The British Rail Class 745 FLIRT is a class of electric multiple unit passenger train, built by Stadler as part of the FLIRT family. The class is built for Greater Anglia for use on their inter-city services and the Stansted Express services. They first entered service on 8 January 2020, after being constructed between 2018 and 2020 in Switzerland.
| British Rail Class 745 FLIRT | |
|---|---|
 Greater Anglia Class 745 at Colchester | |
 Class 745 standard-class saloon | |
| In service | 8 January 2020 – present |
| Manufacturer | Stadler Rail |
| Assembly | Stadler Bussnang AG |
| Built at | Bussnang, Switzerland |
| Family name | FLIRT |
| Replaced |
|
| Constructed | 2018–2020 |
| Number built | 20 |
| Formation | 12 cars per unit |
| Fleet numbers |
|
| Capacity |
|
| Owners | Rock Rail[1] |
| Operators | Greater Anglia[2] |
| Depots | Crown Point (Norwich) |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Train length | 236.6 m (776 ft 3 in) |
| Width | 2.720 m (8 ft 11.1 in) |
| Height | 3.915 m (12 ft 10.1 in)[3] |
| Floor height | 960 mm (3 ft 2 in) |
| Doors | Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1.300 m (4 ft 3.2 in) wide (1 per side per car) |
| Wheel diameter |
|
| Wheelbase | Bogies: 2.700 m (8 ft 10.3 in) |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) |
| Traction system | IGBT |
| Power output | 5,200 kW (7,000 bhp) at wheel |
| Tractive effort | Max. 400 kN (90,000 lbf) |
| Acceleration | 0.9 m/s2 (3.0 ft/s2) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| UIC classification |
|
| Safety system(s) | |
| Coupling system | Dellner |
| Multiple working | Not provided |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Notes/references | |
| Sourced from [4] unless otherwise noted. | |
History
editIn August 2016, Abellio Greater Anglia was awarded the East Anglia franchise with a commitment to replace all of the existing fleet. As part of this, an order was placed with Stadler Rail for twenty 12-carriage electric multiple units that would join the FLIRT family.[2] These new trains are classified as Class 745s and are divided into two sub-classes: ten 745/0 units and ten 745/1 units. Alongside the related Class 755 units, also in the FLIRT family, the units will be maintained at Crown Point TMD.[5]
The 745/0 units were built to replace the Class 90 locomotive, Mark 3 carriage and Driving Van Trailer loco-hauled sets on the inter-city London Liverpool Street to Norwich services, which they have now fully done. The 745/1 units were built to replace the Class 379 fleet used on Stansted Express services.
The interiors of the units feature USB and plug points, air conditioning, free WiFi, passenger information screens, larger accessible areas, bicycle storage areas and include digital seat reservation displays. All trains have a low floor making the train more accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. In comparison with the 745/1 units, the 745/0 units include first class accommodation, tables and a bistro. A trolley service also operates on certain trains.[6]
Operation
edit
The trains were first approved for passenger service in July 2019 and were expected to enter passenger service in late 2019.[7][8] However, delays in fitting their passenger information systems meant that Greater Anglia instead had to seek a derogation allowing the operation of their Class 90 + Mark 3 sets into 2020.[9]
Following this, the first 745/0 unit finally entered service on 8 January 2020 on the Norwich to Liverpool Street route and, by April 2020, had entirely replaced the loco-hauled fleet.[10][11][12]
The first Class 745/1 unit entered service on 30 March 2020 and these are also being used on the Norwich to Liverpool Street route, with the first service on the Stansted Express starting on 28 July 2020.[13][14]
Technical details
editClass 745 units of both subclasses are formed of 12 vehicles, which are grouped in pairs that share an unpowered Jacobs bogie. Conventional semi-permanent couplings join each pair of vehicles together, a difference from other FLIRT models (that use Jacobs bogies throughout) necessary in order to provide energy absorption should a collision or derailment occur.[15] Traction motors are carried on four bogies in each unit; one under each driver's cab and one either side of the centremost coupling.[4] Pantographs are fitted to the second and eleventh vehicles in each unit.[4]
Fleet details
edit| Subclass | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 745/0 | Greater Anglia | 10 | 2018–2020 | 12 | 745001–745010 | Intercity[16] |
| 745/1 | 10 | 745101–745110 | Stansted Express[16] |
Illustration
edit
See also
edit- Class 755 – A similar class of bi-mode multiple units also built by Stadler Rail for Greater Anglia.
Notes
editReferences
edit
- ^ Sherratt, P., ed. (2023). "ROSCO Fleets". Modern Railways: Review 2023. Stamford: Key Publishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-80282-569-5.
- ^ a b "Stadler and Bombardier to supply trains for Abellio East Anglia franchise". Railway Gazette. Sutton: DVV Media International. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017.
- ^ FLIRT Trimodal Multiple Unit - Transport for Wales (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 6 September 2022. FWBBMU0922e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Electric Multiple Unit - FLIRT - Greater Anglia, UK (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. September 2019. FEAEMU0919e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Stadler signs largest UK order with Abellio East Anglia and Rock Rail". Bussnang: Stadler Rail. 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2017.
- ^ Clinnick, R. (2 July 2019). "Greater Anglia reveals interior of new Intercity fleet". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019.
- ^ Fletcher, S. (10 July 2019). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011, as amended – Authorisation of Stadler Class 745/0 and 745/1 electrical multiple units, fitted with AWS and TPWS (stand alone mode only), GSM-R voice only, maximum speed of 100 mph, passenger operation only" (PDF). Letter to Stadler Bussnang AG. London: Office of Rail and Road. Case PRM-IOP-0253. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 August 2021.
- ^ Jones, B. (October 2019). "Anglia 'FLIRTs' get formal launch". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 165, no. 1423. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. p. 104. ISSN 0033-8923. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019.
- ^ Clinnick, R. (25 September 2019). "Class 745s to enter traffic soon with Greater Anglia – but there could be a Mk 3 derogation". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019.
- ^ Geater, P. (8 January 2020). "East Anglia's new Intercity train carries its first passengers". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich: Archant Community Media. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020.
- ^ "Greater Anglia's first Stadler inter-city trainset enters service". Rail Business UK. Sutton: DVV Media International. 9 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020.
- ^ Geater, P. (30 March 2020). "End of the line for traditional trains on Greater Anglia routes". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich: Archant Community Media. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020.
- ^ Holden, M. (28 July 2020). "Brand new Stansted Express trains enter service in London". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
- ^ "Stansted Express Class 745/1 trainsets enter passenger service". Rail Business UK. Sutton: DVV Media International. 28 July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
- ^ Clinnick, R. (4 September 2019). "From the archives: Greater Anglia's new Stadler rolling stock". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020.
- ^ a b Hotchkiss, J. (23 August 2017). "UK Flirt (Class 745 & Class 755) – Project at an Advanced Stage of Development – TSI CCS 2016/919/EU" (PDF). Letter to T. Hofecker (Stadler Bussnang AG). London: Department for Transport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2018.