311103
311103 is owned by the Summerlee Museum
With the ACMU Society providing support to the organisation.
Unit 311 103 (originally numbered 103) was the 12th set off the production line. These units were visually similar to the 303s but featured subtle technical differences. 311 103 was a three-car set consisting of Battery Driving Trailer (BDTS) 76433, Motor Coach (MBS) 62174, and Driving Trailer (DTS) 76414. The Class 311 EMUs were siblings to the more common Class 303 "Blue Trains". While the 303s were built by Pressed Steel, the 19 units of the Class 311 fleet were ordered from Cravens of Sheffield.
Though 311 103 was constructed during the peak of 1966, it didn't officially enter service until 1967. This delay was largely due to the phased rollout of the Inverclyde Line electrification, linking Glasgow Central with Gourock and Wemyss Bay. As the "Clyderail" project expanded, 311 103 became a common sight across the entire suburban network, including The Argyle Line, The North Clyde routes and The Ayrshire Coast line.
When 311 103 was outshopped, it wore the then-new corporate British Rail Blue & Grey livery, The 311s sadly never carried the iconic "Caledonian Blue" the earlier Class 303s were famous for. 311 103 then carried the "Strathclyde PTE" livery before the class was finally withdrawn in the early 1990s.
311103
Vehicles Owned By:
Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
Located at Summerlee Near Coatbridge, Scotland
ACMU Society Role:
Providing publicity and support towards the ongoing Restoration
Unit Details:
Battery Driving Trailer Second
BDTS No. 76433
Motor Brake Second
MBS No. 62174
​​
Vehicles Under Cosmetic Restoration
Driving Trailer Second
DTS No. 76414
​​​
Scrapped in 2006, Bogies sold to VSOE
More Information:
311103 at Helensburgh Central, Thanks to Darrel Hendrie
British Rail History:
Sandite Duties:
Following the formal withdrawal from passenger service in 1994, Railtrack selected units 311 103 and 311 104 for conversion into dedicated Sandite units.
Reclassified as Class 936 (specifically units 936 103 and 936 104), these trains were tasked with maintaining rail safety during the autumn months. The conversion involved stripping the passenger interiors to accommodate specialized equipment designed to apply "Sandite"—a gritty, adhesive paste—directly to the railhead. This process was critical for Combating Low Adhesion, Improving Braking Performance and Maintaining Traction.
The Class 936 units remained an essential, part of Scotland’s railway infrastructure until 1999, when they were officially withdrawn from all duties, replaced by more modern equipment. The fates of the two units diverged significantly thereafter, and Unit 936 104 was unfortunately sent for disposal and was eventually scrapped in 2002.​
936103 at Derby on the 13 May 2002, Thanks to Byron Chamberlain
Preservation​ and RHT Designation:
The Railway Heritage Trust (RHT) Designated 311103 for preservation, and it arrived at the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life in 2002. Despite its safe arrival, the preservation of unit 311 103 faced a devastating challenge in 2006. A security breach by vandals resulted in catastrophic damage to the unit; windows were shattered throughout the set, and a deliberate fire was ignited within one of the driving trailers.
The fire damage to the leading driving coach was found to be structurally terminal. After a thorough assessment, the museum was forced to make the difficult decision to scrap the vehicle, and it was sent to Booths in 2006. However, the unit’s specialized Gresley-style bogies were salvaged. These were sold to the operators of the Belmond British Pullman (the UK wing of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)
The remaining two coaches of 311 103 were moved to an isolated section of track at the rear of the museum. For nearly a decade following the incident, they remained in a state of static storage. Their future remained uncertain until 2015, with the formation of the Blue Train Group, now referred to as the Glasgow Electric Group. This was established with a singular mission: to rescue the surviving vehicles from further decay, A goal now supported by the ACMU
