Royal Mail class 325s - What should happen to them?

After the unit that was robbed for spares being scrapped, the future of these units looks increasingly grim.

One set is used for locomotive testing at Crewe Electric Depot, and another three see one or two mail runs a year, often dragged by a class 90. But these seasonal duties won't last forever.

Reading in 'The Railway Magazine' July Issue, one person suggested two alternatives.

1) Conversion to passenger units.

However, one editor criticised that the class 325 bodyshells were too weak to accomodate seats and windows.

2) Use for mail shuttles from Willesden to the propsed Europorte Freight Depot at Ripple Lane.

Could there also be a third option? Personally, I would like to see a specimen enter preservation. They were, after all, the only freight-dedicated EMU on British Rail.

 

Im pretty sure the 325 fleet is used all year round, there was even a trial up the ECML recently - i dont think there's any reason to think there going to be retired anytime soon, if anything they'll be used more intensively.

Chris

 

I hope so, it would be sad to see them go.

Trial on the ECML? How did I manage to miss that? I live on the ECML as well.

 

Football specials?

 

There is a daily working each way between Willesden and Sheildmuir using 3 325s for each train.

 

In the last two months or so all the 325s have been out working except 009 (long term OOU at Crewe) 010 (cut up) and 005 (not seen since April this year). The ECML trial ran no more than two or three times (back in May from memory) and a regular ECML service has been talked about for years but never seems to get off the ground.

PS: the 325s rarely get dragged these days, they do normally behave themselves but don't seem to like snow and ice much!

 

Thanks for the info. I almost never see these units as I don't live on the WCML, but now and again if I was travelling to Wales from Euston, I would see a couple parked in the Princess Royal Distribution Centre, or the unit in Crewe Electric Depot.

There has never been a regular Royal Mail service on the ECML but in the 80's there was a parcel service between Kings Cross and Newcastle/Glasgow Central consisting of a class 47 and a short rake of MK1 BGs.

 

No I contradict myself. It was in the 80s and 90s and sometimes used a class 90.

 

Even as late as 2004 Class 67s were noted on ECML Royal Mail services to / from Low Fell; Class 325s noted included 325016 leading a pair of units at Colton Junction in September 2001 and 325017 leading a pair of units in February 2001 - both on Low Fell - Willesden services. I think these ECML services from Low Fell were regular !

 

Very regular indeed; attached for your delectation is a simplifier for Willesden PRDC for December 2002 just before it all started winding down; you will see that there are several ECML trains using both class 90s and 325s. IIRC the whole thing came to stop in 2004 and re-started with GBRf in mid 2005 since when any mail trains running over the ECML have been sporadic to say the least.

Code:

[B]Willesden[/B] PRDC
Train arr   dep
 
1O04        11:35  to Tonbridge            4 car 325
1M04  14:51        from Tonbridge          4 car 325
1F01        15:44  to Warrington           8 car 325
1V33        15:58  to Plymouth             67 and vans
1S96        16:00  to Shieldmuir (v. WCML) 90 and vans
1S04        16:01  to Shieldmuir (v. ECML) 12 car 325
1O90        16:30  to Dover                73 and TPO
1A90  18:29        from Warrington         90 and vans
1M90  19:15        from Shieldmuir         12 car 325
1M78  19:22        from Low Fell           8 car 325
1M06  19:31        from Bristol            67 and vans
1V34        20:30  to Swansea              67 and vans
1E47        20:35  to Low Fell             90 and vans
1F00        20:45  to Warrington           8 car 325
1M19  22:05        from Doncaster          8 car 325
1M01  22:25        from Dover              73 and TPO
1M29  22:28        from Norwich            67 and vans
1A91  22:30        from Warrington         4 car 325
1E93        22:53  to Low Fell             8 car 325
1M51  22:58        from Doncaster          90 and vans
1V40        23:10  to Plymouth             67 and TPO
1F02        23:10  to Warrington           8 car 325
1E53        23:12  to Low Fell             90 and TPO
1L92        23:15  to Norwich              67 and vans
1C00        23:18  to Carlisle             90 and TPO
1V44        23:20  to Swansea              67 and TPO
1M61  23:36        from Swansea            67 and vans
1A97  23:40        from Warrington         8 car 325
1L90        00:10  to Norwich              90 and TPO
1M62  00:24        from Norwich            90 and TPO
1M65  00:32        from Plymouth           67 and vans
1A94  01:07        from Warrington         4 car 325
1M10  01:10        from Doncaster          90 and vans
1O02        01:42  to Dover                73 and TPO
1A92  01:55        from Warrington         90 and vans
1M91  02:10        from Low Fell           90 and TPO
1M95  02:15        from Swansea            67 and TPO
1M99  02:46        from Plymouth           67 and TPO
1A93  02:56        from Carlisle           90 and TPO

 

Agreed re the revised service which has been more dedicated to the WCML with concentration at Warrington as the hub of WCML workings. I always assume that is because of the nearness to Liverpool John Lennon / Speke airport which I believe is Royal Mail's air transit hub.

 

Pretty sure they also use Newcastle airport as a hub as they have always been quick to put on trips to Low Fell when fog (or volcanic ash) stops play in the air for any length of time.

 

And do what exactly ?, it can't run under it's own power without wires and can't carry fare paying passengers, about as usefull to Preservation as a Chocolate Teapot, and you can forget static display, most places struggle to find space for one vehicle for that purpose, let alone a 4 car unit.

 

And the NRM have a mock up of the front of one so they are still represented.

 

I find myself sceptical of crowds of middle-aged men in 20 years time lining up at Quorn and Woodhouse to see one go past at 30mph...

 

Perhaps, but that's the point, surely. Here are a specialist freight EMU designed as part of an integrated logistics package that has a major story to tell for the UK railways. I'd absolutely hope that the NRM would preserve a full set when the time comes.

 

It's also looking to be the last freight EMU.

 

What's the betting that if the 325's were scrapped, then a couple of years later, there'd be a plan to re-introduce mail / parcels trains!

 

If so, they would have been scrapped in vain.

 

They'd be ideal on football specials for fans of Stoke City and their ilk:nod:.