Class 380

The Class 380 Desiro is a type of electric multiple unit, built between 2009 and 2011 by Siemens Mobility. All units are currently operated by ScotRail.

 

 

Overview

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The trains serve ScotRail routes in the Ayrshire and Inverclyde regions of Scotland, originally intended for the cancelled Glasgow Airport Rail Link.

The contract for 38 units was awarded to Siemens by Transport Scotland on 11 July 2008. These include 22 three-car and 16 four-car units, all owned by Eversholt Rail, which leases them to ScotRail.

Platform extensions were undertaken at stations along the Ayrshire Coast Line and Inverclyde Line to accommodate the longer trains. The design includes full accessibility for disabled passengers and streamlined end corridor connections. Upon revealing the first completed vehicle, it was announced that the fleet would be divided into two sub-groups: the three-car units as Class 380/0 and the four-car units as Class 380/1. The initial unit arrived in the UK in August 2010.

ScotRail suspended fleet commissioning in September 2010 due to technical issues, impacting service reliability and causing delays in the rollout, particularly on the Airdrie-Bathgate line.

The fleet is based at Glasgow Shields Road TMD. Introduction of these trains led to the displacement of the Class 334 Juniper and Class 318 fleet, which previously operated on the Ayrshire Coast Line and Inverclyde Line. The Class 322 fleet on the North Berwick Line was also withdrawn and transferred to Northern Rail, while the Class 334 units were reassigned to the North Clyde Line to Edinburgh Waverley and the Class 318s to the Argyle Line.

Operations

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The Class 380 currently serves routes connecting Glasgow Central with Ayr, Largs, Ardrossan, Gourock, Wemyss Bay, Neilston, Newton, Barrhead, and the Cathcart Circle as of 2024. Initially introduced in December 2010, they also temporarily operated between Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk Grahamston, North Berwick, and Dunbar before the introduction of the Class 385 units.

In November 2012, the Class 380 began operating on the Paisley Canal Line following its electrification. Subsequently, with the December 2014 timetable change and electrification of the Whifflet Line, services to Lanark were redirected to Glasgow Central High Level, incorporating the Class 380 alongside Class 318 and Class 320 units.

Due to delays in the Class 385 units, the Class 380 also operated services on the electrified route between Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh Waverley via Falkirk starting from December 2017.

Since December 2023, Class 380 trains have been serving the Glasgow South Western Line from Glasgow Central to Barrhead, following the electrification of this route.