Merseyrail’s Class 777 EMUs reach final assembly for early 2019 delivery
The first Merseyrail Class 777 electric multiple units have entered the final assembly phase ahead of delivery to the UK next year.
Bodyshells have been moved from Stadler Rail’s Szolnok facility in Hungary to its Altenrhein facility in Switzerland.
The Swiss rolling stock manufacturer says the first train will be complete in early-2019 before testing begins. There they will be fitted with bogies, equipment cases, piping, wiring, flooring, windows, seats and other fixtures.
From March next year this work will also take place in Siedlce, Poland. For the first six ‘777’s, a single bodyshell will be sent to Switzerland each week. After that, four bodyshells per week will be sent until the process is finished. Bodies for the first four EMUs will go to Altenrhein. The fifth set will go to Siedlce. After that, they will alternate between the two locations.
Work to be carried out in Hungary includes machining, welding, sandblasting and anti- corrosion protection, as well as painting. The first ‘777’ will begin type-testing on the Merseyrail network in the summer and autumn of 2019.
At the company’s Kirkdale depot preparation continues for the new fleet, with piling of the new maintenance shed completed in August and foundation work beginning in September. Currently the steel frame for the shed is being built and the trackbed is being prepared, while traction power upgrades are also needed.
Stadler said the steel frame, cladding and roof for the new office building has been built, and the internal walls and fittings are all taking shape.
“We’re entering a very exciting stage in the project now, with trains really starting to look like trains,” project manager Fadi Khairallah said.
Merseytravel rolling stock programme director David Powell said the First Article Inspection of the bodyshells for the first new train had been carried out. “The quality of the product produced at Stadler’s Szolnok plant fully meets Merseytravel’s expectations and they are now ready for transportation to Switzerland where assembly will get under way,” he said.
Merseytravel has 52 four-car Class 777s on order for Merseyrail. These will replace the Class 507/508 EMUs dating from the late 1970s.