The Flickr Class305 Image Generatr

The Class 305/2 EMUs were built in 1960 for services from Liverpool Street to the Lea Valley as far as Bishops Stortford. In the late 1980s/early 90s they were replaced by Class 310s, with some 305s being refurbished at Doncaster and moved to the Manchester area. Most gained Regional Railways livery, with some wearing the attractive Greater Manchester PTE colours. The veteran EMUs continued in service until May 2000. A small batch moved to Scotland for further use on the North Berwick branch, continuing until January 2002.

Longsight-based GMPTE 305503 is pictured at Manchester Piccadilly in the company of fellow Longsight unit, Met Cam 101662 with the 1020 to Rose Hill Marple.

Stockport, spring 1992. A change to the historic use of class 304 units on this route, class 305518, transferred from Eastern Region services out of Liverpool Street heads north over the viaduct

305510 arrives back at Manchester Piccadilly with a service from Hadfield. 3/2/93. The Class 305s were built by BR at Doncaster in 1960 and used for 30 years on commuter services into London's Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations. Once they were replaced by more modern stock, some of the units moved to the Manchester area to replace Class 304s and then later still moved to Scotland to operate North Berwick to Edinburgh services. This was the only shot I got of one while they were in the Manchester area. I suspect that they weren't around there for very long.

Taken on July 31st 1987

Ex-GE Suburban BR AM5 - Class 305 - unit 403 at Upminster station on the shuttle service from Romford, in July 1987.
These units had entered service in November 1960, replacing N7s and Gresley Quint-Arts on the suburban services to Enfield Town and Chingford, and were in turn replaced by Class 315s..
The class included 3 and 4-car units, and the last 3-car unit was withdrawn in the late 1990s, and the last 4-car unit was withdrawn in 2001. No examples were preserved.
Restored from an over-exposed faded original..
Original slide - property of Robert Gadsdon

See where this photo was taken

On 26 August 1997, 305508 is seen at Edinburgh Waverley on the 0837 to North Berwick.

On 26 August 1997, 305517 is seen at Edinburgh Waverley on the 1337 to North Berwick.

On 21 February 1998, 305517 is seen at Edinburgh Waverley on the 1814 to North Berwick.

On 13 June 1998, we see 305508 and 90022 at Edinburgh Waverley.

On 11 May 2000, 43111 stops at Edinburgh Waverley on the 1200 Kings Cross - Inverness as 305501 arrives on the 1633 Haymarket - North Berwick.

On 12 May 2001, 305508 arrives at Edinburgh Waverley on the 1720 from North Berwick.

By the early 1990's the class 304 fleet built for suburban work primarily around Liverpool and Manchester was getting very depleted with withdrawals and with new stock (class 323's) suffering delayed introduction BR transferred 11 class 305/2 sets from the Anglia Region of Network South-East to cover for the shortfall in available train sets. Mechanically very similar to the 304's the 305/2's were originally built for Lea Valley line services out of London Liverpool Street to the likes of Bishops Stortford and Hertford East and unlike the older class 305/1's used on the inner suburban and Great Eastern mainline they were 4-car units instead of 3-car sets. By the mid 1980's the 304's had all been reduced to 3-car sets so there was an increase in seating capacity initially with the arrival of the 305's but this didn't last as Regional Railways soon reduced half of the new arrivals to 3-car units. That is evident in this picture with 305 504 on the left in Regional Railways livery having just arrived with 2H05 the 12.51 from Hazel Grove being a 3-car set while stabled alongside in Regional Railway/Greater Manchester PTE livery 305 511 is still a 4-car set.

Stockport 1992. Class 305 305518

Well, return to Hadfield. September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. 305516 does the honours on this occasion, sporting the GMPTE variation of the Regional Railways livery. The alignment beyond the bridge was once three tracks; to the left the down line, the middle the up line and to the right the up loop. The loop, with a trap point at the end, provided protection for EMUs reversing to Glossop against collisions from eastbound trains should they pass the protecting signal.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

Well, return to Hadfield. September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. 305516 does the honours on this occasion, sporting the GMPTE variation of the Regional Railways livery.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. Regional Railways liveried 305507 provides the entertainment now.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. Regional Railways liveried 305515 negotiates Dinting West Junction, the points at this time still worked mechanically from Dinting ‘box. The remains of the Up line, to the right, haven’t seen a train since the derailment on 11 March 1981 which started at the cross over (which is now a slew) where the rear of the train is in this photograph.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. Regional Railways liveried 305507 provides the entertainment now.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. It isn’t clear from the photograph which one this is, but GMPTE/Regional Railways liveried 305515 and 516 were both on the circuit that day. Whatever it is it is negotiating Dinting East Junction, going away from the camera towards Hadfield. The junctions at this time are still worked mechanically from Dinting ‘box. The remains of the Up line, to the right, haven’t seen a train since the derailment on 11 March 1981.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

September 1997, possibly the 19th, sees a ride out to the world's longest possession at Hadfield. Regional Railways liveried 305507 provides the entertainment now.

The 305s, or AM5s as they were then, were introduced from 1960 for the Lea Valley electrification. As such, the 305s were no strangers to former DC overhead structures, having spent most of their lives on the lines out of London Liverpool Street where the 1949 DC electrification programme used identical construction to the Woodhead scheme.

The Class 305s which survived into the 1990s were Class 305/2s, numbered in the 305 5xx series. These had started life as four car units and variously lost, regained and lost a trailer again as requirements dictated. The requirements of the Manchester Airport service were for four car units, and the refurbished 305s were primarily intended for these workings.

The 305s gradually displaced the Class 304s on services around Manchester as the brand-new Class 323s were delivered. The 305s would themselves be ousted by the increasing deliveries of 323s. The last workings for the 305s around Manchester were for three car units on the Hadfield services. The 323s could not go around the curve at Dinting until it was realigned to account for the extra length of each 323 car. Once that work was completed in September 1997 the 305s were again redundant with some seeing further use in Scotland on the Edinburgh – North Berwick services.

Another photo from the Steam on the Met event on 21 July 1990. GWR-design 0-6-0PT no 9466 leads Metropolitan Railway 0-4-4T no 1 through Northwood Hills on the 11.10 Harrow-on-the-Hill - Amersham. The emu behind the locos is Class 305 unit no 305513, built in 1959 for inner suburban workings out of Liverpool Street station.