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British Rail Class 387

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British Rail Class 387
Electrostar
Great Western Railway Class 387 units at Reading
The interior of a GWR Class 387 unit
In service8 December 2014 – present
ManufacturerBombardier Transportation
Built atDerby Litchurch Lane Works
Family nameElectrostar
Replaced
Number built107
Successor
Formation
  • 4 cars per unit:
  • DMSO-MSO-PTSO-DMSO
Operators
Specifications
Car length20.39 metres (66 ft 11 in)
Width2.80 metres (9 ft 2 in)
Height3.77 metres (12 ft 4 in)
Maximum speed110 mph (177 km/h)
Traction systemIGBT-VVVF (Bombardier MITRAC DR1000)
Power output1.68 MW (2,250 hp)
Electric system(s)
Current collector(s)
UIC classification2′Bo′+2′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′2′
Safety system(s)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 387 Electrostar is a type of electric multiple unit passenger train built by Bombardier Transportation. They are part of the Electrostar family of trains. A total of 107 units were built, with the first train entering service with Thameslink in December 2014. The trains are currently in service with Great Western Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway, and Heathrow Express. The Class 387 is a variation of the Class 379 with dual-voltage capability which allows units to run on 750 V DC third rail, as well as use 25 kV AC OLE. The class were the final rolling stock orders from the Bombardier Electrostar family with 2,805 vehicles built over 18 years between 1999 and 2017.[2]

Description

Class 387/1

The first Class 387/1s were ordered for the Thameslink route, which enabled the existing Class 319 units to be transferred to Northern Rail for use on the newly electrified Manchester Victoria to Liverpool via Newton-le-Willows route.[3][4]

On behalf of the Department for Transport, Southern issued an OJEU notice in December 2012,[3] with proposals received in January 2013. The invitation to tender for the fleet was released the following month with final offers being submitted by 18 June 2013. Southern announced it had signed a deal with Bombardier on 30 July 2013 for 29 four carriage units.[5][6]

In October 2015, Porterbrook placed a speculative order for 80 carriages. Fifty-six were later leased to Great Western Railway and the remaining 24 to c2c as 387/3s.[7]

The Class 387/1 fleet is subdivided into a Class 387/1a fleet which has been fitted with the ETCS signalling system for use in the Heathrow Airport railway tunnels[8] (and in along the entire route in future[citation needed]). This subfleet was authorised for use in passenger service under ETCS by the ORR on 14 December 2020.[8]

Class 387/2

Govia ordered 27 four-carriage units to replace Class 442 units on the Gatwick Express service.[9] The first units entered service in February 2016.[10][11][12]

Class 387/3

In May 2016, c2c announced that it would operate six Class 387 units to add capacity to its network.[13]

Current operations

Gatwick Express

Gatwick Express Class 387

As part of Govia's bid for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise, 27 four-carriage units were ordered to replace Class 442 units on the Gatwick Express service, using some of the optional 140 extra carriages.[9] The order was announced in November 2014 with the first units on test in July 2015 and they began to enter service on 29 February 2016.[10][11][12]

The deployment was disrupted by unionised drivers refusing to take passengers,[14] claiming that the twelve-coach Class 387 trains are not covered by their driver only operation agreement which is limited to ten coaches, and that running them without a conductor would be unsafe. In response to this, Govia applied to the high court to seek an injunction to enable to trains to enter service,[14] and the union ultimately dropped the claim. Prior to entering service with Gatwick Express, several units entered service with Thameslink in response to delays with commissioning the Class 700 units. These then returned to Gatwick Express by the end of summer 2016.[15][16]

In 2021, some units transferred to Great Northern to cover for the withdrawal of the Class 365.[17][18]

Great Western Railway

Great Western Railway Class 387 at Reading

The first Great Western Railway unit entered service on 5 September 2016 running between London Paddington and Hayes & Harlington in peak hours to relieve congestion on some of the country's most crowded trains.[19][20] In January 2017 GWR began running a half-hourly Paddington to Hayes & Harlington service using pairs of these 387/1s.[19]

On 1 January 2018, following further electrification work, Class 387/1 EMUs began operating suburban services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway, replacing GWR Class 165 DMUs on these services.[21] Due to electrification being suspended from Didcot Parkway to Oxford, the previous Oxford suburban service from London Paddington was cut back to Didcot Parkway to allow electric trains to operate this service. Oxford is still served by the fast services from London Paddington.[22]

In January 2019, Class 387/1 EMUs began operating between Reading and Newbury after electrification works on the Reading to Taunton line was completed. In December 2019, Class 345s took over most of the GWR stopping services between Reading and Paddington. This displaced 12 Class 387s which are now used on Heathrow Express services between Heathrow Terminal 5 and Paddington.

Since the December 2021 timetable change, GWR use Class 387s on daily services on the full length of the electrified sections of the Great Western Main Line and the South Wales Main Line from Paddington to Cardiff, as well as on special services when events are held at the Millennium Stadium.[citation needed]

Great Northern

Great Northern Class 387 at Cambridge

From late 2016, 29 of the Class 387/1s operating on Thameslink were displaced by the delivery of Class 700s, and were transferred to Great Northern. They operate mostly on the Kings Cross–Cambridge–King's Lynn route, though they can also be seen on other services. These units were delivered in a white livery, with Southern green doors and Southern moquette.

In 2018, 387105 was transferred to Gatwick Express services, but was not re-liveried into Gatwick Express red.[23] It was transferred back to Great Northern in May 2020, regaining its original branding.[24]

In March 2021, it was announced that Great Northern would be withdrawing the remaining Class 365s from service in May 2021, with Class 387/2s from the Gatwick Express brand used to replace them.[17][18]

In mid-July 2022, it received the 6 displaced Class 387/3 from c2c,[25] to allow for some Class 387/2s to be sent back to Southern.

Heathrow Express

Heathrow Express Class 387 at London Paddington

In March 2018, Heathrow Airport Holdings came to an agreement with Great Western Railway to take over the operation of the Heathrow Express service between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport from August 2018.[26] In September 2019, Heathrow Express confirmed that operation of the service would pass to GWR with ownership remaining with Heathrow Airport Holdings until at least 2028. GWR would provide and maintain the Class 387 units for the service from 2020, with the Class 332 trains withdrawn from service.[27]

Twelve Class 387 units from the GWR fleet were modified to provide a dedicated set of trains for the service including first class accommodation, high speed Wi-Fi, additional luggage racks and on-board entertainment.[28][29] The Heathrow Express sub-fleet is designated as Class 387/1a due to their unique fitment of the ETCS signalling system for use in the Heathrow Airport railway tunnels.[8]

The first units entered revenue earning service with Heathrow Express on 29 December 2020.[30]

Former operations

c2c

The first c2c Class 387/3 was delivered in October 2016 and entered service on 14 November 2016.[31][32] These trains were built primarily as stock units; they were leased out to c2c which at the time was suffering with overcrowding.[33][34]

The units operated fast limited stop services from Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street as 12 car sets during peak hours; following the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the units were temporarily stored at Shoeburyness Carriage Sidings in March 2020. Later in 2020, they were reinstated for use on services in the c2c network, again working peak hour limited stop services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness.

In May 2021 c2c transferred three units to Great Western Railway owing to their fleet of Class 800s requiring repairs due to bogie defects.

c2c and Great Western Railway withdrew their 387/3 fleets in June 2022.[25] They transferred to Great Northern in mid-July 2022 and have now received Great Northern branding.

Thameslink Class 387
Class 387 in Thameslink livery, now operating Great Northern services

The first Thameslink unit entered service in December 2014 with all in service by July 2015.[35] They were operated by Thameslink on services between Bedford and Brighton.

During Summer 2016, several of Gatwick Express Class 387/2 units entered service with Thameslink prior to introduction on Gatwick Express services due to the delay of the Class 700 units, although these returned to service with Gatwick Express after a few months.

The Class 387/1s have since been transferred to Great Northern working services from Kings Cross to King's Lynn via Cambridge, as well as peak time and weekend services to Peterborough.

Accidents

Fleet details

Units

Class Operator Number built Year built Cars per unit Unit numbers
387/1 Great Northern 32 2014–2015 4 387101–387129, 387172–387174
Heathrow Express 12 2016–2017 387130–387141
Great Western Railway 30[39] 387142–387171
387/2 Great Northern 1 2015–2016 387201[40]
Gatwick Express 22 387202–387204, 387209–387227
Southern 4 387205–387208[40]
387/3 Great Northern[25] 6 2016 387301–387306[40]

Liveries

Illustration of a Great Northern Class 387/1 unit. GN's Class 387/3 units are very similar, but with dark-blue coloured doors instead of green.
Illustration of a Heathrow Express Class 387/1 unit
Illustration of a Great Western Railway Class 387/1 unit
Illustration of a Gatwick Express Class 387/2 unit

Named units

The following units have received names:

References

  1. ^ Robinson, Elliot (25 October 2022). "GTR Class 387 sent for UK's first major fleet retrofit for ETCS in-cab signalling". Global Railway Review.
  2. ^ "Last-ever Electrostar finished in Derby as 18 years of production come to an end". www.railtechnologymagazine.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Bombardier to manufacture 116 new train carriages for Thameslink rolling stock cascade" (Press release). Southern. 17 July 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  4. ^ Thameslink Southern & Great Northern Invitation to Tender Department for Transport 26 September 2013
  5. ^ "Commuters to benefit from state-of-the-art electric trains". GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Bombardier Transportation Wins UK Rolling Stock Contract". Berlin: Bombardier Transportation. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 1 September 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Porterbrook orders 387s to meet electrification demands" Rail issue 787 11 November 2015 page 13
  8. ^ a b c Office of Rail and Road (14 December 2020). "Authorisation of Class 387/1a against CCS TSI for the onboard use of ETCS Level NTC, ETCS Level 0, 1 and 2" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 January 2021.
  9. ^ a b "New trains for Gatwick Express and Thameslink". GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Govia and Bombardier sign Gatwick Express train contract". Railway Gazette International. DVV Media Group. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Gatwick Express Class 387/2 EMU on test". Railway Gazette International. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Late-February debut for Gatwick Express Class 387/2s". Rail. Bauer Consumer Media. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  13. ^ "C2C CLASS 387/3S ARE IN SERVICE – TENDERING BEGINS FOR NEW TRAINS". The Railway Magazine. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b "High Court injunction looms in GatEx new trains row". Rail. No. 799. 23 December 2015. pp. 6–7.
  15. ^ Lea, Robert (11 April 2016). "Gatwick Express drivers' strike threat over longer trains". The Times. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  16. ^ "THE SAFETY-CRITICAL ROLE OF THE GUARD" (PDF). RMT. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 December 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Great Northern - Future-changes-to-trains-on-Great-Northern-routes". www.greatnorthernrail.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  18. ^ a b Stand down for GTR 365s Railways Illustrated May 2021 page 10
  19. ^ a b "Introducing our new trains". www.gwr.com. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  20. ^ "First Electrostars enter service on Great Western Railway". www.railtechnologymagazine.com.
  21. ^ "GWR Electrostar fleet enters service after electrification completed". 2 January 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  22. ^ "New GWR trains enter service after electrification". BBC News. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  23. ^ 387/1 joins GatEx Rail issue 866 21 November 2018 page 29
  24. ^ Track Record The Railway Magazine issue 1432 July 2020 page 81
  25. ^ a b c "More '387s' for GTR". Modern Railways. No. August 2022. p. 101.
  26. ^ "GWR to manage Heathrow Express operations". International Railway Journal. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Heathrow Express service confirmed to at least 2028". Heathrow Express. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  28. ^ 2018-03-28T09:58:56+01:00. "GWR to manage Heathrow Express service". Railway Gazette International. Archived from the original on 3 June 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ "Heathrow Express | New Fleet". Heathrow Express. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Today's the day we're rolling out our new Heathrow Express fleet!". Heathrow Express.
  31. ^ "c2c Class 387s enter service". The Railway Magazine. 22 December 2016.
  32. ^ "New Electrostars enter traffic with c2c". Rail. No. 814. 23 November 2016. p. 21.
  33. ^ "c2c delays: late night crush on trains so bad that 'businessmen wet themselves'". Evening Standard. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  34. ^ "What complaints did you have about overcrowding before the timetable change, and how does it compare to now?". c2c. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  35. ^ "Media centre | Thameslink". www.thameslinkrailway.com.
  36. ^ "Collision with buffer stops at King's Cross station, London, 15 August 2017". GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  37. ^ Hartley-Parkinson, Richard (15 August 2017). "Meanwhile, a train at London's King's Cross Station appeared to have hit the buffers on platform nine". Metro. Associated Newspapers. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  38. ^ Trim, Liam (27 November 2018). "Photos show derailed train causing 'chaos' at Paddington". getwestlondon. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  39. ^ "Three ex-GWR 387s to GN". Today's Railways UK. No. 256. June 2023. p. 60.
  40. ^ a b c "Units". Rail Express. No. 318. November 2022. p. 27.
  41. ^ a b "Stock Changes". Today's Railways UK. No. 245. July 2022. p. 70.
  42. ^ a b "Depot Talk". Rail Express. No. 314. July 2022. p. 28.
  43. ^ a b c d e f "HEx 387s start to receive names". Today's Railways UK. No. 242. April 2022. p. 67.
  44. ^ a b "Stock Update". The Railway Magazine. No. 1455. June 2022. p. 85.
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