British Rail Class 180
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| British Rail Class 180 "Adelante" | |
|---|---|
 Class 180, no. 180114 at Cheltenham Spa on 31st March 2004. |
|
|
|
|
| In service | 2000 - Present |
| Manufacturer | Alstom |
| Family name | Coradia |
| Number built | 14 trainsets |
| Formation | 5 cars per trainset |
| Operator | First Great Western Hull Trains |
| Specifications | |
| Maximum speed | 125 mph |
| Engine | Cummins QSK19 |
| Braking system | Air |
| Safety systems | AWS, TPWS |
The Class 180 "Adelante" is a type of British diesel multiple unit built by Alstom between 2000 and 2001 at Washwood Heath in Birmingham. The units are express trains built for First Great Western to supplement their High Speed Train fleet. However, due to reliability and operating problems the decision was made to withdraw most of the fleet from service. The majority of the units have already been returned to the Leasing Company with the remainder of the fleet to follow in due course. The fact that now, as many as 4 operators are chasing the class 180s is a massive turnaround for the once unwanted 180s.
They are part of the Coradia 1000 family along with the Class 175.
Contents |
[edit] Details
[edit] Engine
All coaches are equipped with a Cummins QSK19 diesel engine of 560kW (750hp) at 2100rpm.
Unusually for such a fast train, they feature a hydraulic transmission [1], however each unit has a Cummins QSK19 powerplant, identical to that found in the comparative but much more successful Voyager family.
[edit] Formation
There are 14 Class 180 trains, numbered 180101-180114. They provide 42 seats in first class and 226 in standard plus 16 "tip-up" seats and storage for 6 bicycles. There are five cars per unit, with individual cars numbered:
| 59901-914 | Coach A | Driving Motor | Standard |
| 56901-914 | Coach B | Intermediate Motor | Standard |
| 55901-914 | Coach C | Intermediate Motor | Standard |
| 54901-914 | Coach D | Intermediate Motor | First |
| 50901-914 | Coach E | Driving Motor | Standard |
[edit] Current operations
[edit] First Great Western
The Adelante fleet was originally deployed on a wide variety of First Great Western services. These included:
- London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads via Bath Spa
- London Paddington to Oxford via Didcot Parkway (Both local and high-speed services)
- London Paddington to Exeter via Pewsey
- London Paddington to Cardiff Central via Bristol Parkway
- London Paddington to Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa (via the Golden Valley Line), extended to Worcester and Hereford at weekends.
The Adelante fleet suffer from a number of reliability problems, particularly problems with the doors closing and locking quickly. This resulted in the replacement of Adelantes on most of the above services, using High Speed Trains displaced from Midland Mainline. The Adelantes currently operate on express commuter services from London Paddington to Oxford, Worcester, Hereford (via the Cotswold Line) Exeter, Gloucester, Westbury and Frome. The displaced Class 166 Turbos are used to strengthen these London to Oxford services.
The reliability problems experienced by First Great Western in operating the Class 180 has led to the operator deciding to refurbish some of its High Speed Train and acquire some spare sets, sets to operate the type of express commuter services for which the Adelante was intended. As a consequence, First Great Western returned the fleet to their owners Angel Trains in early 2008, once enough refurbished InterCity 125 sets became available to replace them.[2] Although FGW had planned to return the entire fleet for storage, it made a decision to retain three Class 180 units until it had received a cascaded HST from East Midlands Trains. These units were to be operated in multiple, with a 2x5 car train plus one 5-car unit as a spare. They are utilised for services between London Paddington, Oxford, and Great Malvern.
[edit] First Hull Trains
First Hull Trains currently have a fleet of two Class 180 units (180111 and 180113) and are to soon take on delivery of two more units[3] for reliability improvement, staff training and refurbishment to replace a damaged Class 222 Pioneer. This will allow the company to restore its full fleet while also providing leeway should any of its units be damaged.[4]The Class 180 units will currently operate in parallel with the Class 222s.
The East Coast Main Line Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) indicated that First Hull Trains would seek to replace all of their 222s with 180s by the end of the year.[5] This was contradicted in Hull Trains recent track access applications, which include both Class 180 and 222 in the application. Class 180s are indicated on the proposed new routes to Harrogate (see First Harrogate Trains) and Grimsby, while the 222s will continue on the main route to Hull (supported by 180s).[6].
[edit] Future Operations
[edit] East Coast Main Line operations
In February 2008 the ORR invited proposals for new track access plans on the East Coast Main Line. The three intercity operators (including Hull Trains - see above) all submitted proposals which have indicated the use of Class 180 units:
[edit] National Express East Coast
National Express East Coast, in its application for access rights on the East Coast Main Line in March 2008, requested additional services to a number of destinations. In its application, NXEC specified that, in addition to its existing InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets, it would require as many as nine Class 180s.[7][8]
[edit] Grand Union/Grand Central
The new open-access operator Grand Union, part of the same group as Grand Central, has made a number of track access applications for destinations via the ECML which are indicated as intending to use 125mph capable stock, either HST, Class 180s or new build.[9]
Grand Central's track access agreement provides for a potential fourth daily service between London and Sunderland, which could see them operate a pair of coupled Class 180s as a ten car train. Grand Central have announced plans to do this.
[edit] Other potential operations
[edit] Arriva Trains Wales
A newspaper report in December 2007 claimed Arriva Trains Wales were in negotiations to take a number of Adelante units[10]. The article stated 9 Class 180's would be allocated to enhance the services between Cardiff and Holyhead/Chester. However, an Arriva Trains Wales spokeswoman was quoted only as saying "A number of options are under consideration"[10]. A later statement by Arriva Trains Wales stated that the cost of acquiring the 180s "could not be afforded"[11].
[edit] Others
Other potential operators that have been rumoured include First TransPennine Express and East Midlands Trains. First TransPennine Express would potentially use Class 180s to assist with their new Manchester Airport to Scotland service, which would free up a number of Class 185s to strengthen other services on the busy corridors between Manchester and Leeds, Preston, Liverpool and Sheffield. East Midlands Trains would also benefit from the addition of Class 180s, for use on the busy, long distance service from Liverpool to Norwich, replacing the older Class 158 trains and adding extra capacity to help relieve overcrowding. Also Virgin Trains has expressed interest in leasing up to 3 Class 180's to replace their Class 90/Mark 3 hauled set from the December 2008 timetable change. Virgin propose to use the Class 180's in services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street.
[edit] Fleet details
| Operator | Number | Year built | Cars per Set | Unit numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Great Western | 5 | 2000 | 5 | 180103 - 180105 180108 - 180109 |
| Hull Trains | 2 | 2000 | 5 | 180111 180113 |
| Off Lease | 7 | 2000 | 5 | 180101 - 180102 180106 - 180107 180110 180112 180114 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Class 180 Technical Data
- ^ "Rail firm goes back to 30-years to boost reliability", 2008.
- ^ "What future for Hull Trains Class 222 'Pioneers'" (April 2008). Railway Herald (128): 9.
- ^ "We're letting our new trains take the strain", Hull Daily Mail, 2007-11-21. Retrieved on 2007-12-10.
- ^ "East Coast Mainline RUS", Network Rail, 2008-02-29. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.
- ^ Hull Trains - Track Access Rights on the East Coast Main Line, Office of the Rail Regulator, 19/03/08
- ^ "National Express East Coast proposes plans to Office of Rail Regulation for service expansion to Yorkshire and the East Coast" (April 2008). Railway Herald (125): 4.
- ^ National Express East Coast- Track Access Rights on the East Coast Main Line, Office of the Rail Regulator, 28/03/08
- ^ Grand Union - Track Access Rights on the East Coast Main Line, Office of the Rail Regulator, 28/03/08
- ^ a b "Bigger trains to give first-class Cardiff service", Daily Post, 2007-09-10. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ "Hope of faster trains to the capital founder", Daily Post. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
[edit] External links
- Adelante information from First Great Western
- Train Testing site - Testing the first class 180 on BR's Old Dalby test track and on the GWML
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
