British Rail Class 170
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| British Rail Class 170 "Turbostar" | |
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 Class 170 397 at Peterborough with a CrossCountry service. |
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| In service | 1998 - Present |
| Manufacturer | ADtranz / Bombardier |
| Family name | Turbostar |
| Number built | 122 trainsets |
| Formation | 2/3 cars per trainset |
| Operator | CrossCountry First ScotRail First TransPennine Express London Midland National Express East Anglia |
| Specifications | |
| Maximum speed | 100mph |
| Engine | MTU 6R 183TD |
| Safety systems | AWS, TPWS |
The Class 170 "Turbostar" is a diesel multiple unit (DMU) built by Bombardier Transportation (previously ADtranz) at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works, England. This has become the most popular type of DMU built since the privatisation of Britain's railways, with 122 units built. See the Turbostar article for detailed information.
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[edit] Current Operators
[edit] CrossCountry
CrossCountry inherited a total of 29 Class 170 Turbostar sets from Central Trains:
- 170101-170117 : 2 and 3-car units with first class (ex Midland Mainline)
- 170518-170523 : 2-car units
- 170636-170639 : 3-car units
- 170397-170398 : 3-car units with first class
These are mainly be used on CrossCountry's shorter distance services in the Midlands, including Cardiff - Nottingham and Birmingham - Stansted Airport. In the longer term, CrossCountry plans to reconfigure its Class 170 fleet to give more seats and luggage space, and to introduce first class on these routes by restoring the old Midland Mainline first-class sections to their original purpose.
[edit] First ScotRail
ScotRail (since taken over by FirstGroup and renamed First ScotRail) is the largest operator of the Class 170, with a fleet comprising of 59 3-car sets. These are made up of 34 sets with First Class accommodation, which operate Edinburgh - Glasgow shuttles, and also to Aberdeen and Inverness. There are 12 all-standard class 'Suburban' units which are used on Edinburgh-Dunblane/Bathgate/North Berwick and Fife circle duties amongst others. (These units replaced the older Class 150 units which were then not required by Scotrail) An additional 9 units were ordered by and operated under the auspices of Strathclyde partnership for Transport (SPT) and are painted in the distinctive Strathclyde 'Maroon' and Cream, although these units are now operating under the direction of Transport Scotland, which has authority over the entire Scotrail area, having relieved SPT of it's duties in this regard. These units regularly work services outside the SPT area. Additionally, 4 'mini buffet' fitted 3-car sets were obtained from Hull Trains - these sets also contain First Class accommodation and are regularly rostered to work longer distance services, particularly to the North. As would be expected, the allocations of the above units (diagrams) does to some extent rely on availability - thus it is not uncommon to see 'odd' workings - for example, an all-standard 'suburban' unit may operate a 'Shuttle' service where normally First Class accommodation would be provided. Similarly, a 'Shuttle' or 'Buffet' pool unit may work a suburban diagram where First Class provision is not made - on such services, at the discretion of the on-train staff, the First Class areas will be declassified. All units (including SPT liveried examples) are allocated to Edinburgh's Haymarket depot.
[edit] First TransPennine Express
First TransPennine Express operate nine 170s. These are only used on the Manchester to Hull route. Originally 185s were set to operate that route but a combination of weight restriction problems on the Selby to Hull line and the government reducing the amount of money First Transpennine Express could have for new trains resulted in 170s coming in to service. First Transpennine Express received eight Turbostars from South West Trains, 170301-170308 at the end of 2006 and the start of 2007. They also received 170399 from Central Trains in November 2007 which was re-numbered to 170309. The units are being maintained by Bombardier Crofton. They received First TransPennine Express Dynamic Lines livery at Crofton before entering service. However some of the units carried out testing and driver training whilst still in South West Trains livery. The 170s have since been refurbished to include CCTV, plug sockets at table seats, replacement seat covers and an accessible toilet.
The former South West Trains Class 170 Turbostars used to include two sections of first class accommodation behind each of the driving cabs. However, one of these sections on each train has since been replaced by 13 standard class seats, with 8 first class seats remaining at the opposite end.
The First TransPennine Express Turbostars have a wider covering of yellow on the front of the units than any other Turbostar. This is due to First TransPennine Express wanting the Turbostars to look similar to their current Class 185 trains.
[edit] London Midland
London Midland, which operates the new West Midlands franchise, inherited a total of 23 Class 170 units from Central Trains: 17 x 170/5 2-car units (170501-170517) and 6 x Class 170/6 3-car units (170630-170635). Some of these units have already been given an internal refresh which included new carpets and seat covers. The units are also slowly being upgraded into London Midland colours.
[edit] National Express East Anglia
Anglia Railways ordered two batches of Turbostars. The first batch of eight 3-car Class 170/2 units were built for London Liverpool Street to Ipswich, Norwich, Lowestoft and Bury St. Edmunds services. These supplemented the existing Class 86 locomotive-hauled trains from London to Norwich. Four of these units were later hired to Hull Trains from 2002–2004, before they acquired their own Turbostars. Other units, including the spot-hire set no. 170 399, were used on Anglia's short-lived Norwich to Basingstoke ‘London Crosslink’ service. In 2002, Anglia introduced a new Cambridge to Norwich direct service, and acquired four two-carriage units dedicated to working these services.
In 2004, Anglia Railways was merged into the new Greater Anglia franchise, which was won by the National Express Group subsidiary 'one' (since rebranded as National Express East Anglia). All units except 170 271, 170 272 and 170 273 have now been repainted into the One Anglia livery.
With trains drawn by Class 90 locomotives having replaced on the Norwich–London route and the return of the four units hired to Hull Trains, three-carriage Turbostars are now used for the Cambridge to Norwich route, and also on new through services including Peterborough and Lowestoft to London Liverpool Street via Colchester.
The three-carriage trains used to include a buffet and first-class area, but because more seating was needed, the buffet area has been replaced and there are only a few first-class seats remaining.
[edit] Previous Operators
[edit] Central Trains/ Central Trains Citylink
Central Trains had a fleet of 53 Class 170 units from various subclasses.
In 1999, Central received its first batch of twenty-three 2-car Class 170/5 and ten 3-car Class 170/6 units. These were used to replace Class 156 units on long distance "Citylink" services. These units all carried the vibrant Central Trains livery of green, blue and yellow. 170505 previously wore an advertising livery for the Birmingham Bull Ring, and 170513 previously wore an advertising livery for the Robin Hood Line (Nottingham-Worksop).
From late 2004, Central also took on three Class 170/3 spot-hire units from Porterbrook. Units 170397 and 170398 are 3-car units and 170399 is a 2-car unit. The units originally carried a white livery with purple doors (the house colours of owners Porterbrook). All three of these units contained first class accommodation, which is not provided on the Central Trains services they work, and this was declassified.
In late 2004, Central inherited 17 Class 170/1 units from sister National Express company Midland Mainline. Ten units (170101-110) are 3-car units, with the remaining 7 units (170111-117) being 2-car units. All units have had their Midland Mainline branding removed, being replaced by Central Trains branding in 2005. These 17 units are affectionately referred to as "Bambi Trams". As with the 3 spot-hire units, these 17 units also had first class accommodation, which was declassified.
All Class 170 units which were in service with Central were used on a multitude of services, but were mostly concentrated on long distance "Citylink" services, Birmingham-Stansted Airport, Norwich-Liverpool and Nottingham-Cardiff. Class 170 units have been replaced by Class 350 "Desiro" units on Birmingham-Liverpool services. They also worked the majority of Birmingham to Leicester and Birmingham to Shrewsbury services, which were contained with the same daily diagram of work for the units as the "Citylink" routes mentioned above.
23 old Central Trains old units were transferred to London Midland 29 out of the other 30 were transferred to CrossCountry, one went to First Transpennine Express. East Midlands Trains did not receive any despite taking over the Liverpool to Norwich route, which was one route that Central Trains used 170s on.
[edit] Hull Trains
Hull Trains began its London King's Cross to Hull services using Turbostars, initially with four sets on short-term lease from Anglia Railways. In 2004, it received four of its 'own' 3 car Class 170/3 units, and returned the original units to Anglia. In 2005, following its acquisition by FirstGroup, Hull Trains received four new Class 222/1 "Pioneer" units and transferred the Turbostars to its sister company First ScotRail.
[edit] Midland Mainline
Midland Mainline (MML) was the first operator to order Turbostars, with the first being introduced in MML's green and tangerine livery in 1998. MML ordered a fleet of seventeen 2-car Class 170/1 units, although the first 10 were subsequently made-up to 3-cars. The units were introduced on new 'stopping' services from London St. Pancras to Leicester, Derby and Nottingham. Some units were also used on summer Saturday only services from the capital to York, which later became a year round service with summer extension to Scarborough.
In 2004, MML introduced new Class 222 "Meridian" units, which started to replace the Turbostars. This was because the Meridians have faster acceleration than the Turbostars, and therefore would not slow down an express train travelling on the same route. They also have a higher top speed of 125mph compared to the Turbostar's 100mph top speed, although on most parts of the Midland Mainline route they are restricted to 110mph or less. The acceleration of the Turbostars was a big let down from an operational point of view. They were originally marketed as being far superior to the HSTs on semi-fast work due to "superior acceleration and braking", but in practice HSTs easily outperformed Turbostars on these sort of services. The Meridians also provided a slight capacity increase and an ambience and appearance far more fitting with an InterCity train service. The MML fleet was transferred to former National Express Group franchise Central Trains.
[edit] South West Trains
South West Trains (SWT) acquired a fleet of eight 2-car Class 170/3 units in 2000, to supplement its existing Class 159 fleet. Units were pressed into service on London Waterloo to Salisbury as well as a new Southampton local train, and Reading to Brighton trains. They were sometimes used on Exeter services, but as they are not fitted with end gangways for catering or selective door opening for the short platforms at some stations, this was not a regular route.
All of units 170301 to 170308 are now in service with TransPennine Express,(the deal which saw the 9 170s leave South West Trains saw 11 158s go in the opposite direction, all of these have since been upgraded with some becoming 159s.) 170392 is now with Southern. 170308 performed the final service with South West Trains on the 28th Of July 2007. The 170s on SWT are now with First Transpennine Express.
[edit] Fleet details
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 170/1 | CrossCountry | 17 | 1998-1999 | 3 | 170 101-110 |
| 2 | 170 111-117 | ||||
| Class 170/2 | National Express East Anglia | 12 | 1999 | 3 | 170 201-208 |
| 2002 | 2 | 170 270-273 | |||
| Class 170/3 | TransPennine Express (ex SWT) | 9 | 2000 | 2 | 170 301-309 (309 is ex. 399 from Central Trains) |
| First ScotRail (ex-Hull Trains) | 4 | 2004 | 3 | 170 393-396 | |
| CrossCountry | 2 | 2002 | 3 | 170 397-398 | |
| Class 170/4 | First ScotRail | 24 | 1999-2001 | 3 | 170 401-424 |
| 10 | 2003-2004 | 3 | 170 425-434 | ||
| 12 | 2004-2005 | 3 | 170 450-461 | ||
| 2 | 2001 | 3 | 170 470-471 | ||
| 7 | 2004 | 3 | 170 472-478 | ||
| Class 170/5 | London Midland | 17 | 1999-2000 | 2 | 170 501-517 |
| CrossCountry | 6 | 1999-2000 | 2 | 170 518-523 | |
| Class 170/6 | London Midland | 6 | 2000 | 3 | 170 630-635 |
| CrossCountry | 4 | 2000 | 3 | 170 636-639 |
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