| British Rail Class 332 | |
|---|---|
 Class 332 at London Paddington in January 2007 | |
 Interior of a refurbished standard class carriage | |
| In service | 19 January 1998 – 28 December 2020 |
| Manufacturer | CAF |
| Built at | Zaragoza, Spain |
| Constructed |
|
| Refurbished | 2012–2013[1] |
| Scrapped | 2020–2021 |
| Number built | 14 |
| Number preserved |
|
| Number scrapped | 13 |
| Successor | Class 387 |
| Formation | |
| Fleet numbers | 332001–332014 |
| Capacity |
|
| Owners | Heathrow Airport Holdings |
| Operators | Heathrow Express |
| Depots | Old Oak Common (London) |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length |
|
| Width | 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 3.77 m (12 ft 4 in) |
| Maximum speed | 109 mph (176 km/h) |
| Weight |
|
| Traction system | Siemens IGBT-C/I[2] E500 D600/860 M5 rdq-1[2] |
| Traction motors | 4×Siemens 1TB2215-0JA03[3] 350 kW asychronous motors (with ZF-Hurth gearboxes) |
| Power output | 1,400 kW (1,900 hp)[4] |
| Acceleration | 1 m/s2 (2.2 mph/s)[4] |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Scharfenberg Type 10[5] |
| Multiple working | Within class |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 332 electric multiple unit passenger trains were built between 1997 and 1998 by CAF, with traction equipment supplied by Siemens Transportation Systems. Fourteen units were built for dedicated use on Heathrow Express services between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport. The last unit was withdrawn from service in 2020 and all 14 units were scrapped by the following year.
History
Following BAA being granted rights to operate services from London Paddington to Heathrow Airport, 14 trains were ordered in July 1994 from Siemens Transportation Systems.[6][7][8] They were built by CAF in Zaragoza, Spain. The first two were tested at the Velim railway test circuit and in Germany, while the next two were sent directly to England arriving at Old Oak Common TMD in March 1997.[9][10][11]
The units had automatic train protection (ATP),[12] one of the few fleets in the UK to do so. This was largely as a consequence of the Paddington-Heathrow route being mainly on the Great Western Main Line, which was equipped with ATP in the early 1990s as part of a trial of the system by British Rail.[13] The units were not fitted with Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS). A derogation was issued in 2001, which exempted the class from mandatory TPWS installation, due to the fitment of the ATP.[13] Given the lack of TPWS, the trains were not compatible for use elsewhere on the rail network.[14]
The units were maintained at a purpose-built depot at Old Oak Common.[15] Following withdrawal of the units, the depot was demolished as part of the construction of High Speed 2 and Old Oak Common station.[16]
Operator
The Class first entered service on 19 January 1998 when services commenced from London Paddington to Heathrow Junction.[17][18] They operated through to Terminal 4 from May 1998 until March 2008, when the Heathrow Express was diverted to serve Terminal 5.[19]
The original order was for twelve three-car and two four-car sets.[20] The twelve three-carriage sets were increased to four-car sets by the end of 1998.[16] In 2002, five sets had a fifth car added.[21][22][23]
2016 recall
On 29 February 2016, the entire class was withdrawn after a structural defect was found on the underside of a driving car of unit number 332014.[24] They were replaced by Heathrow Connect Class 360s.[25] The Class 332 trains were gradually returned to service from 11 March 2016 onwards.[26]
Replacement
In March 2018, Heathrow Airport Holdings announced that operation of the Heathrow Express was to be contracted to Great Western Railway.[27][28][29] However, in September 2019, Heathrow Express announced that Heathrow Airport Holdings were to continue owning Heathrow Express until at least 2028 and that instead, GWR would manage the introduction of the Class 387 to replace the Class 332.[30]
The first unit, 332014 was sent to be scrapped in November 2020 at Sims Metal, Peterborough.[31] The last day in service for the remaining Class 332 units was 28 December 2020.[32][16] Apart from three carriages from 332001 that were retained by Siemens, the remaining sets were scrapped by Sims Metal, Newport in the first quarter of 2021.[33]
Further use
Car 63400 from 332001 was based at Siemens Goole for private use, it was later removed from the site.[34][35]
Car 78400 from 332001 is now based at the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, and is to be used as a training asset at their Immingham station.[36][37]
Fleet details
| Class | Status | No. Built | Year built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 332 | Scrapped | 14 | 1997–98 | 4 | 332001–004 332010–014 |
Car 63400 from 332001 was at Siemens Goole and was to be used to educate schoolchildren on visits and also host some training for apprentices at the factory.
Car 78400 from 332001 is at based at the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and is to be used for training. |
| 5 | 332005–009 |
See also
- British Rail Class 333, similar units operated by Northern Trains
References
- ^ "Which way from Heathrow?". The Railway Magazine. No. 1454. May 2022. pp. 26–31.
- ^ a b c d Schumann, Horst (1998). "Triebzug Baureihe 332 - Heathrow Express" (Document). Erlangen: Siemens AG. p. 1-7.
- ^ "Elektrischer Triebzug Class 332 - Heathrow Express (Product Brochure)" (Document). Siemens AG. 1998.
- ^ a b "Reference Brochure Trains" (PDF). mobility.siemens.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "BAA takes total control of Heathrow Express". Rail Privatisation News. No. 35. 25 July 1996. p. 3.
- ^ "New Heathrow Express Class 332 EMU ordered". Rail Magazine. No. 233. 17 August 1994. p. 9.
- ^ "Siemens scoops Heathrow Express order". Railway Gazette International. September 1994. p. 557.
- ^ "Heathrow Express completes commissioning trials". Railway Gazette International. January 1997. p. 27.
- ^ "First Heathrow Express unit arrives in Britain from Spain". Rail Magazine. No. 303. 23 April 1997. p. 10.
- ^ "Heathrow Express unveils the Class 332". The Railway Magazine. No. 1156. August 1997. p. 63.
- ^ "SUBURBAN TRAIN HEATHROW EXPRESS". CAF. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Certificate of Derogation from a Railway Group Standard 01/109/DGN" (PDF). RSSB. 25 February 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
- ^ Devereux, Nigel (1 May 2018). "Class 332s to become surplus when GWR operates Heathrow Express". The Railway Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
- ^ "Class 332 & 360/2 - Heathrow Express". Siemens Mobility. Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ^ a b c "Farewell to Heathrow Express Class 332s". Rail Magazine. No. 929. 29 April 2021. pp. 36–37.
- ^ "Heathrow Express starts running public services to Airport Junction". Rail Magazine. No. 323. 28 January 1998. p. 6.
- ^ "World Update". Railway Age. March 1998. p. 24.
- ^ "Heathrow Express starts direct service to airport". Rail Magazine. No. 333. 17 June 1998. p. 17.
- ^ "Heathrow Express stock ordered". The Railway Magazine. No. 1122. October 1994. p. 11.
- ^ "Heathrow Express orders five more Class 332 trailers". Rail Magazine. No. 410. 30 May 2001. p. 11.
- ^ "Heathrow Express orders more trains". The Railway Magazine. No. 1205. September 2001. p. 13.
- ^ "Heathrow Express prepares for extra coaches for its Class 332s". Rail Magazine. No. 447. 30 October 2002. p. 11.
- ^ "Heathrow Express fleet grounded". Modern Railways. No. April 2016. p. 72.
- ^ "UPDATE: Heathrow Express fleet out of service for foreseeable future". Global Rail News. Rail Media. 2 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
- ^ "Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect fleet update". Heathrow Express. 11 March 2016. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ "GWR to manage Heathrow Express operations". International Railway Journal. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018.
- ^ "GWR to manage Heathrow Express service". Railway Gazette International. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018.
- ^ "All change as Great Western takes over HEX". The Railway Magazine. No. 1413. December 2018. p. 11.
- ^ "Heathrow Express service confirmed to at least 2028". www.heathrowexpress.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- ^ "First of the Heathrow Class 332s is scrapped". Rail Magazine. No. 920. 16 December 2020. p. 27.
- ^ "HEx 332 fleet bows out". Rail Express. No. 299. April 2021. pp. 85–87.
- ^ "Final HEx Class 332s disposed of". Railways Illustrated. April 2021. p. 21.
- ^ "HEx 332 fleet bows out". Rail Express. No. 299. April 2021. pp. 85–87.
- ^ "Siemens donates '332' vehicle". News Front. Modern Railways. Vol. 82, no. 927. December 2025. p. 16.
- ^ Daley, Connie (27 October 2025). "Carriage set to help save lives on the railways". Yorkshire Post. p. 3. ISSN 0963-1496.
- ^ "Humberside Fire and Rescue get train to practise terror response". BBC News. 21 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
