British Rail Class 385
| British Rail Class 385 | |
|---|---|
|
Artist's impression of Class 385 unit | |
|
Mockup standard class interior | |
| In service | Due to enter service in 2017–2018 |
| Manufacturer | Hitachi Rail |
| Built at | Newton Aycliffe |
| Family name | A-Train |
| Replaced |
Class 170 Class 156 Class 158 Class 314 Class 380 |
| Constructed | 2015- |
| Number under construction |
70 units to be built 10 unit optional follow up order after 2020 |
| Formation |
46 x 3-carriage 24 x 4-carriage |
| Capacity | TBC |
| Operator(s) | ScotRail |
| Line(s) served |
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line Stirling / Alloa / Dunblane Lines Shotts Line Carstairs Line North Berwick Line Cathcart Circle Lines |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 23 m (75 ft) |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead |
| Current collection method | Pantograph |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (Standard Gauge) |
| Notes | |
|
Sources : Rolling Stock overview Except where noted | |
The Class 385[1] is an electric multiple unit being built by Hitachi Rail for Abellio ScotRail. A total of 70 units are planned to be built, divided into 46 three-car and 24 four-car sets.[2] The new trains are being procured to operate services on newly electrified lines in the Central Belt on a mixture of both suburban and inter-urban routes.
History
In October 2014, immediately after being awarded the ScotRail franchise, Abellio, a subsidiary of the Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen, announced that it had concluded an agreement with the Japanese manufacturer Hitachi Rail to procure 234 new EMU carriages from its AT-200 product series for use on routes in Scotland that were being electrified.[3] These new trains, which will be formed into a mix of three and four-car units, are intended to operate along the main Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line (due to be electrified by December 2016) and across Central Scotland.[4] The electrification programme, and purchase of new EMUs to operate services, will allow a subsequent cascade of the diesel multiple units currently used elsewhere on the network.
The order for the new EMUs was the first operator-based purchase of a Hitachi product for use in the UK following the IEP procurement, and its subsequent construction of its new facility at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. The bulk of the new fleet will be constructed there, with the first seven units being built at Hitachi's main factory in Kasado, Japan.[5] Construction of the first units began in November 2015, with delivery due to begin from late 2016 and service entry scheduled for 2017.[2]
An additional 10 x three car units will be purchased by Abellio if Transport Scotland exercise the option to extend the Scotrail contract from 7 to 10 years. These units would enter service in 2023. [6]
Operation
The Class 385 units are primarily intended for services originating from both Edinburgh and Glasgow. The main operation will be on the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk line, which is the principal and fastest route between Scotland's two major cities and is being electrified under the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme due for completion by December 2016.[7] The new trains will also operate on the newly electrified Croy, Dunblane and Shotts lines as well as replacing existing stock on the currently electrified Carstairs, North Berwick and Cathcart Circle Lines.[8]
Fleet details
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 385/0 | Abellio ScotRail | 46 | 2016-2018 | 3 | 385001–385046 |
| 10 | 2022-2023 | 385047–385056 | |||
| Class 385/1 | 24 | 2016-2018 | 4 | 385101–385124 |
1: ^ Conditional on Abellio ScotRail franchise being extended.[9]
References
- ↑ Clinnick, Richard (30 October 2015). "Hitachi's new Scottish EMU construction starts next month". Rail Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- 1 2 "AT200 for Scotland: 70 new trains for the upcoming ScotRail franchise". Hitachi Rail Europe. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ↑ "Hitachi to build ScotRail EMUs". Railway Gazette. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ↑ "Electrification programme". Transport Scotland. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ↑ http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/scotrail-class-385-emus-under-construction.html Railway Gazette International, retrieved 29 January 2016
- ↑ "Scotrail Franchise Agreement" (PDF). Transport Scotland. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
- ↑ "EGIP". Transport Scotland. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- ↑ "Scotrail unveil £475m improvement plan". BBC News. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ↑ Pritchard, Robert (March 2016). "Rolling Stock Update". Today's Railways (Platform 5 Publishing) (171): 56–60.
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