Northern Ireland Railways Class 4000 "C4K" | |
---|---|
![]() Class 4000 DMU 4012 at Coleraine railway station, 2021 | |
![]() Interior view of car 4513 of set 4013 | |
In service | 29 September 2011–present |
Manufacturer | CAF |
Family name | CxK |
Replaced | Class 450 and Class 80 |
Entered service | 2011–2012 |
Number built | 20 sets (81 cars in total, 40 DM cars, 41 intermediates) |
Formation |
|
Fleet numbers |
|
Capacity |
|
Operators | NI Railways |
Specifications | |
Maximum speed | 90 mph (145 km/h) |
Prime mover(s) | MTU 6H 1800 R84 [1] (one per car) |
Engine type | Inline-6 turbo-diesel [2] |
Displacement | 12.8 L (780 cu in) per engine [2] |
Power output | 390 kW (520 hp) per engine [2] |
Transmission |
|
Safety system(s) | AWS, TPWS |
Track gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
The Class 4000 is a type of diesel multiple unit (DMU) in service with Northern Ireland Railways.
The fleet was procured due to the recognition of the essential role railways play in economic growth and the need to replace outdated rolling stock, particularly Class 80 and Class 450 trains. After receiving funding from the Northern Ireland Assembly and issuing a tender, NI Railways awarded the contract to CAF, which already had a successful track record with the Class 3000 units. The Class 4000 trains entered service in 2011, with significant internal differences from the C3K fleet, such as increased seating capacity and improved fuel economy. The trains have replaced the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 trains, increasing capacity and allowing longer trains to operate. In 2018, 21 additional vehicles were ordered to further extend train lengths. Despite some reported technical issues, testing for six-car formations started in 2021.
The fleet covers 20 DMUs procured by NI Railways. None of the Northern Irish rail network is electrified, and diesel multiple units have been used since nationalisation in the 1950s.
Prior to 2000, the NIR rolling stock consisted of a mixture of diesel multiple unit types that had entered service between 15 and 25 years previously. The main type was the Class 80, based on the Mark 2b bodyshell, 22 3-car and 4-car units built in two batches between 1973 and 1979. Additional capacity was provided with the Class 450, nine 3-car units that entered service in 1985 based on the Mark 3 bodyshell. Chronic underinvestment in the railway meant that by the millennium these were the newest domestic trains. By 2000 it was estimated that the network required investment of £183 million to bring it up to basic safety standards. [3]
Recognising that the railways serve an important role in the growth of the local economy, the devolved Northern Ireland Assembly granted funding for improvements in December 2000 following the report of the Railways Task Force. [4] Included was £80 million for rolling stock, the largest order in the history of NIR. The result was the Class 3000 DMU from CAF in Spain, 23 three-car units used to replace the increasingly outdated Class 80. They entered service between 2004 and 2005. This was a like-for-like replacement meaning that older rolling stock had to be retained, and NIR could not introduce the service enhancements it desired.[ citation needed ]
The expanding economy led to increasing pressure to improve the rail network, with recommendations made in a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2007. [5] Among these was the purchase of rolling stock to replace the remaining Class 80 and Class 450 trains. Translink instituted the "New Trains 2010" (later renamed "New Trains Two") proposal for new trains, [6] and decided that it needed to improve its service frequency to go with the associated infrastructure improvements, which would mean expanding the fleet. The proposal was that up to 20 trains would be purchased, which would replace the Class 450 and 80 units and expand the fleet by up to seven trains. The go-ahead was given on the publication of the draft budget of the Department for Regional Development, which allocated £137 million over three years to Translink, including for 20 trains. [7]
Translink issued the invitation to tender (ITT) in June 2008. Three firm offers were received: Bombardier Transportation offered the Class 172 Turbostar being built for operation on the British network; Hyundai Rotem a variant of the 22000 Class ICR purchased by Iarnród Éireann (ruled out because of NIR's desire to have units with ⅓ and ⅔ spaced doors); and CAF a variant of the Class 3000 units. [8] The similarity with the existing sets led to CAF winning the bid in March 2009. [9] The first train was delivered in March 2011 and after testing it entered service in September 2011. [10] [11]
In the summer of 2021, testing began on increased six-car sets using extra intermediate carriages.
The timetable for the introduction was released at the same time as the ITT: [12] [13] [10]
Although the trains are externally similar to the C3K fleet, internally they have significant differences. Each three-car train has a seating capacity of 212, [10] with fewer table bays and extra standing room. [8] They have one toilet compared to the C3K's two. [10] They have a new traction system, with an MTU 390kW engine providing power to both the traction motors and auxiliary generators. With a train being four tonnes lighter than a C3K unit, fuel economy is improved. [8]
The trains have replaced the 13 remaining trains of Class 80 and Class 450. The capacity increase provided has allowed NIR to operate longer trains. Of the seven extra sets, NIR has earmarked five for running in six-car formations, with the other two planned to improve service frequency on the Derry-Londonderry Line once renovation work has been completed and a new crossing loop laid. [8] The option was taken up in December 2018, when 21 additional vehicles were ordered from CAF at a cost of £50 million. [15] The 21 additional vehicles will be used to lengthen seven of the twenty Class 4000 units to six-cars long [16] to provide a train that the conductor can walk through fully, this means only 1 conductor is required. The first three-car set was extended in November 2021, with all six expected to be complete by July 2022. [17]
It has been reported[ citation needed ] on several websites that at least one train has been taken out of service on several occasions with major engine failure and has been re-engined.
Testing is now underway as of September 2021.
Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Class 4000 | NI Railways | 20 | 2010–2012 | 3 | 4001–4013 | 13 | |
6 | 4014–4020 | 7 | New carriages entered service in September 2021 [18] |
NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways, is the railway operator in Northern Ireland. NIR is a subsidiary of Translink, whose parent company is the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), and is one of eight publicly owned train operators in the United Kingdom, the others being Direct Rail Services, Northern Trains, Transport for Wales Rail, Southeastern, LNER, ScotRail, and TransPennine Express. It has a common Board of Management with the other two companies in the group, Ulsterbus and Metro.
The Siemens Desiro is a family of diesel or electric multiple unit passenger trains developed by Siemens Mobility, a division of the German Siemens AG conglomerate. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the later Desiro City, Desiro HC and Desiro RUS. The trains are mostly used for commuter and regional services, and their rapid acceleration makes them suitable for services with short distances between stations. The design is flexible, and has become common in many European countries.
Rail transport in Ireland is provided by Iarnród Éireann in the Republic of Ireland and by Northern Ireland Railways in Northern Ireland.
A wide variety of diesel and electric multiple units have been used on Ireland's railways. This page lists all those that have been used. Except with the NIR Class 3000, the numbers given by each class in the lists below are those allocated to the coaches that make up the units in that class, otherwise, unit numbers are not used in Ireland.
A wide variety of hauled coaches have been used on the railways of Ireland. This page lists all those since 1945.
Enterprise is the cross-border inter-city train service between Dublin Connolly in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Lanyon Place in Northern Ireland, jointly operated by Iarnród Éireann (IE) and NI Railways (NIR). It operates on the Belfast–Dublin railway line.
Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is a Spanish publicly listed company which manufactures railway vehicles and equipment and buses through its Solaris Bus & Coach subsidiary. It is based in Beasain, Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. Equipment manufactured by Grupo CAF includes light rail vehicles, rapid transit trains, railroad cars and locomotives, as well as variable gauge axles that can be fitted on any existing truck or bogie.
The 80 Class is a type of diesel electric multiple unit formerly used by Northern Ireland Railways. They were affectionately nicknamed 'Thumpers' by rail enthusiasts due to the thumping noise their engines produced.
The Class 3000 is a class of diesel multiple unit in service with NI Railways.
The 29000 Class is a type of four-car Diesel Multiple Unit operated by Iarnród Éireann. The units were built in Spain by CAF in two batches between 2002 and 2005.
The 22000 Class "InterCity Railcar" is a diesel multiple unit in service with Iarnród Éireann in Ireland.
The 450 Class is a type of diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger train formerly used by Northern Ireland Railways. They were affectionately nicknamed 'Thumpers' and 'Castles' by rail enthusiasts.
The British Rail Class 172 is a British diesel multiple unit (DMU) passenger train from the Turbostar family, built by Bombardier Transportation's Derby Litchurch Lane Works for use on inner-suburban passenger services. The class is currently operated by West Midlands Railway.
CxK is an unofficial name given to a family of multiple unit trains produced by CAF for Ireland and Auckland. There are four types in operation, and they are the main suburban and commuter trains in Ireland. The name derives from NI Railways "C3K" and "C4K" classes.
The British Rail Class 195 is a class of diesel multiple-unit passenger train from the Civity family manufactured by CAF, owned by Eversholt Rail Group and currently operated by Northern Trains. A total of 58 units have been built; 25 two-car units and 33 three-car units. The class is almost identical to the Class 331 also produced by CAF, which is the electric version of the Class 195, differing only in traction type and vehicle formation.
The British Rail Class 397 Civity is a class of electric multiple unit built by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF for lease to TransPennine Express by Eversholt Rail Group. A total of twelve five-car units were built to operate services on TransPennine North West services between Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central.
The British Rail Class 196 Civity is a class of diesel multiple unit built for West Midlands Trains by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF. A total of 26 units have been built; 12 two-car units and 14 four-car units.
The Londonderry & Coleraine Railway is a railway line between the cities of Derry and Coleraine in County Londonderry, built by the Londonderry & Coleraine Railway Company (L&CR). The company operated the line independently for seven years before being absorbed into the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway. The line is still in use today by NI Railways and forms part of the Belfast to Derry-Londonderry rail line.
The British Rail Class 197 is a class of diesel multiple unit passenger train built by CAF, based on its Civity platform. They are operated by Transport for Wales Rail (TfW), split into 51 two-car units and 26 three-car units.
CAF Newport is a rolling stock factory located at Celtic Business Park, near Llanwern steelworks in Newport. The site was announced as a train-building factory in 2016 and was producing rolling stock by 2018. It was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles on 21 February 2020.
Media related to NIR Class 4000 at Wikimedia Commons