Whilst the Class 313s that still operate Great Northern services are being withdrawn and replaced by Siemens built Class 717s, there was an earlier extinction in London, but this time the units didn’t head to the scrapyard, only the South Coast!
In 1985 17 Class 313s (313001-017) were transferred from Great Northern services and sent to work the DC lines from Euston to Watford Junction. To do this, they were fitted with extra shoegear. Later, other units followed to take over North London Line services from the Class 416s. All the units were were renumbered to 313101- 313117, 313119-123 and 313134. At the advent of privatisation they were operated by Silverlink and continued to work both routes until 2010, when they were replaced by the Bombardier built Class 378 ‘Capitalstars’. Here’s a selection of pictures from their Silverlink and Lorol days.
313101 pulls away from a weed chocked Stratford Low Level station on the 10th June 2002. This section of line was later converted to become part of the Docklands Light Railway.
On the 4th April 2003, 313102 stops at North Wembley on the Watford DC lines with a service to Euston.
On the 13th September 2006 a trio of Class 313s sit inside Willesden depot. From L-R are 313104, 313115 and 313106
313105 arrives at Clapham Junction and passes a South-West Trains Class 450 on the 2nd May 2005.
313106 calls at Gospel Oak on the North London Line on the 31st July 2009.
313107 sits at North Woolwich with a service for Richmond on the 4th December 2006. This station and the line as far as Stratford closed 5 days later.
313108 trundles towards North Woolwich past Albert Rd in Silvertown on the 4th December 2006, just five days before the line closed. After being abandoned for several years, this track-bed is now part of Crossrail – although at this point Crossrail’s disappeared underground!
On the 15th December 313109 rounds the sharp curves at Willesden Junction on the North London line as it works a service from Stratford to Richmond.
313110 arrives at Watford junction through weed-chocked tracks on the 28th July 2002.
313111 arrives at West Hampstead on the North London line with a service to Richmond on the 28th July 2004.
313112 pulls away from Caledonian Rd and Barnsbury on the North London line and heads for Highbury and Islington (seen in the distance) on the 31st July 2009. At this time the NLL was being expanded and the tracks to the left of the train doubled.
Back on the old North Woolwich line on the 4th December 2006 and 313113 is about to enter the 600 yard long Silvertown tunnel on its way to Stratford. The air of neglect is easy to see from this photo. The tunnel is now part of Crossrail.
On the 15th May 2009, 313114 arrives at Euston from Watford Junction. Notice the Silverlink branding has been replaced by white London Overground panels.
Moving forward to the 11th June 2010 and the 313s are gradually being displaced by the Bombardier built Class 378s. Here’s 313115 approaching South Hampstead on the DC lines with a service for Euston.
A driver takes a swig of his cuppa whilst 313116 stops at Kensington Olympia on a Williseden Jn – Clapham Junction service on the 14th September 2007.
On the 4th December 2009, 313117 arrives at Kentish Town West on the North London Line.
313119 is captured at Clapham Junction and framed by a superb winters sunset on the 10th December 2001.
On the 16th April 2005, 313120 was presented to the press at Euston in a special ‘back the bid’ livery, supporting London’s bid to host the 2012 Olympic games.
313121 passes under the bridge carrying Chiltern lines services to/from Marylebone at South Hampstead on the 11th June 2010 whilst working a DC lines service to Watford Junction. This unit stayed in the London area as it was converted to a ERTMS signalling test bed for use on the Hertford loop.
The area doesn’t look like this anymore! 313122 pulls into Custom House station on the North Woolwich branch on the 4th December 2006. Crossrail tracks now cover the site whilst 122 went back to old haunts, helping strengthen Moorgate services on the Great Northern.
Old and new. 313123 passes one of its replacements in the shape of ‘Capitalstar’ 378013 (built as a 3-car) outside Caledonian Rd & Barnsbury on the 28th September 2009. 123 has also stayed in London as it was transferred back to Great Northern service.
– and finally…On the 11th June 2006, 313134 emerges from the 320yd long, single bore tunnels at Kensal Green on the DC lines, passing a Bakerloo line train working in the opposite direction. The two very different types of train shared the same tracks between Queens Park and Harrow and Wealdstone.
