12.07.17
Bodyshells of new Northern rolling stock ‘coming together’
Northern have updated passengers on the progress being made on the 98 new trains being built for the operator by Spanish company CAF.
The rolling stock will be made up of 281 carriages, and split into 43 electric and 55 diesel powered trains.
Within these, CAF will build 25 two-car and 30 three-car Class 195 diesel multiple-units, as well as 31 three-car and 12 four-car Class 331 electric multiple-units.
Following the decision to introduce new trains onto the network, Northern also recruited a new engineering director, Ben Ackroyd, and Ian Hyde, who will take the position as head of New Trains.
The pair recently visited CAF’s sites in Irun and Zaragoza to inspect the progress of the new trains along the factory line.
“It was great to get out to Spain to take a look at the first unit in production,” said Ackroyd. “The engineering team at Northern has been working hard for the last year or so to finalised the designs and get all the paperwork signed off.
“Since I joined in March it’s been really rewarding to see the final designs come together, but it all really came to life for me when we stood inside one of the first bodyshells in Spain.”
At present, a number of empty body shells are in various states of finish, and the first new train is expected to be completed in autumn and rolled out for testing in the Czech Republic next year.
The first new trains are expected to enter service in December 2018 and all 98 will be running along the network by 2020.
“This is a once in a generation chance to significantly improve the quality of rail services in the North; we’re enhancing the overall on-board experience,” added Hyde.
“The introduction of these units will contribute to increasing our fleet and our overall capacity, bringing more flexibility and allowing us to offer more and faster services.”
And Jose María Muguruza, CAF’s UK Project Manager, said: “We have been working hard and very closely with Arriva Northern and Eversholt to ensure CAF delivers a design of train that satisfies their requirements and expectations.
“The aim is to have reliable trains with a high performance and an aesthetic design to provide the best possible service to the passengers.
“There are a lot of activities still to carry out during the coming months including manufacturing, testing and approvals activities, so we must continue working hard and collaboratively to ensure we meet our common goals.”
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