Beyond Passenger Service

Several proposals for further use of the Class 321 fleet after withdrawal by Greater Anglia were made. These included many different possibilities, many of which would have seen the fleet well into the 2020s and beyond.

Many of the original unrefurbished units, those that were never selected for further use, either saw scrapping immediately after withdrawal from the Great Eastern Main Line or saw years in storage with no future. Units initially saw storage in Wolverton Works, Worksop Sidings as well as Gascoigne Wood, with further units later stored in Wembley Yard and Walton Old Junction sidings.

The ‘Breeze’ project was the first of these projects, which would have seen Eversholt owned Class 321 units converted by Alstom to operate under hydrogen power. The Class 600 would see the 321 units reduced to three coaches, with the fitting of hydrogen fuel cells taking up some of the passenger accommodation reducing the available space further to only two coaches. As a part of initial development Northern planned to make use of the units on routes around Middlesborough, a location suited to these trains owing to their short range and need for more frequent refuelling.

Eventually however Alstom decided to abandon the project, instead focussing on a new build hydrogen multiple unit based on the successful Aventra train family which they had acquired during their purchase of Bombardier. The two units initially selected for conversion 321448, the original Renatus refurbishment prototype, and 321437, were scrapped in 2022 after acting as prototypes for the project in Alstom’s Widnes facility.

Following years of developing ‘Breeze’, Eversholt pursued another venture in the freight market to make use of the many Class 321s already in storage by 2021. ‘Swift’ would see the passenger accommodation removed and new fixtures fitted, to allow the conveyance of parcels and small freight aboard the units.

The first of these, 321334, was converted by Wabtec Doncaster and painted into the new Swift Express livery. By the end of the year 4 more Class 321s would be announced to receive the same treatment however with no repaint, all 5 were received by new freight operator Varamis Rail in 2022.

Varamis Rail began operating an an overnight freight flow from Glasgow to Birmingham and return with the converted Class 321s in 2022, which was initially a massive success. It was announced in 2023 however Eversholt would abandon the ‘Swift’ project in the same way they abandoned ‘Breeze’ the previous year, focussing instead on projects involving new build units. Thanks to the success of their original freight flow however further units were then acquired and converted by Varamis rail, with a total of 10 Ex-Greater Anglia units now owned by the freight operator.

Varamis Rail intend to operate further routes thanks to their large fleet and popularity with customers, proposed was an extension down to London from Birmingham as well as new services to Bristol, Doncaster and Newcastle.

Developed also was a route directly into the City of London, making use of former parcels access into and out of Liverpool Street Station. Testing took place in March of 2024 when a pair of units ran to Liverpool Street, also acting as an event to promote the Varamis Rail and industry partners to potential customers in the City.

Both Eversholt projects involved the original fleet of unrefurbished Class 321s already in store by the end of 2021, however considerations were made for the future of the 30 refurbished Renatus units during the lead up to their withdrawal in 2023. Vivarail, who had already seen moderate success converting old District Line tube stock to operate service on the National Rail network as the D Train, proposed to convert the units to operate on battery power for use by ScotRail on routes which were to receive partial electrification. However due to complications with the development of their existing D Train projects, Vivarail went into administration in 2022. Upon their purchase of the brand and many of its assets Great Western Railway made the decision to abandon the project.

TOP (1) Several Renatus Class 321s lined up at Wembley Yard. (2) Greater Anglia white (Red doors) at Gascoigne Wood sidings. (3) Several Class 321s lined up at Wolverton Works.

MIDDLE Swift Parcels 321334 at Peterborough station.

BOTTOM (1) Varamis 321428 at Lancaster station. (2) Varamis 321428 at Bethnal Green station, with branded headboard. (3) Varamis 321429 at Crewe station.

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