British Rail Class 780 | |
---|---|
Replaced | (Planned) [1] |
Number built |
|
Fleet numbers | TBA |
Capacity |
|
Operators | Northern Trains |
Specifications | |
Train length |
|
Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) (Planned as of September 2025) [2] |
Axle load | Route Availability 3 (Planned as of 2025) [2] |
Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
Current collection | Pantograph |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The British Rail Class 780 is a planned fleet of three- and four-car Multi Mode (MMU) trains to be built for Northern Trains.
In August 2023, Northern issued a tender to acquire a contract for up to 450 new trains to replace the older rolling stock in their fleet. [3] A more detailed tender for up to 329 new trains was issued in 2024, [4] and in January 2025, it was revealed that Northern had shortlisted five companies to build its new fleet - Alstom, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler. [5] [6] [7]
Contracts are expected to be awarded in 2026, with the first units delivered by 2031. [2]
In September 2025, Modern Railways reported that the TOPS number 780 is reserved for the planned new EMU fleet. [2]
The Class 780 is planned to be built with three different modes of operation, these being diesel, electric and battery. [2]
It is planned for the Class 780 fleet to be able to be converted to either battery-electric (BEMU) or electric (EMU) multiple units during its service life. [2] [6]