British Rail Class 334

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British Rail Class 334
Coradia Juniper
Class334019 at dumbarton central.jpg
ScotRail Class 334 at Dumbarton Central
ScotRail Class 334 interior, 08 May 2013.JPG
Refurbished First ScotRail interior in 2013
In service3 April 2001 –present
Manufacturer Alstom
Built at Washwood Heath, Birmingham
Family name Coradia Juniper
Replaced Class 303
Constructed1999–2002
Refurbished
  • 2012–2014
  • 2015–2017
Number built40 [1]
Formation3 cars per unit: DMS-PTS-DMS [1]
Fleet numbers334001–334040
Capacity183 seats [1]
Owners Eversholt Rail Group [1]
Operators ScotRail
Specifications
Car body construction Steel
Train length61.96 m (203 ft 3 in)
Car length
  • DMS vehs.: 21.01 m (68 ft 11 in) [1]
  • PTS vehs.: 19.94 m (65 ft 5 in) [1]
Width2.80 m (9 ft 2 in)
Height3.77 m (12 ft 4 in)
DoorsDouble-leaf sliding plug (2 per side per car)
Maximum speed90 mph (145 km/h) [1]
Traction systemAlstom ONIX 800 IGBT
Traction motors 4 × 270 kW (362 hp)
(2 per DMS car)
Power output1,080 kW (1,448 hp)
Acceleration 0.62 m/s2 (2.0 ft/s2) max. [1]
Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s) Pantograph
UIC classification 2′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′2′
Braking system(s) Electro-pneumatic (disc), and regenerative [1]
Safety system(s)
Coupling system
Multiple working Within class
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 334 Coradia Juniper is a suburban electric multiple unit passenger train built by Alstom in Birmingham. They are part of Alstom's Coradia Juniper family of trains, along with Classes 458 and 460.

Contents

The trains are operated by ScotRail and mainly run on the North Clyde Line on Helensburgh Central - Edinburgh, Springburn - Milngavie and Airdrie - Balloch services. However, they can also sometimes be seen on the Argyle Line on Dalmuir/Milngavie to Whifflet/Motherwell/Larkhall/Cumbernauld services. They were ordered by SPT/ScotRail (when part of National Express) for outer-suburban services in Glasgow.

History

Class 334 in Strathclyde Partnership for Transport livery at Greenock Central Greenock Central 190906b.jpg
Class 334 in Strathclyde Partnership for Transport livery at Greenock Central

Their introduction saw the withdrawal of the last of Glasgow's venerable Class 303 "Blue Train" sets which had been in service since 1960. Although deliveries started to Strathclyde in 1999, the Class 334 did not enter passenger service until 2001 due to numerous teething problems (in common with other Juniper-based classes) and technical failures which plagued the new units upon their introduction.

SPT ordered 38 units, but the technical problems led to an additional two units being built as a goodwill gesture.[ citation needed ]

All units are owned by Eversholt Rail Group. ScotRail leased a total of 40 units which can be seen in use daily across the SPT electric network. On the maiden run of the units, 334010 and 334020 ran to Gourock. The units initially ran on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde lines, but became a common sight on the Argyle and North Clyde lines.

From its introduction, the Class 334 operated on the Ayrshire Coast Line, Inverclyde Line, North Clyde Line and Argyle Line, but by June 2011 the class had been largely replaced on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde lines by the Class 380, with only occasional units seen on those routes.

Relivery and refurbishment

Interior before refurbishment Inside-juiper.jpg
Interior before refurbishment
Class 334 at Glasgow Central Low Level Glasgow Central Low Level - Abellio 334034 Motherwell train.JPG
Class 334 at Glasgow Central Low Level

In September 2008, the Scottish Government's agency Transport Scotland announced that all ScotRail trains (including those from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) would be eventually repainted in a new, blue livery with white Saltire markings on the carriage ends. Class 334 re-livery began in November 2010 in preparation for the Airdrie to Bathgate reopening. [3]

On 24 August 2011, ScotRail announced plans to refurbish all the fleet, with the project expected to start in November 2011 and take two years to complete. [4] [5] 334020 was the first unit to be refurbished at Kilmarnock's Brodie Rail Works from 3 February 2012 to 2 May 2012. The last unit to be refurbished was 334006, which left Brodie Works on 8 November 2014.[ citation needed ]

From early 2015, Eversholt commissioned Alstom to perform an extensive £36.1m overhaul of the entire fleet to improve passenger conditions, which included the retrofitting of full air conditioning, at-seat charging points, provision for wi-fi, passenger counting equipment, cycle spaces, LED lighting and CCTV in the saloons, and an upgraded CCTV system for driver-only operation. [6] [7] [8] Improvements were also made to the reliability of the passenger doors, and the original Tightlock couplings were replaced with Scharfenberg-type automatic couplers manufactured by Voith, allowing Class 334 units to rescue and be rescued by Class 380 units. The overhaul process was completed in 2017.

On 22 June 2021 during Pride Month in the United Kingdom, a Class 334 was unveiled with progress flag colours. ScotRail stated that the livery would remain in place until 2029, after which the metalwork underneath would require repainting. [9]

In 2023 Alstom was awarded a contract by Eversholt Rail to overhaul the Class 334 fleet. The work, with a contract value of £12 million, will be carried out at Polmadie Depot and is planned to start in January 2024. [10] [11]

Accidents

Fleet details

ClassOperatorQty.Year builtCars per unitUnit nos.
334 ScotRail 401999–20023334001–334040
Scotrail Class 334 Scotrail Class 334 w-pantograph.png
Scotrail Class 334

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Class 334". London: Eversholt Rail Group. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  2. ↑ System Data for Mechanical and Electrical Coupling of Rail Vehicles in support of GM/RT2190 (PDF). London: Rail Safety and Standards Board. 22 June 2011. p. 4. SD001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "ScotRail 25th Anniversary Publicity Materials". Transport Scotland. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008.
  4. ↑ "ScotRail in £4 million fleet refurbishment - creating 20 jobs in Ayrshire". ScotRail. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Scotrail to refurbish Class 334 EMUs". Railway Herald (281): 4. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Eversholt Rail awards Alstom with contract to overhaul Scottish suburban trains". Alstom. 1 September 2014. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "ScotRail Class 334 trains get £36m refurbishment and power points fitted after 13 years of service". Rail.co.uk. 16 November 2015. Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  8. ↑ "'334' Overhaull Progress". Modern Railways. 22 December 2016. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  9. ↑ Gibson, Darren (22 June 2021). "ScotRail unveils Pride train confirming it will run on Clydebank line". Clydebank Post. Archived from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  10. ↑ "Alstom to overhaul '334s'". Modern Railways. No. 893. Stamford: Key Publishing. February 2023. p. 90.
  11. ↑ "Alstom awarded £12 million overhaul contract for ScotRail trains". Alstom Transport UK. 9 January 2023. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Passengers hurt as trains collide". BBC News. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  13. ↑ "Train hits vehicle near Uphall in West Lothian". BBC News. 14 October 2015. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.

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