Alstom Coradia Juniper
Alstom Coradia Juniper | |
---|---|
In service | 2000 - Present |
Manufacturer | Alstom |
Family name | Coradia |
Constructed | 1998-2002 |
Number built | 78 trainsets |
Operators |
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Specifications | |
Electric system(s) | |
Current collector(s) |
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standard gauge |
The Alstom Coradia Juniper series is a family of
There are currently two types in service with various TOCs, with a total of 76 units in service (36 class 458s and 40 class 334s). All Class 460s are now converted to Class 458/5s for South Western Railway.
Variants
Class 334
The
Class 458
The
In 2013, former operator South West Trains and Porterbrook began the process of creating a new, 36-strong fleet of 5-car trains by reforming and partially rebuilding the vehicles from the Class 458 and Class 460 fleets; by creating 30 units utilising the original Class 458/0 vehicles, with an extra ex-Class 460 vehicle per unit to create 5-car units, and an additional 6 new 5-car units created entirely from ex-Class 460 stock. The new units have been renumbered as the Class 458/5. They entered service in March 2014. Work included complete reconstruction of cabs and gangways, as well as changes to the passenger areas. The units are painted into the same livery as the Class 450 units (they previously were painted in the South West Trains Express livery carried by the Class 444, 158 and 159 units).[1][2] This process was completed in 2016. The original 30 ex-Class 458/0 units are numbered 458501–458530, and are distinguishable from the ex-Class 460 stock (458531-458536) by noting the different ribbon-glazed windows on ex-Class 460 units, different door window sizes and the lack of a pantograph recess on ex-Class 460 units. This means that if future conversion to OHLE is required for this fleet, the process will be much simpler on 458501-458530 than 458531–458536.
All units are now in
Class 460
The Class 460 Juniper electric multiple units (also known as 8GAT) were originally built for use on the dedicated Gatwick Express airport service to London Victoria. The units were delivered between 2000 and 2001 and like the similar Class 458 they were powered using 750 V DC third rail. The fleet consisted of 8 units in total numbered 460001–008, each formed of 8 vehicles (driving motor luggage van, two intermediate 1st-class/composite trailers, two intermediate 2nd-class motor carriages, an intermediate 2nd-class trailer, another 2nd-class motor carriage, and a 2nd-class driving motor).
Following their removal from the Gatwick Express franchise in September 2012 a decision was made to reform and merge the Class 460s with the Class 458 vehicles in order to form 36 x 5-car trains to boost capacity on the South West Trains network. The first two of the 5-car sets were delivered in October 2013. Passenger service had started in March 2014.[1]
References
- ^ a b "South West Trains prepares to introduce longer trains". Railway Gazette International. London. 23 October 2013.
- ^ "Improving Your Railway - Longer Trains". South West Trains. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.