The Class 309 was one of the first EMUs to hit 100mph. They would be a nice addition to the game, and it's been a while since we've got an old British EMU. According to the wikipedia they ran on the Great Eastern Main Line and the East Coast Main Line, so scenarios could be included for one or both of those routes. Here is some extra information. - At first they ran 2 car units, then they became 4 car EMUs. - In Service: 1962-2000 - Maximum Speed: 100mph (161 km/h) - Power output: 1,128 horsepower (841 kW) - Some liveries they were most commonly in: Jaffa Cake livery, Network Southeast livery, and BR Blue/Grey Here are some photos of the locomotive. Please do let me know if I got any of the information wrong.
You forgot to mention the first version curved front windowed versions, all yours are after the retrofit to combat the expense of replacements due to scrotes throwing rocks. Not my pic, all credits to original author. Also they were 2 car, 4 car griddle car and standard 4 car, later they removed the griddle car and added extra carriages, the 2 car was later made a 4 car but was unique in that the pantograph was above the drivers cab unlike the original 4 cars which had pantographed MBSK's. Maybe you haven't watched Ruairidh MacVeigh's videos, I recommend you do if you want to learn more about the history of the 309's (and other traction). https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC8R7kmt-W14zWUcr8mymEQ
They were originally allocated and dedicated to the Liverpool Street - Clacton services and were known as "Clacton Units" back in the 60s.
I believe the Clacton Express Preservation Group are working on bringing the Class 309 to TS2022 alongside a route to Clacton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.
They were meant for the ECML but because of King's Crosses roof they did not do it and so they put the them on the GEML but once the ECML was electrified they started to do some rail tour work, then as the final few units were being retire by the NSE, they were moved up to Manchester to help electric stopping services, then they were retired & Railtrack started to use them and then final the last two where sold into heritage railway company's.
A great shame a batch was never built for the line out of Euston. Would have been great on the Birmingham semi fasts via Northampton rather than the 310s, good though they were.
A Class 309 is on the way, it will be in the post-refurbishment condition with the hopper side windows and the smaller cab windows (though the cab window replacement actually started long before the mid-80s refurb.
Yes. a friend of mine is doing it. Check out the Clacton Express Preservation Group's FB page as they are building a retro Liverpool Street to Clacton/Walton route for TSC with 309s and 321s. "https://www.facebook.com/groups/1875754232453513/user/100076163980589/"
Remember seeing these on Manchester - New Street daily evening run in late 90's with Northwest Trains
You'll be pleased to know there is one in the works. https://www.clactonexpresspreservationgroup.com/virtual-309
Bring them on since they Match the Great Eastern Mainline set in 1960s-1970s if you own the proper trains
Always thought a 1963/64 era Liverpool Street to Clacton/Ipswich would be a superb route to have. Especially if it included the functioning goods yards that were common place at nearly every station. Throw in Bishopsgate Yard, Temple Mills and Stratford traction depot and you have a wonderful mix of electric/diesel/steam passenger along with shunting and goods traffic which back then was a mixture of steam and diesel. However, the list of traction needed to be authentic is beyond practical.
They were not designed in the 1960s for the ECML as it was not Electrified. The units were built for the GEML.
They were originally intended for the ECML but went to the GEML when BR cancelled the electrification of the ECML due to the issues of wiring Kings Cross Station
Well, somewhere in between the two stories, the design was meant for mass production on electrified lines out of Euston, Kings Cross and Liverpool Street. In the event the Clacton units made it into production then service, the Kings Cross electrification was delayed and the LMR took the newer but slower Mk2 design for their EMUs (AM10/Class 310). They would end up making infrequent trips into Euston when a few were retained for later use on the WCML Manchester- Birmingham services.