Rail Group has owned the entire Class 315 fleet since privatisation.

Abellio repainted the trains in its own livery and commissioned Bombardier to refresh the fleet, which included installation of a new passenger information system with electronic dot-matrix display screens, installation of bays for two wheelchairs and assistance intercoms for passengers in those areas, and accessibility changes to the handrails and inter-car gangways.

[12] A farewell tour for the class organised by the Branch Line Society was announced in October 2022 and took place on 26 November.

[14][full citation needed] The first units on the Lea Valley lines entered service on 3 March 2020, after a first attempt on 24 February 2020.