British Rail Class 231 FLIRT | |
---|---|
In service | 18 January 2023 –present [1] |
Manufacturer | Stadler Rail |
Assembly | Stadler Bussnang AG |
Built at |
|
Family name | FLIRT |
Replaced | |
Constructed | 2021–2022 |
Number built | 11 |
Number in service | 11 |
Formation | 4 cars per unit: [note 1] DMS-TS-PP-TSW-DMS [2] |
Fleet numbers | 231001–231011 |
Capacity | 170 seats, plus 36 tip-up & 180 standees |
Owners | SMBC Leasing [3] |
Operators | Transport for Wales Rail |
Depots | Canton (Cardiff) |
Specifications | |
Car body construction | Aluminium |
Train length | 80.7 m (264 ft 9 in) |
Width |
|
Height | 3.915 m (12 ft 10.1 in) |
Floor height | 960 mm (3 ft 2 in) |
Doors | Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1.300 m (4 ft 3.2 in) wide (total 6 per side) |
Wheel diameter |
|
Wheelbase | Bogies: 2.700 m (8 ft 10.3 in) |
Maximum speed | 90 mph (145 km/h) |
Weight | 154.3 tonnes (151.9 long tons; 170.1 short tons) (4-car set) [5] |
Traction system | IGBT |
Prime mover(s) | 4 × Deutz 16-litre V8 turbo-diesel |
Power output | 1,500 kW (2,000 hp) at wheel |
Tractive effort | Starting: 160 kN (36,000 lbf) |
Acceleration | 0.9 m/s2 (2.0 mph/s) |
UIC classification | Bo′2′2′2′2′Bo′ |
Safety system(s) | |
Multiple working | Within class (max. 3 units) |
Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Notes/references | |
Sourced from [6] unless otherwise noted. |
The British Rail Class 231 [7] is a class of eleven diesel-electric multiple units of the FLIRT family, which have been built for Transport for Wales by Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail. The first units entered service on 18 January 2023. [1]
The previous Wales & Borders rail franchise operator, KeolisAmey Wales ordered the new trains. Although KeolisAmey was removed as the franchise operator and replaced by an operator of last resort Transport for Wales Rail, owned by the Welsh Government, the scheduled full fleet replacement continued. [8] [9]
The units began testing in Switzerland in July 2021 and in November 2021 the first two units were delivered to Cardiff Canton depot. [10]
The Class 231 units are currently operating services on the Rhymney line and the Vale of Glamorgan Line. They mostly do routes between Rhymney/Bargoed to/from Barry Island from Mondays to Saturdays and Rhymney/Caerphilly to/from Barry Island on Sundays. [11]
Sometimes they operate on other valleys lines as well such as the Merthyr/Aberdare Lines, the City Line and the Treherbert Line.
It is expected that they will operate services between Maesteg and Cheltenham Spa, and between Cardiff Central/Newport and Ebbw Vale Town from around late 2025 or early 2026.
The official revenue launch of the Class 231 took place on 29 March 2023 at Caerphilly. [12]
Class 231 units have four passenger vehicles, along with a separate "Power Pack" vehicle at the centre of the unit that contains four diesel generator sets. The diesel generators comply with EU Stage V emissions regulations. All vehicles are linked by unpowered Jacobs bogies, while the outermost bogie at each end of each unit carries the traction motors. [6]
TfW are planning to convert their 231 units to hybrid units and have mobilised a project team to support the implementation of the conversion with Stadler. [13]
Subclass | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Passenger cars | Unit nos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
231/0 | Transport for Wales Rail | 11 | 2021–2022 | 4 | 231001–231011 [2] |
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