British Rail Class 310

British Rail Class 310
Class 310 train in British Railways plain blue at Watford Junction station. The driving cab features wrap-around windows as originally fitted to these trains.
In service	1963 - 2002
Manufacturer	British Rail C&W Works Derby
Order no.	30745 (BDTSOL) 30746 (MBSO) 30747 (TSO) 30748 (DTCOL)
Constructed	1965-1967
Refurbishment	1985
Number built	50
Formation	4 cars per trainset (310/0) 3 cars per trainset (310/1) BDTSOL+MBSO+TSO+DTCOL (310/0) BDTSOL+MBSO+DTCOL (310/1)
Diagram	ED210 (MBS) ED219 (MBS) EE237 (DTS) EE306 (DTC) EF210 (BDTS) EF211 (BDTS) EF214 (BDTS) EH208 (TS) EH232 (TS)
Design code	AM10
Fleet numbers	310046-310095 (sets, 310/0) 310101-310113 (sets, 310/1) 76130-76179, 76228, 76998 (BDTSOL) 62071-62120 (MBSO) 70731-70780 (TSO) 76180-76229 (DTCOL)
Capacity	293 2nd, 25 1st class 80S (BDTSOL) 70S (MBSO) 100S (TSO) 25F, 43S (DTCOL)
Operator(s)	British Rail
Depot(s)	Bletchley Ilford East Ham
Line(s) served	West Coast Main Line
Specifications
Car body construction	Steel
Train length	265 ft 8 1⁄2 in (80.988 m) (4-car)
Car length	65 ft 1 3⁄4 in (19.856 m) (BDTSOL, DTCOL) 65 ft 4 1⁄2 in (19.926 m) (MBSO, TSO)
Width	9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Height	13 ft 0 1⁄2 in (3.975 m)
Articulated sections	4 (310/0) 3 (310/1)
Maximum speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Weight	158 t (156 long tons; 174 short tons) (total, as built) 160.6 t (158.1 long tons; 177.0 short tons) (total, 310/0 modified) 128.9 t (126.9 long tons; 142.1 short tons) (total, 310/1 modified) 37.3 t (36.7 long tons; 41.1 short tons) (BDTSOL, modified) 57.2 t (56.3 long tons; 63.1 short tons) (MBSO, modified) 31.7 t (31.2 long tons; 34.9 short tons) (TSO, modified) 34.4 t (33.9 long tons; 37.9 short tons) (DTCOL, modified)
Traction motors	4 × EE 546 270 hp (200 kW)
Power output	1,080 hp (810 kW)
Train heating	Electric
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
Current collection method	Pantograph
Bogies	B4
Braking system(s)	Air (auto/EP)
Safety system(s)	AWS
Coupling system	Automatic drophead buckeye (outer) Automatic solid shank buckeye (inner)
Multiple working	Class 302-312
Headlight type	Tungsten
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail (BR) Class 310 is a slam-door, alternating current (AC) electric multiple unit (EMU) introduced in 1963 as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification project. They were initially classified as Class AM10 units before the introduction of the TOPS classification system. Constructed at BR's Derby Carriage and Wagon Works. They consisted of four carriages - a second class driving trailer, a second class trailer, a second class motor car (with guard's/luggage compartment above which the Stone Faiveley AMBR pantograph was mounted) and a composite (1st and 2nd class) driving trailer. The maximum speed was 75 miles per hour. A glass partition behind the driver's cab enabled passengers in the leading and rear coaches to have an excellent view of the line ahead or behind.

They introduced some new features; the first standard multiple units with disc brakes (emergency stop from top speed in 33 seconds over 800 yd (730 m)); the first naturally air-cooled rectifiers (silicon diodes on cups of beryllium oxide), inductors and transformers. Noise was reduced by sprayed asbestos on the floor, body and roof.

Original livery was overall Rail Blue, later amended to the familiar blue and grey colour scheme.

Initially they were primarily used on local services from London Euston to Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Northampton and Birmingham, and within the West Midlands. They were also the first EMUs to be based on the British Rail Mark 2 bodyshell, which featured semi-integral construction.