Conversion of GWR and TfW FLEX bi-units begins

THE first FLEX units for Transport for Wales and Great Western Railway are undergoing conversion at Brush Traction, Loughborough.

Porterbrook has a contract to supply five bi-mode Class 769s to TfW and 19 tri-mode ‘769s’ to GWR. The former will enter traffic from next spring, and the latter next autumn.

The TfW fleet will be used to boost capacity in the Cardiff area, with an option for more sets, while GWR’s fleet will operate on either diesel, AC electric or third-rail systems. These trains will serve Oxford, Reading, Didcot and Gatwick Airport.

Both fleets will be fitted with diesel alternators, as per the Class 769s currently being converted for Northern. However, the GWR examples will retain their DC capability, which is being removed from other orders.

The first TfW unit is 319002 (which will become 769002), while the first GWR set is 319443 (which will become 769443). Both were moved from Wolverton Works by Rail Operations Group.

Meanwhile, the first production Class 769 for Northern was due to be released from Loughborough just after this issue of RAIL went to press.

Four-car 769431 is the first of the production sets to be completed, and will be the first to be tested on the main line. So far 769434 and 769456 have been released, but these are pre-series trains with unrefurbished interiors that have been used for testing on the Great Central Railway ( RAIL 864).

The trains will be used between Liverpool and Wigan initially, before entering traffic between Southport and Manchester.

The Class 319s were made redundant following the introduction of Class 387s and ‘700s’ on Thameslink. While some transferred to Northern and London Midland (now West Midlands Trains), most were stored.

Porterbrook has told RAIL it is investigating opportunities for more operators to use the trains. It is also developing a hydrogenpowered example ( RAIL 864) that should be operational next year.