British Rail Class 222

British Rail Class 222 Meridian/Pioneer

The new refurbished interior of Standard Class aboard a Class 222/0 Meridian No. 222008
In service 2004–
Manufacturer Bombardier Transportation
Family name Voyager
Replaced InterCity 125
Class 170
Constructed 2003–2005
Refurbishment 2011–2012
Number built 27 trainsets
Number in service 27 trainsets
Formation 4, 5, or 7 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers 222001–222023
222101–222104
Operator(s) East Midlands Trains
Line(s) served Midland Main Line
Oakham to Kettering Line
Specifications
Car body construction Steel
Car length 23.85 m (78 ft 3 in) end cars
22.82 m (74 ft 10 in) other
Width 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in)
Maximum speed 125 mph (200 km/h)
Prime mover(s) Cummins QSK19
Power output 750 hp (560 kW) per car
UIC classification 1A'A1'+1A'A1'+...+1A'A1'
Braking system(s) Rheostatic
Safety system(s) AWS, TPWS
Coupling system Dellner[1]

The British Rail Class 222 is a diesel-electric multiple unit high-speed train capable of 125 mph (200 km/h). Twenty-seven units have been built in Belgium by Bombardier Transportation.

The Class 222 is similar to the Class 220 Voyager and Class 221 Super Voyager trains used by CrossCountry and Virgin Trains, but it has a different interior. The Class 222 trains have more components fitted under the floors to free up space within the body. Since 2009 East Midlands Trains has been the only train operating company using Class 222s.

Details

All coaches are equipped with a Cummins QSK19 diesel engine of 750 hp (560 kW) at 1800 rpm.[2] This powers a generator, which supplies current to motors driving two axles per coach. Approximately 1,350 miles (2,170 km) can be travelled between each refuelling.

Class 222 have rheostatic braking using the motors in reverse to generate electricity which is dissipated as heat through resistors situated on the roof of each coach; this saves on brake pad wear.

In common with the Class 220s, B5000 lightweight bogies are used - these are easily recognisable since the entire outer surface of the wheel is visible, with inboard axle bearings.

The Class 222 are fitted with Dellner couplers,[3] as on Class 220 Voyager and Class 221 SuperVoyager trains,[3] though these units cannot work together in service because the Class 222 electrical connections are incompatible with the Class 220 and Class 221 trains.[3]

All Class 222 units are maintained at the dedicated Etches Park depot in Derby which is just south of Derby station.

Formation

Class 222 units are currently running in the following formations:

East Midlands Trains: seven cars with 236 standard seats and 106 first-class seats.

East Midlands Trains: five cars with 192 standard seats and 50 first-class seats

East Midlands Trains: four cars with 132 standard seats and 33 first-class seats

The four- and five-car units can be coupled to form 9/10-car services at peak times. When coupled together, coaches A-G are found in the front unit and the rear coaches become labelled J, K, L, M, N, with the first-class seats in coaches J and K.

Initially, the 23 units ordered for Midland Mainline were 4-car and 9-car. Over time these have been gradually modified to the current formations. The 4-car units ordered by Hull Trains had an option when constructed to be extended to 5-cars if required.[4]

Operations

Midland region

Except for certain sections of route, no routes operated by East Midlands Trains are electrified north of Bedford, and all its trains are diesel-powered.

Midland Mainline introduced the first of 23 Class 222 units on 31 May 2004, branding them Meridian. These replaced all of the Class 170 Turbostars, and some of the HSTs having better acceleration than both of them.

Midland Mainline Class 222 Meridians rest at London St. Pancras

Seven of the sets were nine-car Class 222 Meridians intended for an enhanced London St Pancras to Leeds service, but after the trains had been ordered, the Strategic Rail Authority decided not to allow them to run the service.[5] The nine-car Meridians were used on London-Nottingham and some London-Sheffield services.

When the trains were ordered, Midland Mainline overestimated the number of first-class passengers, and the four-car Meridians had less standard-class seating than the three-car Turbostars they replaced. Coach D subsequently had a section of first-class seating declassified for use by standard-class passengers.

At the end of 2006 Midland Mainline removed a carriage from each of the nine-car sets and extended seven of the four-car sets.

Following the formation of the new East Midlands rail franchise on November 2007, the entire fleet of Class 222 Meridians was inherited by East Midlands Trains, which operates the expanded East Midlands rail franchise, including all routes previously run by Midland Mainline.

East Midlands Trains has named the following Meridians:

Unit number Name Date named Named by Notes
222 001 The Entrepreneur Express 22 September 2011 Tim Shoveller, East Midlands Trains Managing Director Named to kick off the start of the 2011 entrepreneur festival MADE
222 002 The Cutlers' Company 18 October 2011 Pam Liversidge, Master Cutler Named to mark as successful partnership between East Midlands Trains and Sheffield
222 003 Tornado 24 March 2009 Tim Shoveller, East Midlands Trains Managing Director Driving car 60163 named as it has the same number as Tornado
222 004 Children's Hospital Sheffield 26 February 2013 Michael Vaughan, Charity Paton To mark the successful partnership between East Midlands Trains and the Sheffield Children's Hospital
222 006 The Carbon Cutter 31 May 2011 Philip Hammond, Transport Secretary To mark the introduction of eco-mode to the fleet
222 008 Derby Etches Park 13 September 2014 David Horne, East Midlands Trains Managing Director Named as part of the open day at Derby Etches Park
222 015 175 Years of Derby's Railways 1839 - 2014 18 July 2014 Paul Atterbury, Antiques Roadshow Expert and railway author To mark 175 years of railways in Derby
222 022 Invest In Nottingham 19 September 2011 Jon Collins, leader of Nottingham City Council Named to launch the 2011 Invest in Nottingham day

Midland Mainline had named some of the units as follows:

Unit number Name Date named Named by
222 004 City Of Sheffield 29 March 2007 Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Councillor Jackie Drayton
222 005 City Of Nottingham 30 January 2007 Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Des Wilson
222 006 City Of Leicester 7 March 2007 Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Paul Westley
222 007 City Of Derby 17 May 2007 Mayor of Derby, Councillor John Ahern
East Midlands Trains Bombardier Class 222/0 Meridian No. 222003 at Tupton

The names were removed when the franchise passed to East Midlands Trains.

In 2008 further rearrangements were made to the sets: another carriage was removed from the eight-car Meridians, except for 222 007, which has been reduced to five cars.[6] The surplus coaches were then added to the remaining four-car Meridians to make six seven-car sets (222 001-222 006) and 17 five-car sets (222 007-222 023). This took place from March to October 2008; as part of the process, two first-class coaches removed from 222 007 were converted to standard class and part first class.

The seven-car trains are almost exclusively used on the fast services between London St Pancras and Sheffield. These do not operate the London St Pancras-Leeds, although the service is via Sheffield. The five-car trains are mainly used between London St Pancras and Sheffield, Nottingham or Corby on semi-fast services. The four-car trains supplement the five-car trains on these services.

In December 2008 the Class 222 Meridians started work on the hourly London St Pancras to Sheffield services, because they have faster acceleration than the High Speed Trains and so were able to reduce the Sheffield to London journey time by 12 minutes. The hourly Nottingham service was then transferred to High Speed Train running to cover for the Meridians now working the hourly Sheffield fast service.[7]

In February 2009, 222 101 and 222 102 transferred from Hull Trains to East Midlands Trains, and were quickly repainted in the East Midlands Trains white livery. 222 104 followed from Hull Trains later in the year. 222 103 followed a few months after 222 104 after repairs had been completed (see below). 222 103 has now been reinstated for service after two years for repairs after the unit fell from jacks at Bombardier, Crofton in early 2007.

Hull services

Hull Trains Class 222/1 No. 222104 at King's Cross.
The interior of standard class aboard Hull Trains unit 222104.

Hull Trains introduced Class 222 Pioneer units, to replace its Class 170 Turbostars in May 2005. The units reduced journey times between Hull and King's Cross by up to 20 minutes. The Pioneers have a different interior colour scheme and less first-class seating than the Meridians.

First Hull Trains' fleet consisted of four four-car Pioneers, each named after a 'modern-day pioneer' related to Hull.

222 101Professor George Gray
222 102Professor Stuart Palmer
222 1031Dr John Godber
222 104Sir Terry Farrell

1222 103 was involved in an accident during maintenance work that severely damaged two of the unit's four cars.

First Hull Trains decided to use only Class 180 units from 2009 onwards. The Class 222 Pioneers have been transferred to East Midlands Trains[8] and are now known as Meridians.

Refurbishment

East Midlands Trains has refurbished its entire Class 222 fleet. The refurbishment includes new seat covers and carpets in standard class. First class received new leather seat covers along with a new colour scheme and carpets. The refurbishment started in February 2011 and was complete by Spring 2012.[9][10]

Incidents

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) investigated the incident and found that it was caused by a complete fracture of the axle, due to a bearing stiffening to the point where it would no longer rotate properly. The RAIB recommended that a review of gearbox and axle design be undertaken, and that the class 22X final drive oil sampling regime be improved.[12]

Other prospective operators

Enterprise

In 2005 HSBC Rail took delivery of the seven nine-car trains planned for use by Midland Mainline on its London-Leeds service, but the trains were left idle when the Strategic Rail Authority prevented Midland Mainline from operating this service. HSBC Rail made contact with Northern Ireland Railways and Iarnród Éireann, with a view to their leasing these units for use by Enterprise.[16] Using these trains on the Belfast-Dublin line was one of a number of options, which also included the purchase of additional 22000 Class railcars or cascaded coaching stock. In the event, the trains entered service with MML providing the fast services from London to Nottingham, thus releasing HSTs. The trains would have required significant modification to be used by Northern Ireland Railways, including reducing each train from nine to eight cars (the maximum length of stations on the Belfast-Dublin line), and converting them from standard gauge to Irish gauge (5 ft 3 inches).

Grand Central

Grand Central, on the announcement of its planned open-access operation to Sunderland in the summer of 2006, planned to run its services using five Class 222 units, with the intention of starting by the end of that year. However, this never happened, pushing back the planned start date while the company looked for alternatives. Grand Central finally started operating in December 2007 using three High Speed Trains.[17]

Current fleet details

Class Operator No. in service Year Built[18] Cars per Set Unit numbers.
Class 222/0 East Midlands Trains 6 2003-2005[19] 7 222001-222006
17 5 222007-222023
Class 222/1 4 2005 4 222101-222104

References

  1. ↑ "Mechanical And Electrical Coupling Index". Rail Safety and Standards Board. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  2. ↑ Class 222 data TheRailwayCentre.Com
  3. 1 2 3 System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles - Rail Safety and Standards Board
  4. ↑ "Hull Trains launches Class 222 Meridian fleet". Railway Herald Issue 4, 11 March 2005. p. 2.
  5. ↑ High Speed Hidden Asset - Railwatch, July 2005
  6. ↑ "Changes to our trains" (Press release). East Midlands Trains. 6 June 2008. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2008. In preparation of our December 2008 timetable where we plan to run additional services we will be moving carriages between trains. Our smaller Meridian trains will get an extra carriage and some larger Meridian trains will lose one. By carrying out this work we will be improving our capacity on our smaller, busy trains in the peak hours where it is needed. Overall, we will reduce overcrowding at peak times.
  7. ↑ East Midlands Trains FAQ Page
  8. ↑ Modern Railways Issue 772 (November 2008)
  9. ↑ "The News in Pictures" (PDF). Railway Herald (257). 21 February 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  10. ↑ East Midlands Train announce Meridian refurbishment
  11. ↑ RAIB Report into incident
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "Nottingham railway station disrupted after engine fire". BBC News. 20 April 2012.
  14. ↑ "Passenger train left with gaping hole after crash". ITN News. 18 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Collision at Barrow-on-Soar". Rail Accident Investigation Branch. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  16. ↑ IRRS Journal 157
  17. ↑ "The train now arriving from Sunderland is approximately... one year late". Rail Professional. November 2007.
  18. ↑ Marsden, Colin J (2010). Rail Guide 2010. Ian Allen. pp. 31–32. ISBN 978-0-7110-3457-0. */
  19. ↑ Mark Herriott's Railway Photographs Midland Mainline Meridian Class 222 on Test In Belgium

External links

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