313 Train Sim World 2 Release date 28th October 2021

In May 2010 the BR Class 313 EMU took to the tracks for the first time on services with its latest operator, Southern. Cherished by many railfans, Nineteen of the Sixty-four of this aging unit were sent to Wabtec Doncaster to be refurbished. Having undergone additional work at the Wolverton railway works in the same year, they were fully refurbished, had their previously installed pantograph removed, and sporting a new Southern livery, ready for their redeployment on Coastway services out of Brighton. A new look and branding that featured images of local landmarks and destinations integrated this veteran unit into its new home in the county of Sussex. A further unit was also repurposed as a Network Rail test vehicle for European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and used throughout the network, it currently resides at Eastleigh Works.Although significantly faster than its Great Northern BR Class 313 counterparts while operating on third rail, the Southern BR Class 313 EMU is still only able to achieve a fairly conservative top speed of 75 mph (121 km/h). Compared to the 100 mph (161 km/h) top speed of BR Class 377 EMU that previously served the Coastway routes, it was considered ponderous. Southern made this decision as the increased speed and capacity of the BR Class 377 could be put to better use on the Brighton Main Line, and the slower local services could still be provided efficiently by the dependable BR Class 313 EMU.

The British Rail Class 313 is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit (EMU) train built by British Rail Engineering Limited‘s Holgate Road carriage works between February 1976 and April 1977. They were the first variety of British Rail‘s then-standard 1972 design for suburban EMUs, which eventually encompassed 755 vehicles and five classes (Class 313/314/315/507/508). They were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail and the first British Rail units with both a pantograph for 25 kV AC overhead lines and shoegear for 750 V DC third rail supply.^[3]^[4] They were the first units in Britain to have multi-functional Tightlock couplers, allowing the coupling and the connection of controlled electrical and air supplies to be carried out from the cab.

As of 4th January 2021, with the retirement of the Class 483, they are the oldest EMUs in regular service on National Rail in Britain; the oldest units are now 45 years old.

The Class 313 was developed following extensive trials with the prototype Class 445 “PEP” built in the early 1970s. The 313 is similar to the Class 314 (Glasgow), Class 315 (Anglia suburban — east London), Class 507 (Merseyside) and Class 508 (Merseyside, formerly Southern Region). The Class 313 directly replaced the Class 105 and 106 diesel multiple units previously on the Great Northern Inner Suburban services between London and Hertfordshire.

Since they were designed for use on Great Northern Inner Suburban services from Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford North, and Letchworth Garden City, which included a section of ‘tube’ line built to take standard size trains between Drayton Park and Moorgate, they are built to a slightly smaller loading gauge than conventional trains. They are standard length and width, but the roof is lower, most noticeable due to the lack of a “well” for the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph on the centre coach. They have to comply with regulations for underground trains, such as having doors at each end of the train for evacuation onto the tracks, and when on 750 V DC supply the traction supply for each motor coach is separate, whereas on conventional 750 V DC trains each coach in a unit is linked by a 750 V bus line. Due to this, each motor coach has shoe gear on both bogies, whereas normally it would only be on the leading bogie. They are fitted with trip-cocks that are struck by a raised train-stop arm at red signals and will apply the brakes if the train passes one.

The units were originally numbered 313001-064. Each unit is formed of two outer driving motors and an intermediate trailer with a pantograph. This is a reversal of the practice started in the 1960s, where the motors and pantograph were on an intermediate vehicle, with the outer vehicles being driving trailers. Part of the reason was to simplify the equipment to allow dual-voltage operation, and to keep down weight by spreading the heavy transformer and motors between vehicles. The intermediate trailer carries the pantograph and a transformer and rectifier, which on 25 kV AC provides 750 V DC to the motor coaches, each of which has four 110 horsepower (82 kW) GEC G310AZ traction motors, two per bogie. On 750 V DC each motor coach draws its supply directly through its shoe gear.

313s have series-wound GEC G310AZ direct current traction motors controlled by a camshaft controlled resistance system with series and parallel motor groupings and weak field steps. Originally the heating in the motor coaches was provided by passing air over the hot traction and braking resistors in addition to conventional heaters, but this feature is no longer in use and the pneumatic dampers have been disabled. Great Northern and Southern units have been retro-fitted with cab air conditioning.

313s have rheostatic braking (which was disabled on London Overground) in addition to conventional three-step air-operated disc braking. During braking if wheelslide is detected by the Wheel slide protection (WSP), rheostatic braking is disabled and disc-braking only is used. Great Northern units had sanding equipment. Unlike some other DMU/EMU classes, additional brake force is not available when the emergency brake application is initiated and is the equivalent force of a step 3/full service application. WSP is still active when making an emergency application.

In addition to the primary suspension of rubber chevron spring and oil dampers, secondary suspension is provided by two air bellows per bogie – flow into each bellows is controlled independently by a levelling valve and arm assembly that allows the suspension to inflate/deflate when the weight of the coach is increased or decreased by passenger loading. The air suspension is linked to the braking system via a Variable Load Valve (VLV), which increases air brake pressure when the coach is more heavily loaded to compensate for the additional weight.