Class 350 (Desiro) spotting guide
The Class 350 Desiro is the everyday electric unit of the southern West Coast Main Line and the West Midlands, carrying commuters and regional passengers on busy outer-suburban routes. Reliable and numerous, it's an easy catch at stations like Nuneaton and Stafford.
Photo: Kat's Transport Photography · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
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The Class 350 Desiro is a four-car electric multiple unit built by Siemens from 2004.
About the Class 350 (Desiro)
The Class 350 Desiro is a four-car electric multiple unit built by Siemens from 2004. It handles outer-suburban and regional services on the electrified West Coast Main Line and across the West Midlands network.
History
Introduced from 2005 for Silverlink and later London Midland, the Desiro fleet grew in several batches. It now works for London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway on Euston-area outer-suburban and regional routes.
How to identify it
Look for a smooth, four-carriage electric unit with a rounded cab and a full-width yellow front, always running under the overhead wires. Running numbers are in the 350xxx series, usually in London Northwestern Railway or West Midlands Railway liveries.
Fleet numbers
Numbered from 350101, operated by London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway.
Operators
Typical workings
- London Euston to the West Midlands and the North West (outer-suburban)
- West Midlands regional services
Where to see the Class 350 (Desiro)
Nuneaton ★★★★★
A busy Trent Valley junction on the West Coast Main Line, where cross-country routes meet the fast line — and a strong freight location.
Stafford ★★★★☆
A major West Coast Main Line junction where the Stoke and Birmingham routes diverge — strong passenger flow with steady freight.
Crewe ★★★★★
One of Britain's most famous railway junctions — a classic West Coast Main Line spot with heavy passenger and freight variety.
Collect the Class 350 (Desiro) fleet
Turn everyday sightings into a collecting challenge — track the running numbers you've caught.