Class 321

The Class 321 is a four car EMU dating from 1988-1991. They have a top speed of 100 mph and have a high density seating layout of 3+2 seats in Standard Class and a small First Class section in one of the driving vehicles with 2+2 seating. There is also a toilet in one of the intermediate coaches. They currently have four operators. These are: National Express East Anglia, London Midland, First Capital Connect and Northern.

The first operator National Express East Anglia have currently got 77 sets for services from London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria/Southminster/Chelmsford/Witham/Braintree/Colchester/Clacton/Walton/Harwich and Ipswich. Although rarely seen north of Ipswich, the Class 321 is route cleared to Norwich and can be seen very occasionally in this area during times of service disruption and/or stock shortages.

The number of units is set to increase by 17 after the December 2009 Timetable change as the units will be cascaded by the arrival of 37 350 Desiros at London Midland. This fleet is currently undergoing a mid-life overhaul by Wabtec of Doncaster.

London Midand is another operator of these units. It inherited 37 units from the former Silverlink franchise but after the arrival of the afore mentioned 350's the fleet after December will be reduced to just 7 sets mainly on peak hour workings from London Euston to Tring/Milton Keynes and Northampton. However one set will be used on an all day diagram from Watford Junction to St Albans. Of the other 30 sets 17 will be cascaded to National Express and 6 are with First Capital Connect. However the latter company is rumoured to receive a further 4 sets which means 3 will remain unallocated.

This leads us to the above mentioned First Capital Connect. This company has a small fleet of currently 6 units although expected to rise to 10. They are employed mainly on London Kings Cross to Peterbrough/Cambridge stopping services.

The final TOC to use these versatile units is Northern. This company has a very small non-standard fleet of 3 units for stopping services from Doncaster to Leeds and one or two Peak Hour workings to Skipton. There are rumours circulating that the remaining 3 units unallocated from London Midland will be used around this area too.