British Rail Class 319

The British Rail Class 319 is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit built by British Rail Engineering Limited at its Holgate Road carriage works for north to south cross-London services. Built in two batches in 1987 and 1988 and in 1990, the trains can take 25 kV alternating current from overhead wires or 750 V direct current from a third rail, which suited the new Thameslink route between Bedford and Brighton that opened in 1988. They were the first British Rail units to use thyristor control in place of a camshaft and resistor bank, and the body was shaped to fit the loading gauge of the Kings Cross tunnel. The Class 321 passenger units and Class 325 postal units were developed from the design. Later the units worked for Connex South Central, Southern, Northern and London Northwestern Railway, and 44 sets were converted to the Class 769 bi-mode units.