GWR tri-mode units
Great Western Railway orders 19 tri-mode Class 769 Flex units rebuilt from redundant Thameslink Class 319s
NINETEEN tri-mode Class 769 Flex units have been ordered by Great Western Railway, and are due to enter traffic from the spring.
The trains will be rebuilt from redundant Class 319s which have been off-lease since being replaced by Class 700s on the Thameslink network.
The GWR ‘769s’ will retain their existing third-rail DC and 25kV overhead wire capabilities but will have two diesel-powered alternators fitted, one for each driving vehicle, as per the eight Flex trains ordered for Northern and five for Arriva Trains Wales.
“We are already delivering the biggest fleet upgrade in a generation across the Great Western network, but this shows we have not stopped looking at ways to improve our service for customers by adding extra capacity to our network,” said GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood.
Porterbrook Chief Executive Officer Mary Grant said: “These trains will offer GWR greater operational flexibility with reduced operating costs. At the same time, their conversion and upgrade will secure skilled engineering jobs in the UK supply chain.”
GWR said their use has yet to be fully determined, but confirmed that initially they will support the cascade of refurbished Class 387/1s on the Heathrow Express route, while also operating between Reading and Gatwick Airport and between Reading and Oxford.
Their full use will then be determined later this year, although GWR said the tri-mode nature of the train allows them to operate on other areas of its network if required.
Their introduction means GWR can cascade the remaining Thames Valley Turbos to the Bristol area, where the operator is investigating starting new routes through the city.
The four-car ‘769s’ will replace two-car and three-car ‘16x’ diesel multiple units. They will be refurbished internally by Knorr-Bremse Rail Services at Wolverton before transferring to Wabtec Rail’s Brush Traction, Loughborough, where diesel capability will be added.
The internal refurbishment includes fitting free WiFi and power sockets at each seat, aircooling, more luggage space and new seat covers.
The first two ‘769s’ for Northern are being converted at Loughborough, although there is a delay to their planned entry into traffic.
Northern currently uses 319361371/374-386, 319431/442/448/ 450 while 319434/456 are being converted to Class 769s at Loughborough. Also destined for conversion are 319424/431/442/ 448/450/458.
London Northwestern Railway leases 319013, 319216, 319429/ 433/441/457/460, with seven more to join LNR including 319012, 319215/220, 319446.
This leaves 319001-012, 319214/ 217-219, 319372/373, 319421423/425-428/430/432/435-440/ 443-447/449/451-455/459 as potential candidates for rebuilding.