Class 350

Welcome to scot-rail.co.uk, Scotland's online railway community. The group is for any rail enthusiast interested in the railways and trains of Scotland. It not only consists of the wiki that you're reading now, but a busy online forum and mailing list, which was accessible to registered users. From April 2024 the forum has closed, with a replacement started on Groups.io.

Breadcrumb navigation

Editing menu

The Class 350 'Desiro' EMUs operated from Manchester to Edinburgh and Glasgow from December 2013 to April 2020.

  • First Transpennine Express ordered ten four car Class 350/4 Electric Multiple Units from Siemens to operate their services on the Manchester Airport to Scotland route, replacing the three car Class 185 diesel multiple units and offering greater capacity on the increasingly popular service.
  • On Tuesday 12 December 2013, 350401 broke new ground for the class running empty from Preston to Edinburgh Waverley and return. Numerous other test and training runs took place before the class entered passenger service.
  • The first Class 350/4 passenger service took place on 30 December 2013, with 350401 and 350403 working 1S35 07:15 Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central, and 1M96 11:09 Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport. All ten units were be in service by April 2014.
FTPE Desiro 350408 in unbranded livery waits at Carlsile with a service from Edinburgh to Manchester Airport on Saturday 26th April 2014 Photo by BigJack

  • The class entered service in an unbranded grey livery as a final version had not been decided upon at the time of the units being delivered. 350409 made it's passenger debut on 2nd April 2014 wearing the new version of First Group's corporate 'dynamic lines' livery. The other nine units were soon vinyled, with 350401 being the last to be completed.
  • On Saturday 26th April 2014, The Branch line Society ran The Clyde Race Tracker tour using unit 350410. It ran from Manchester Piccadilly to Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, visiting Craigentinny and Corkerhill depots on the way.
350410 on the BLS tour on 26th April 2014. Here 1Z52, the return leg from Glasgow Central to Manchester awaits departure. Photo by BigJack

  • In order to provide extra capacity for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Class 350/3 units were hired from London Midland. 350372,350373 and 350374 were recorded in service in Scotland during this time.
  • During 2017, the class underwent a livery change as part of a new Transpennine identity which dropped the First Group branding in favour of a star emblem, and predominantly silver and blue colours.
TransPennine Express Class 350 No.350410 departs Glasgow Central on Tuesday 22nd August 2017 with the 1M96 service to Manchester Airport. Photo by AlistairCowell

  • As part of a franchise commitment by First Group, the fleet of 350/4 units was to be replaced by longer, faster trains with the 350/4 units transferring to West Midlands Trains LNWR division. CAF were ordered to produce twelve Class 397 units, the first of which entered service on 30th November 2019.
  • From the end of November 2019, the class 350 units began to appear in London Northwestern Railway green and grey livery ahead of redeployment to the West Midlands.
  • After the December 2019 timetable change, several units were transferred to LNWR with the remaining units transferring in April 2020 after a reduction in service due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Soon to be transferred to West Midland Trains, 350409 has already been painted in its LNWR livery. 350409 waits at Carlisle with a Manchester Airport to Edinburgh service on 3rd February 2020. Photo by BigJack

As of April 2020, Class 350 units no longer work in Scotland.

Formations & Vehicle Numbers

Set Number DMSO TCO PTSO DMSO Comments
350401 60691 60901 60941 60671
350402 60692 60902 60942 60672
350403 60693 60903 60943 60673
350404 60694 60904 60944 60674
350405 60695 60905 60945 60675
350406 60696 60906 60946 60676
350407 60697 60907 60947 60677
350408 60698 60908 60948 60678
350409 60699 60909 60949 60679
350410 60700 60910 60950 60680

Former Home Depot: AK = Ardwick (Manchester)

External Links

Created by Dysgraphyk and last modified by him at 20:29, 30 of October 2021.