Greater Anglia Class 360/1s being readied for East Midlands switch
Siemens has begun carrying out modifications on Greater Anglia Class 360/1s, ahead of their transfer to East Midlands Railway later this year.
The 21 four-car electric multiple units, built by Siemens for First Great Eastern in 2002-03, will operate EMR’s new Corby-St Pancras International services, running in up to 12-car formations.
They will be fitted with new pantographs and other components enabling them to run at 110mph (their current maximum speed is 100mph). Similar work was carried out on Siemens Class 350/1s used on the West Coast Main Line.
The modifications are being done at Siemens’ Kings Heath depot (Northampton), and the first to arrive was 360105 on June 7. It was hauled by GB Railfreight from Ilford.
The first four ‘360s’ to move will be hauled, with the rest expected to move under their own power.
Once the modifications are complete, they will return to GA. Spokesman Jonathan Denby told RAIL: “At this stage, they will all come back to Greater Anglia.
The transfer of Class 360s to East Midlands Railway is currently due to take place from September to
December this year.”
The ‘360s’ are due to go offlease from GA in August. Initially, Bombardier Class 720s were due to replace them, but with those EMUs delayed it’s likely that ‘321s’ will take over their duties for a period.
RAIL understands the modification programme will take until November. The ‘360s’ are also to be refurbished and repainted, with this likely to be carried out at Wolverton or Eastleigh Works.
The EMR EMUs were due to enter traffic in December on the Midland Main Line, but RAIL understands that this will be delayed until May 2021.