Adelantes and Coradias: ‘N’ and ‘OO’ models announced by Revolution Trains
IT appears that the time-lag between the introduction of multiple units on the national network and the announcement of scale models is beginning to close at last. With fewer locomotive classes to aim for, manufacturers are finally looking at multiple units, particularly those built as part of private franchise agreements to replace older trains.
Around 20 years has elapsed between the introduction of the Class 175 and Class 180 multiple units constructed by Alstom at its Washwood Heath site and Revolution Trains making its announcement of new models in both ‘N’ and ‘OO’ gauge.
They will fill some important gaps in modelling the Privatisation era with trains that have now operated over wide geographical areas and subsequently, due to operator changes, in several different liveries too.
Class 175
Introduced by First North Western in 2000, the 27 ‘Coradia 1000’ Class 175s were intended for North Wales and North West train services orientated around routes through Chester, including the North Wales main line together with services to Crewe and Birmingham New Street. The fleet was divided into 11 two-car sets and 16 three-car sets powered by under-floor Cummins engines and Voith transmissions.
As a result of franchise changes, the Class 175 fleet has seen operation with Arriva Trains Wales and subsequently Transport for Wales, which has provided a variety of liveries for Revolution Trains to apply to the new models.
Class 180
‘Adelante’ units had more of a chequered career compared to their Coradia sisters, at least at the start when introduced by First Great Western to supplement the HST fleet on middle distance journeys such as Paddington to Oxford, Hereford, Cheltenham Spa and semi-fast Bristol services.
Sadly, the 14 five-car sets proved to be unsuccessful, with numerous and deep-seated problems seeing most of them withdrawn by GWR in favour of more HST sets displaced from other operators between 2007 and 2009.
Storage was the fate of the withdrawn units, along with considerable speculation as to what the future would hold for the 125mph diesel-hydraulic Class 180s. Apart from a small number retained by the Great Western franchise until introduction of Class 800s, the Class 180s were subject to several proposals and limited use by North Western for a couple of years until their adoption by Grand Central from 2009.
Hull Trains leased units to cover for a damaged Class 222 and, after modifications, Class 180s eventually settled down to reliable operation. Ten Class 180s currently work for Grand Central, finished in its attractive black and orange livery, whille four were transferred from Hull Trains to Midland Mainline in 2020.
Model specification
Currently at the CAD design stage, the new models will have an advanced specification, including interior saloon lighting with inner couplings fitted with electrical connections for power and DCC control signals, allowing intermediate vehicles to be powered through the use of a single decoder. The specification also suggests the use of pinpoint axle current collection for both scales rather than using wiper current pick-ups, although this remains to be confirmed.
At the time of writing, the final livery choices for both Class 175 and Class 180 had not been decided upon. The advance order book is due to open in the next couple of weeks at www.
revolutiontrains.com which will clarify the situation.