I travelled on 303s daily between 1991 and 95 to and from Muirend on the Neilston line when I was at uni. By then they were refurbished but I'm just old enough to remember them pre refurbishment with the view forward and being really annoyed if a driver put his blind down. Strathclyde orange and black my favourite livery as it's what I grew up with. Good memories! Used to sometimes go to Giffnock instead to get a run on the then brand new 156s. Moved to Shawlands in 97 and regularly rode on them until they were replaced by 314s. By then the poor old 303s were getting a bit tired and scruffy with the poor ride becoming appalling particularly compared to 314s.
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Class 303s/311s - Memories, favourite liveries etc.
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DGH 1
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I saw and photographed quite a few 303's in their orange livery, but I only travelled on one once #16 from Rutherglen to Glasgow central on the day of the Polmadie open day in 2000 and forgot to take a photo. I've kicked myself ever since.
My strongest memory of a 311 is seeing one steam-hauled, which might be ... unusual.
I was by the Independent Lines at Crewe when a 9F (pretty sure it was 92001) appeared heading north and hauling a 311, presumably on a delivery run.
The 311s were described as the work of Cravens of Sheffield, but I've seen suggestions that they ceased building railway stock in 1966. So were the 311s built at Washwood Heath by Met-Camm?
I was by the Independent Lines at Crewe when a 9F (pretty sure it was 92001) appeared heading north and hauling a 311, presumably on a delivery run.
The 311s were described as the work of Cravens of Sheffield, but I've seen suggestions that they ceased building railway stock in 1966. So were the 311s built at Washwood Heath by Met-Camm?
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delt1c
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I have many memories of traveling on 303's and 311's many 6 car formations. However just realised I never saw a 303+ 311 formation.
Strathclyder
Established Member
Having grown up with the LNER designed class 306 (in their AM6 days as well) I was aware of the AM3s. I would have liked to travel on them as they were billed as the latest in rail technology. They were certainly attractive in appearance with cab windows similar to the Trans-Pennine class 124 DMUs, but alas they suffered similar introduction problems to those of the classes 304 & 305, with flashovers and catstrophic transformer burn-outs.
Like their compartment EMU contemporaries, they were quite basic DC motored OLE-powered units, but with an appealing 'face'.
Like their compartment EMU contemporaries, they were quite basic DC motored OLE-powered units, but with an appealing 'face'.
One evening peak hour on my 1987 trip I did find myself on a 6-car 303 set at Glasgow Central which was shown as going to Ayr but just before departure it got subbed with the passengers (with plenty of weary moaning such as "I bet it's frozen points even in summer") being sent to a 318 formation on a different platform. Ever since then I've wondered if a 303 or 311 did ever make it to the Ayrshire coast?
Strathclyder
Established Member
There was the odd "rare working". See this photo by "Max Fowler" on Flickr of a 303 at Irvine:
box 3 69 | 303 012 substitutes for a class 318 on the 24 Feb… | Flickr
DGH 1
Member
Did you have to sit on the floor?
Strathclyder
Established Member
Almost as rare as a 322 at Irvine!
http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/photo/scaled/5148/
http://www.scot-rail.co.uk/photo/scaled/5149/
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
I didn't even twig that when I posted the picture; I simply selected images showing as wide a variety as possible for the ten picture limit within a post! There are an awful lot more 303 / 311 images in my archive, not all of which I have scanned yet as I'm working through in chronological order.Picture proof of a 311 in SPTE Orange/Black with that pic of 311098! Given the timeframe between that livery's introduction and the last 311s being withdrawn (pushed out by the 320/3s in 1990, if my gray matter isn't failing me?), pictures of them in it are really rather scarce, at least when compared to 303s. Oh, and one of the pair of units used on the farewell run (303088) appearing there too.
I'm afraid the link doesn't work? I'm getting this:
Strathclyder
Established Member
Huh, weird. Was working fine last night (ruddy technology). Does this link work? I'll go back and amend the original link posthaste.
At any rate, they are gems and two steps short of gold dust to this Glaswegian spotter. Hope you're able to post more at some stage!
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hexagon789
Veteran Member
I'd forgotten about the fitting of thyristor control, wonder how close that was to the 314 system.
seats were very springy!Did you have to sit on the floor?
DGH 1
Member
Sorry bOb, i was having a bit fun over the unfurnished class 303's comments, but one of my favourite things about old units is the springy seats.
Back on Saturday August 14th 1982 i was festering at Nuneaton for the 1608 Llandundo - Euston back to Rugby.
Then unexpectedly 303050 rumbled in on the 1815 Tamworth - Rugby and i was soon aboard this classic unrefurbished beast of a unit this far South.
At Rugby the Llandudno - Euston roared in with 83005, not required, but a biggie, no regrets my only 303 on the Trent Valley more than made up for it!!
NR
www.leightonlogs.org
Then unexpectedly 303050 rumbled in on the 1815 Tamworth - Rugby and i was soon aboard this classic unrefurbished beast of a unit this far South.
At Rugby the Llandudno - Euston roared in with 83005, not required, but a biggie, no regrets my only 303 on the Trent Valley more than made up for it!!
NR
www.leightonlogs.org
Logan Carroll
Member
Brilliant Thread and Very Christmasy.
I’m to young to remember the 303s but from looking at pictures i’d say Strathclyde Orange suits these units best, especially with the front end.
I’ve never seen a picture of the 311 interior before this either, does @deltic14 have any other pictures of scottish train interiors from that time?
I’m to young to remember the 303s but from looking at pictures i’d say Strathclyde Orange suits these units best, especially with the front end.
I’ve never seen a picture of the 311 interior before this either, does @deltic14 have any other pictures of scottish train interiors from that time?
Ayrshire Roy
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I don't know about Largs but anytime the open golf was on at Troon you would get a good mix of whatever could be spared running down.
Peter Mugridge
Veteran Member
Huh, weird. Was working fine last night (ruddy technology). Does this link work? I'll go back and amend the original link posthaste.
At any rate, they are gems and two steps short of gold dust to this Glaswegian spotter. Hope you're able to post more at some stage!
The revised link works, thank you.
More pictures? Certainly... and the first few here are older ones; the rest are from the same trip as the other batch.
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Scotrail314209
Established Member
I'm pretty sure towards the end the 303s had a booked service in the peak times to Ardrossan Town and back.
Fleetwood Boy
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Definitely did, and as a 6 car set no less. Something like 1718 ex Glasgow.
"Gordon Thomson" has a photo of the return working of that service at Kilwinning on Flickr:
Kilwinning - 303054 - 28-08-1997
This was the only timetabled working of a class 303 into Ayrshire. The 17.35 from Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Town and the 18.33 return gave the former 'blue trains' a trip to the seaside. 303054 calls at kilwinning on its way back to Glasgow.
www.flickr.com
Looks like it was the 17.35 from Glasgow and 18.33 return.
AlistairCowell
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I remember seeing blue & grey 311s as a 2-year-old back in the early 1990s, before the Class 320s arrive.
Also saw a Class 303 driving coach in blue & grey at Yoker, that was from unit 303063 and later got burnt down. I believe this was the only Class 303 in blue & grey with its ‘Strathclyde Transport’ logo and black window surrounds at the front like the 311s.
Also saw a Class 303 driving coach in blue & grey at Yoker, that was from unit 303063 and later got burnt down. I believe this was the only Class 303 in blue & grey with its ‘Strathclyde Transport’ logo and black window surrounds at the front like the 311s.
WL113
Member
I remember some 303s turning up on the Stafford to Rugby locals in the early to mid 1980s. Until then the services had been worked by 304 and 310 units and the 303s were the first trains with power operated doors that we had seen in the Midlands. Photos of them on these workings seem very rare but they definitely happened.
47271
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I don't remember them in anything other than Strathclyde orange, but I'm told that the very first time I travelled on one, and the very first time I visited Glasgow at the age of 1, was in a 303 that was still in all over BR blue. The only other memorable point of the trip apparently was that the window we were sat by was hit by a bottle somewhere in the Partick area. Nice.
The bottle does make me consider how vulnerable looking the original wraparound windscreens were, but equally how dynamic and forward looking the design was, but all the time giving a nod to Scottish railway heritage with the Caledonian blue. So, even though I never knew it myself, I've got to say the original blue of the blue trains has got to be the winner.
Why they couldn't even manage to restore a wraparound cab in that original blue for the Glasgow Transport, now Riverside, Museum is a mystery to me. I can only think that the people who run the museum have no real clue of what's important in the city's transport heritage of the past 60 years. Are we even going to get a 314, or a bit of one, there either do we know?
The bottle does make me consider how vulnerable looking the original wraparound windscreens were, but equally how dynamic and forward looking the design was, but all the time giving a nod to Scottish railway heritage with the Caledonian blue. So, even though I never knew it myself, I've got to say the original blue of the blue trains has got to be the winner.
Why they couldn't even manage to restore a wraparound cab in that original blue for the Glasgow Transport, now Riverside, Museum is a mystery to me. I can only think that the people who run the museum have no real clue of what's important in the city's transport heritage of the past 60 years. Are we even going to get a 314, or a bit of one, there either do we know?
Logan Carroll
Member
There was a unrefurbished 303 that was repainted into original caledonian blue livery that ran on specials and was destined for the Transpott Museum at kelvinhall before being scrapped due to asbestos issues.
And considering the 314s are near indentical to the 313s (one of which is already going to NRM in York) and the fact no-one wants to maintain an obscure footnote in scottish railway history the only survivor is destined for hydrogen (which is much more interesting than rotting in a shed somewhere like the last 303)
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