British Rail Class 745

British Rail Class 745
FLIRT
Greater Anglia Class 745 at Colchester
Class 745 standard-class saloon
In service8 January 2020 – present
ManufacturerStadler Rail
AssemblyStadler Bussnang AG
Built atBussnang, Switzerland
Family nameFLIRT
Replaced
Constructed2018–2020
Number built20
Formation12 cars per unit
Fleet numbers
  • 745/0: 745001–745010
  • 745/1: 745101–745110
Capacity
  • 745/0: 704 seats
    (80 first class, 624 standard)
  • 745/1: 722 seats
    (all standard-class)
OwnersRock Rail[1]
OperatorsGreater Anglia[2]
DepotsCrown Point (Norwich)
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Train length236.6 m (776 ft 3 in)
Width2.720 m (8 ft 11.1 in)
Height3.915 m (12 ft 10.1 in)[3]
Floor height960 mm (3 ft 2 in)
DoorsDouble-leaf sliding plug, each 1.300 m (4 ft 3.2 in) wide
(1 per side per car)
Wheel diameter
  • Powered: 870 mm (34 in)
  • Unpowered: 760 mm (30 in)
WheelbaseBogies: 2.700 m (8 ft 10.3 in)
Maximum speed100 mph (160 km/h)
Traction systemIGBT
Power output5,200 kW (7,000 bhp) at wheel
Tractive effortMax. 400 kN (90,000 lbf)
Acceleration0.9 m/s2 (3.0 ft/s2)
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s)Pantograph
UIC classification
  • Bo′2′2′+2′2′2′+2′2′Bo′+Bo′2′2′+2′2′2′+2′2′Bo′
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemDellner
Multiple workingNot provided
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
Sourced from [4] unless otherwise noted.

The British Rail Class 745 FLIRT is a class of electric multiple unit passenger train, built by Stadler as part of the FLIRT family. The class is built for Greater Anglia for use on their inter-city services and the Stansted Express services. They first entered service on 8 January 2020, after being constructed between 2018 and 2020 in Switzerland.

History

In August 2016, Abellio Greater Anglia was awarded the East Anglia franchise with a commitment to replace all of the existing fleet. As part of this, an order was placed with Stadler Rail for twenty 12-carriage electric multiple units that would join the FLIRT family.[2] These new trains are classified as Class 745s and are divided into two sub-classes: ten 745/0 units and ten 745/1 units. Alongside the related Class 755 units, also in the FLIRT family, the units will be maintained at Crown Point TMD.[5]

The 745/0 units were built to replace the Class 90 locomotive, Mark 3 carriage and Driving Van Trailer loco-hauled sets on the inter-city London Liverpool Street to Norwich services, which they have now fully done. The 745/1 units were built to replace the Class 379 fleet used on Stansted Express services.

The interiors of the units feature USB and plug points, air conditioning, free WiFi, passenger information screens, larger accessible areas, bicycle storage areas and include digital seat reservation displays. All trains have a low floor making the train more accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. In comparison with the 745/1 units, the 745/0 units include first class accommodation, tables and a bistro. A trolley service also operates on certain trains.[6]

Operation

Class 745 at Liverpool Street alongside one of the locomotives it has since replaced

The trains were first approved for passenger service in July 2019 and were expected to enter passenger service in late 2019.[7][8] However, delays in fitting their passenger information systems meant that Greater Anglia instead had to seek a derogation allowing the operation of their Class 90 + Mark 3 sets into 2020.[9]

Following this, the first 745/0 unit finally entered service on 8 January 2020 on the Norwich to Liverpool Street route and, by April 2020, had entirely replaced the loco-hauled fleet.[10][11][12]

The first Class 745/1 unit entered service on 30 March 2020 and these are also being used on the Norwich to Liverpool Street route, with the first service on the Stansted Express starting on 28 July 2020.[13][14]

Technical details

Class 745 units of both subclasses are formed of 12 vehicles, which are grouped in pairs that share an unpowered Jacobs bogie. Conventional semi-permanent couplings join each pair of vehicles together, a difference from other FLIRT models (that use Jacobs bogies throughout) necessary in order to provide energy absorption should a collision or derailment occur.[15] Traction motors are carried on four bogies in each unit; one under each driver's cab and one either side of the centremost coupling.[4] Pantographs are fitted to the second and eleventh vehicles in each unit.[4]

Fleet details

Subclass Operator Qty. Year built Cars per unit Unit nos. Notes
745/0 Greater Anglia 10 2018–2020 12 745001–745010 Intercity[16]
745/1 10 745101–745110 Stansted Express[16]

Illustration

Class 745/0 unit

See also

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Rail Class 745.
  1. ^ Sherratt, P., ed. (2023). "ROSCO Fleets". Modern Railways: Review 2023. Stamford: Key Publishing. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-80282-569-5.
  2. ^ a b "Stadler and Bombardier to supply trains for Abellio East Anglia franchise". Railway Gazette. Sutton: DVV Media International. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017.
  3. ^ FLIRT Trimodal Multiple Unit - Transport for Wales (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 6 September 2022. FWBBMU0922e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Electric Multiple Unit - FLIRT - Greater Anglia, UK (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. September 2019. FEAEMU0919e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Stadler signs largest UK order with Abellio East Anglia and Rock Rail". Bussnang: Stadler Rail. 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 May 2017.
  6. ^ Clinnick, R. (2 July 2019). "Greater Anglia reveals interior of new Intercity fleet". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019.
  7. ^ Fletcher, S. (10 July 2019). "The Railways (Interoperability) Regulations 2011, as amended – Authorisation of Stadler Class 745/0 and 745/1 electrical multiple units, fitted with AWS and TPWS (stand alone mode only), GSM-R voice only, maximum speed of 100 mph, passenger operation only" (PDF). Letter to Stadler Bussnang AG. London: Office of Rail and Road. Case PRM-IOP-0253. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 August 2021.
  8. ^ Jones, B. (October 2019). "Anglia 'FLIRTs' get formal launch". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 165, no. 1423. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. p. 104. ISSN 0033-8923. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019.
  9. ^ Clinnick, R. (25 September 2019). "Class 745s to enter traffic soon with Greater Anglia – but there could be a Mk 3 derogation". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019.
  10. ^ Geater, P. (8 January 2020). "East Anglia's new Intercity train carries its first passengers". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich: Archant Community Media. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Greater Anglia's first Stadler inter-city trainset enters service". Rail Business UK. Sutton: DVV Media International. 9 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020.
  12. ^ Geater, P. (30 March 2020). "End of the line for traditional trains on Greater Anglia routes". East Anglian Daily Times. Ipswich: Archant Community Media. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020.
  13. ^ Holden, M. (28 July 2020). "Brand new Stansted Express trains enter service in London". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Stansted Express Class 745/1 trainsets enter passenger service". Rail Business UK. Sutton: DVV Media International. 28 July 2020. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
  15. ^ Clinnick, R. (4 September 2019). "From the archives: Greater Anglia's new Stadler rolling stock". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020.
  16. ^ a b Hotchkiss, J. (23 August 2017). "UK Flirt (Class 745 & Class 755) – Project at an Advanced Stage of Development – TSI CCS 2016/919/EU" (PDF). Letter to T. Hofecker (Stadler Bussnang AG). London: Department for Transport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 January 2018.