Class 321 (BREL York ER/LMR Outer Suburban Services)

The Class 321 was built for Network South East for services out of London Liverpool Street into Essex along the Great Eastern Main Line. A second batch was built for semi-fast services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street on the West Coast Main Line [1]. A third and final batch was built for West Yorkshire PTE services between Doncaster and York. Two sister classes were also built, the Class 320 for services in the Strathclyde area and the Class 322 for the Stansted Express [2]. The DC EMU Class 456 also has a similar appearance.

321 408 heads off Colchester bound

Following the negative reaction in some quarters to earlier EMUs built in the 1980s the Class 321 had a deal of attention paid to its external appearance with the aim to produce a train "eye catching" on the outside and comfortable on the inside [3].

Information
Number built:	468 (117 4-car units)
Built:	1988-90
Builder:	BREL York
Motor:	4 Brush TM2141B traction motors (25kV AC OHLE)
Power:	1, 438 hp (1, 072 kW)
Formation:	(321/3) Driving Trailer Composite Open (DTCO)+Motor Standard Open (MSO)+Trailer Standard Open Lavatory (TSOL)+ Driving Trailer Standard Open (DTSO)

The original NSE batch became known as the 321/3 with the London Midland batch the 321/4 (theese haved more first class seats than the 321/3s [4]). The Yorkshire units were designated 321/9, unlike the other sub-classes these units did not have first class seating and so had 2 DTSOs instead of a DTCO and a DTSO.

The Class 321 is now only still in service with Greater Anglia on the Great Eastern route, thirty of the units receiving a "Renatus" refurbishment and upgrade which included new air conditioning, seating and wi-fi. However, despite the upgrade Greater Anglia are replacing the Class 321 with the Class 720.

Some Class 321s are to be converted for hydrogen fuelled operation and will be known as the Class 600.

Greater Anglia 321 434 and 339 at London Liverpool Street

Inside a Greater Anglia 321

Greater Anglia (but in Great Northern livery) 321 408 at Romford

Renatus refurbished 321 at Southend Victoria

Greater Anglia 321 339 at Stratford

[1] Colin J Marsden, DMU and EMU Recognition Guide (Ian Allan, 2013) p. 256
[2] David Lawrence, British Rail Designed 1948-97 (Ian Allan, 2016) p. 236
[3] Alec Swain, Overhead Line Electric Multiple Units (Ian Allan, 1990) p. 76
[4] John Glover, Eastern Electric (Ian Allan, 2001) p. 131