ELECTROSTARS ANNOUNCED BY REVOLUTION TRAINS

Part of the huge Bombardier Electrostar family of EMUs is being tackled by Revolution Trains in ‘N’ gauge, a significant development for those modelling railways in southern England from Year 2000 when the first of the type was introduced.

As documented in our May 2021 issue, the fleet consists of nearly 2800 vehicles built in several batches over an 18-year period. In 2022, the Electrostar story is not entirely over, with the new Alstom ‘Aventra’ units drawing heavily on experience from the Electrostar programme which it succeeds, including the bodyshell design and traction equipment.

There are two bodyshell types in the gangwayed Electrostar sets alone, which is the type being proposed by Revolution Trains. Tooling will cover the Class 375 and Class 377 ribbon glazed units together with Class 387 which were fitted with individual windows in the passenger saloons instead of ribbon glazing, a feature continued into the Aventra units (sometimes called Electrostar II).

Whilst there will be many common fittings that can be utilised by Revolution Trains, the project will involve a number of different bodyshells just for the gangwayed units and does not include the c2c and London Overground units.

Experience from the Class

313 and Class 320/321 models will be used in development of the Electrostar model which will include a hidden, low-profile underfloor mechanism, interior modelling and lighting. It is expected that the order books will be opened by the end of the year, with production being completed in 18 months.

Brand-new Southern Electrostar No. 377164 runs through the attractive Arun valley near Amberley on the Mid–Sussex line on March 2, 2004. Driver training and testing was undertaken on the route, running alongside slam-door EMUs which remained in service at the time.

Livery diagrams for the proposed new Revolution Trains Class 375, Class 377 and Class 387 Bombardier Electrostar EMU models which are at the design stage.