Intended as part of the family of EMUs descended from the prototype "PEP" stock, the class was never proceeded with as the planned services for which it was to be built were cancelled.

[6] The proposal would have seen the entire planned network run using OHLE, which had recently opened on the West Coast Main Line as far as Manchester Piccadilly.

[8] The initial publicity for the Picc-Vic plan, which was described as "Manchester's tube project", showed an artist's impression of a platform with a train resembling the 1967 Stock, as used on the Victoria line in London.

[9] However, the twin bore tunnels were intended to be built with a diameter of 18 ft (5.5 m), large enough to accommodate both a main line train type, and the OHLE wires.

Although specifications for the Class 316 units were prepared by the British Rail Research Division at Derby, no concrete tender proposals were issued to prospective manufacturers before the final cancellation of the Picc-Vic project in 1977.