318269 at Hyndland 12.6.09 The class 318 is a 3 car version of the 4 car class 317 units used to operate in the Greater Anglia region of England.   With the withdrawal of the class 314s in 2019, the Class 318 became the oldest class of EMU in service in Scotland.

Electrification of the lines between Paisley Gilmour Street and Ayr, Ardrossan Harbour and Largs in 1985, meant the replacement of the elderly 1st Generation Class 101, 107 and 126s DMUs operating on these lines with Electric Multiple Units was required. 

Initially, there were plans to refurbish the 19 strong 1967 build class 311 fleet to operate on these lines, however it was found that a new build fleet would be cheaper in the long run.

BREL in York were tasked with building a fleet of 21 3 car EMUs (numbered 318250-318270) designated as class 318 with construction taking place during 1985 with delivery and entry to service taking place in 1986.

Description

Based on the Mark 3 bodyshell, the three car units are formed with two outer trailers designated DTSO with a central motor car designated MSO.  The motor coach has a roof mounted pantograph and four motors (2 per bogie).   There are corridor connections between all vehicles and initially there was interconnecting gangways between units.  The interior of the units was similar to the standard Mark 3 décor with 216 standard class seats throughout and a toilet fitted in one of the DTSO vehicles.   The class 318 has a maximum speed of 95mph and on introduction to service, wore the Strathclyde Transport 'Red' livery.

Testing

Testing of the new fleet initially took place on the West Coast Main Line between Glasgow Central and Carlisle initially with 2x class 318 units and a class 317 unit in the centre for insurance, later this switched to a trio of 318s.  

A press run took place between Glasgow Central and Lanark then later once the electrification was completed, also between Glasgow Central and Ayr. 

318263+318256 at Greenfaulds318256 seen on the rear of 318263 at Greenfaulds with 2C34 Milngavie - Cumbernauld 29.7.16 Introduction to Service

The class 318 was introduced to passenger service on Monday 29th September 1986, initially on the Glasgow Central - Ayr and Ardrossan Harbour Lines.  Largs would follow in January 1987 on completion of the electrification there.

Not long after it entered service, 318252 was involved in a collision with a DMU at Ayr Townhill depot and spent some time out of service.

By the early 1990s, the 318s were also introduced to the Gourock and Wemyss Bay branches to supplement the Class 303s on these routes.   

On 27th May 1991, 318266 suffered from fire damage following 303038's transformer exploding at Shields Depot whilst stabled next to it.

On 11th July 1995, an early morning Glasgow Central to Largs service operated by 318254 and 318262 crashed through the buffers at Largs Station following the failure of the train brakes, demolishing the newly refurbished station and some shops before landing on the road.   318254 was out of service for a long time and required a new cab to be fitted whilst 318262 was able to be hauled back to Shields depot for examination and escaped relatively unscathed.  

In 1996 Strathclyde Transport became Strathclyde Passenger Transport with a new colour scheme so starting in 1997, The class 318s began to be reliveried into the first version of the SPT Carmine and Cream livery and eventually the whole fleet were outshopped in this livery.  

318254+262 at Holytown318254+262 arrive at Holytown with a Milngavie - Lanark service 9.4.14 New Territory

The Class 318 fleet rarely strayed from their regular workings on the Glasgow Central - Ayr, Largs and Ardrossan lines during their first 15 years in service, other than occasionally covering for 303s on the Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines or on the Cathcart Circle lines. This was to change in 2001 following a major reshuffle of units to accommodate the introduction of the Class 334s to replace the Class 303s.   The first part of the reshuffle didn't affect the 318s.   This occurred in October 1999 with the 314s moving from the Argyle and North Clyde lines to the Cathcart Circle with those workings being taken over by 303s. There was however a semi regular appearance around October / November 1999 by a 318 on the 6.14 Dalmuir - Motherwell and 7.16 Motherwell - Dalmuir services.  

Part 2 of the reshuffle began in April 2001 as the class 334s were gradually introduced to the Ayrshire and Clyde Coast lines, with the Class 318s gradually moving to the Argyle and North Clyde lines to replace the class 303s.   Initially starting with peak time services such as the 16.44 Dalmuir - Lanark express service, the 318s gradually took over many of the services on the Argyle Line and North Clyde Lines that were operated by class 303s, with other workings been taken over by Class 334s and on the North Clyde by the existing class 320s.     

Three of the class 318 fleet were fitted with guards controls, allowing them to operate out of Edinburgh Waverley and to replace the small fleet of Class 305s that were operating the services from Waverley - North Berwick to be withdrawn. This was only a stop gap until a small fleet of ex Stansted Express class 322s were made available to take over the service. 

318264 at Kilwinning318264 in the sunshine arrives at Kilwinning with a service for Ayr 5.1.10 Refurbishment

A major refurbishment of the class 318 fleet took place between 2005 and 2007, which included the removal of the gangway at the cab ends that allowed passengers to walk from one unit to the other whilst working in multiple with another class 318.   This allowed the cab to be expanded to the full front of each end of the unit and increased both comfort and visibility for the drivers. 

The units have corridor connections throughout and have all electrical equipment including the pantograph is located in the centre car whilst the other 2 vehicles are driving trailers, one of the trailers is fitted with a toilet. Until refurbishment in 2005/06 the 318's had connections allowing passengers to walk through from one unit to another when working as a 6 car set.  

Improvements were also made to the passenger areas as well with new flooring, new lighting, repainted wall panels, fitting of tables, reupholstered seating, refurbished toilets and the installation of Passenger Information Systems.  The internal colour scheme was the SPT green seating, tabletops and below window panelling. Externally the units were repainted in the SPT Carmine and Cream livery with full cream doors to comply with DDA regulations.  

In September 2007, 318254 was involved in a serious derailment whilst operating a peaktime Anderston - Motherwell service, resulting in the leading vehicle leaving the rails, tipping over and landing on it's side in the tunnel outside Anderston Station. This particular set returned to service in 2009.

In 2008 a further overhaul was carried out to the class 318 units though this time it was more mechanical and structural with the replacement of the buckeye couplings, bogie changes and servicing as well as structural repairs to the underframes.

Around this time, around half the class 318 fleet were transferred back to Ayrshire services to provide more capacity as the class 334s had less seating capacity and this was causing overcrowding on some services.  Following the introduction of the class 380s to the Ayrshire, Inverclyde and to some Cathcart Circle services in 2010-2011, the class 318s were returned back to the Argyle Line and to some North Clyde services.   Following the opening of the Airdrie to Bathgate line, which extended the North Clyde line to reach from Helensburgh all the way to Edinburgh Waverley, the class 334s were introduced to this line, with the class 318s and 320s operating services from Airdrie - Balloch and Springburn - Milngavie.  Also by this point, class 320s were able to work on the Argyle Lines, meaning that being mechanically similar, they could interwork and work together in 6 car formation.  

318253+318265 at Greenfaulds318253+318265 depart Greenfaulds with 2C02 14.39 Milngavie - Cumbernauld service 17.1.20 Overhaul and Relivery

The class 318s received another overhaul between 2013 and 2017, receiving an internal refresh with LED lighting, an interior repaint to grey walls, new flooring, retrimmed seats featuring Scotrail Saltire Moquette, enlarged toilets for DDA regulations and an exterior relivery / repaint into Scotrail Saltire livery. 

Expanding to more lines

Following the electrification of the Whifflet line in 2014, services on this line were integrated into the Argyle Line service pattern, moving from Glasgow Central High Level where they had previously operated from when the service was run by class 156s. As a result, the Lanark services were switched over to run into High Level instead, meaning a return to High Level for the fleet.  A small number also returned to the Cathcart Circle services, Gourock and the then recently electrified Paisley Canal line.

The introduction to service of the class 385 fleet from 2018 onwards saw them introduced to services over a wide range of lines across Scotland and also allowing for the withdrawal of the class 314 fleet.  The class 385s were introduced to some Lanark services and some services to Gourock and Wemyss Bay, meaning that the class 318s now find regular use on the Cathcart Circle services.

318263+318255 at NewtonScotrail Saltire liveried 318263+318255 pause at Newton with 2C34 12.28 service from Dalmuir - Motherwell 31.8.24 The Future?

The Class 318s are now over 40 years old with Scotrail looking at replacing them and the class 320s with a fleet of new build EMUs and Battery EMUs.   The procurement process is already underway but it is unlikely that both fleets will be withdrawn prior to 2031.

Lines currently served:
Airdrie - Balloch
Springburn - Milngavie
Dalmuir - Larkhall
Dalmuir - Motherwell
Dalmuir - Cumbernauld
Dalmuir - Whifflet
Lanark - Glasgow Central
Newton - Glasgow Central
Neilston - Glasgow Central
Cathcart Circle
Glasgow Central - Paisley Canal
Glasgow Central - Gourock
Glasgow Central - Wemyss Bay

Class 318 Unit Formation summary