British Rail Class 710

British Rail Class 710 Aventra
An Artist's impression of the Class 710 EMU
In service November 2018[1]
Manufacturer Bombardier Transportation
Built at Derby Litchurch Lane Works
Family name Aventra
Constructed 2017-present
Number under construction 54 trainsets
Number built 20 trainsets
Formation 4/5 carriages per trainset
Operator(s) London Overground
Depot(s) Willesden TMD
Ilford TMD
Line(s) served
Specifications
Electric system(s)
Current collection method Pantograph (AC),
Contact shoe (DC)
Safety system(s) AWS / TPWS
Coupling system Dellner
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge

Class 710 is a development of Bombardier's Aventra electric multiple unit design which are being built for London Overground. The contract to provide 45 four-car trains was awarded to Bombardier Transportation in July 2015 and the trains were originally due to enter service in May 2018, although they have now been delayed to November 2018.[1]

History

Background and specifications

In 2012, TfL announced its intention to procure a fleet of new, longer DMUs, as the Class 172 units then in service were unable to handle the passenger demand, causing overcrowding throughout the day. TfL issued a tender for manufacturers to supply eight three- or four-car trains.[2] However, this proposal was subsequently shelved when the Government announced that the Gospel Oak to Barking line ('GOBLIN') would be electrified, with proposals instead to purchase a fleet of new EMUs.

TfL invited expressions of interest for a total of 39 four-car EMUs in April 2014, with 30 required for the Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Chingford to Liverpool Street routes, eight for the Gospel Oak to Barking, and one for the Romford to Upminster - all to replace older Class 172, Class 315 and Class 317 trains.[3] Since then the planned procurement was increased to 45 four-car EMUs, with the additional six units intended for the Watford DC Line. The intention is that the five-car Class 378 trains currently used on the Watford route will be cascaded back to the North London and East London Lines to allow for strengthened services. TfL issued an Invitation to Tender (ITT) in early 2015, and in June 2015 announced that Bombardier had been awarded the contract to build the new trains.[4]

In July 2015, TfL announced that it had placed a £260m order for 45 four-car Bombardier Aventra EMUs, (with an option for 24 more four-car units plus further option to extend some or all units including option units to five cars). These are similar to the Class 345s that will be used by Crossrail, for use on the West Anglia Routes and the Watford DC, GOBLIN and Romford to Upminster lines, from 2018, to be known as Class 710.[5] The units will be delivered in two sub-classes; an AC-only version for use on the West Anglia and Romford-Upminster services, and a dual-voltage version for the Watford DC and GOBLIN services. Both versions will have all-longitudinal seating after the plan to have some transverse seats on the AC units was dropped. The AC only version will be maintained at Ilford TMD and the dual-voltage units at Willesden TMD.[6]

In 2017, Transport for London put forward a proposal to procure nine additional Class 710 units to be used as capacity enhancers. These would cover 42 of the 249 additional vehicle options, and would be formed into three 4-car sets, one which would be for use on DC lines and two for the extended GOBLIN to Barking Riverside, and six 5-car sets for use on the NLL and WLL, allowing a cascade of Class 378 units to increase services on the East London Line.[7]

Introduction

On 25 April 2018, though, the Islington Gazette reported that "the new four-car Bombardier trains ... are running three months behind schedule due to delays in carrying out the required testing."[8]

On 20 June 2018 the Barking and Dagenham Post reported that "the new four-carriage fleet will be introduced to the Barking to Gospel Oak line by November - almost 18 months later than planned".[9]

Fleet details

A total of 54 units totalling 222 carriages are to be built.

Class Operator No. Built Year Built Cars per Set Unit Nos. Description
Class 710/1 London Overground 31 2017-19 4 710101 - 710131 AC only for West Anglia Lines
Class 710/2 17 710256 - 710272 Dual-voltage for GOBLIN (8+2) and Watford Lines (7)
Class 710/? 6 5 Dual-voltage for NLL and WLL

See also

References

  1. 1 2 https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2018/june/first-new-state-of-the-art-london-overground-train-unveiled
  2. ↑ "TfL seeks new Barking line trains as two-car '172s' struggle". Rail (697). Peterborough. 30 May 2012.
  3. ↑ "More EMUs for London Overground". Railway Gazette. 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Bombardier wins London Overground EMU contract". Railway Gazette. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "London Overground Train Operating Concession" (PDF). tfl.gov.uk. Transport for London Finance and Policy Committee. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016. ...with the introduction of a new fleet of Class 710 trains (the LOTRAIN)...
  6. ↑ Rail Magazine, Issue 778, Page 14
  7. ↑ "Nine more 710s for LO". Today's Railways (192): 11. December 2017.
  8. ↑ http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/new-overground-trains-for-gospel-oak-to-barking-line-delayed-by-three-months-1-5491792
  9. ↑ http://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/high-tech-overground-trains-to-be-introduced-1-5569249
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