£800m new trains
Stadler’s first bi-mode for Greater Anglia unveiled ahead of testing, and first BMU arrives in UK this year.
THE first of the new bi-mode trains for Greater Anglia was unveiled in Switzerland on May 3.
GA has 38 BMUs on order from Swiss manufacturer Stadler, with four-car 755401 unveiled at the company’s commissioning centre in Erlen.
Two more BMUs were at the company’s nearby Bussnang factory, where Stadler is building 14 three-car and 24 four-car BMUs. Also at Bussnang were 20 Class 745 electric multiple units (GA has 20 12-car EMUs on order from Stadler).
The new fleet is due to start arriving in the UK in October, with the first BMU due to enter passenger traffic next summer. Exact routes and dates have yet to be confirmed, but it is likely that a new Lowestoft-London Liverpool Street service will be the first to feature the new trains.
“These modern trains are going to transform rail travel in East Anglia - with each one fitted with more seats, plug and USB points, air-conditioning and fast free WiFi,” said GA Director of Franchising and Programmes Mike Kean.
Ralf Warwel, Marketing Director of Stadler for the UK, added: “These are powerful and comfortable trains which share many similar design and operational concepts, as well as identical components which reduces training time for drivers and maintenance staff.
“The cab desk has a spacious and open design and allows for future upgrades of signalling systems, such as digital signalling.”
Stadler is building 378 new
vehicles for GA, in a deal worth around £600 million. The BMUs will be used on GA’s rural routes from Norwich-Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, as well as a new service from NorwichStansted Airport. They will also be used on Ipswich-Felixstowe, Cambridge and Peterborough, and a new service linking Marks Tey with Colchester Town. Additionally, BMUs will work the new LowestoftLondon direct service. The EMUs will be for the Norwich-London and London-Stansted routes.
In the first week of May, two BMUs were nearly complete (and were due to be at the commissioning phase by the time this issue of RAIL went to press). The first four-car BMU was at Erlen for commissioning (755401), although no interior was fitted.
Warwel explained: “The customer will also benefit from the fact that all engines are concentrated in a short vehicle in the middle, thus reducing the vibrations induced by the engines in the passenger areas. The unit design is also future-proof, allowing possible upgrades to full electric operation or even use of battery storage.”
The BMUs will be used to replace Class 153, ‘156’ and ‘170s’ used by GA, as well as a Class 37-hauled rake of Mk 2s. The EMUs will replace the Class 90/Mk 3 sets and Class 379s.
GA is replacing its entire fleet during the franchise, with 665 Aventra EMU vehicles also on order from Bombardier. ■ See feature, pages 72-75.