No withdrawals yet for Class 315s

Eversholt Rail has told RAIL that no Class 315s have yet been withdrawn from traffic despite the introduction of Transport for London (TfL) Rail Class 345s.

It owns the 61-strong four-car electric multiple unit fleet, with 44 used by TfL Rail (a further 17 are with London Overground).

When withdrawals do start, the rolling stock leasing company says the ‘315s’ will be stored. No details regarding where they will be sent have been announced.

Bombardier has delivered 345005-345010, and four of these are available for traffic. However, they only operate restricted offpeak trains at the moment. The ‘345s’ are seven-car EMUs that will later be extended to nine-car formations.

Of the ‘315s’ used by TfL Rail (315818-315861), two (315840 and 315848) have not been used since late July. The TfL Rail fleet operate in pairs between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield on Metro services. These are where ‘345s’ are being introduced.

The first ‘345’ entered traffic almost a month late on June 22, and despite TfL spokesman Josh Burrell telling RAIL on August 23 that 11 ‘345s’ would be in traffic ‘during autumn’, so far only one per day operates and doesn’t run in peak-time, although this is planned to change imminently.

The LO Class 315 fleet will be replaced by Class 710 EMUs from next year.