British Rail Classes 341 and 342

Class 341 and Class 342 were proposed electric multiple unit classes from the Networker series, to be introduced in the late 1990s.[1] The trains were planned to run on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and Crossrail projects.[1] Both projects were halted in the early 1990s, following the early 1990s recession.[1] With the subsequent privatisation of British Rail in 1994, neither train was ordered.[1]

British Rail Class 341 and 342
Networker
Artists impression of Class 341
Family nameNetworker
Number builtNever built
Operator(s)Network South East
Line(s) servedIntended - Crossrail (341); CTRL (342)

Class 341

Class 341 was intended as the rolling stock for the Crossrail project, and would have entered service in the late 1990s. A mock-up unit demonstrating the design of the train (and moquette) was built in 1991.[2] At one point, the Class 341 would form part of the Networker family of trains as 'Networker Crossrail'.[1] The Crossrail project was rejected by Parliament in 1994,[3] and the train was not ordered.

The specifications drawn up for the Class 341 were subsequently used as a base for laying down specifications for the new Class 345 units built to run on Crossrail. The Bombardier built Class 345 units were introduced in June 2017,[4] with the Crossrail project opening as the Elizabeth line in May 2022.[5]

Class 342

Class 342 was intended to operate domestic services on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) high speed line between London and the Kent coast. Plans for the high speed line were delayed in the early 1990s,[6] and the trains never got beyond the proposal stage.[1]

The CTRL (now High Speed 1) was subsequently built from 1998 onwards, and was completed in 2007. Domestic services began running in 2009, operated by Southeastern using Hitachi built Class 395 high speed trains.[7]

References
  1. Green, Chris; Vincent, Mike (2014). The Network Southeast Story. Mike Vincent. Shepperton: Oxford Publishing Co. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-86093-653-4. OCLC 872707499.
  2. "The First Crossrail Moquette Was Designed In The 1980s... And It's An Acquired Taste". Londonist. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  3. Norris, Steven (20 June 1994). "Crossrail". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 13 August 2022. We were disappointed by the Private Bill Committee's decision not to find the preamble to the Crossrail Bill proved.
  4. Clinnick, Richard (31 May 2017). "Delayed start for first Crossrail Aventra". Rail Magazine. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  5. "Elizabeth line: Central section sees one million journeys in five days". BBC News. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  6. Goodwin, Stephen (21 January 1994). "Inside Parliament: Euro-sceptic derides 'white elephant' line". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  7. "High-speed Javelin arrives early". BBC News. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.


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