British Rail Class 378

History

The old meets the new: 313107 and 378017 are seen side by side at Richmond.

The deal between Bombardier and Transport for London was initially for a total of 152 individual cars costing approximately 223 million, with deliveries beginning from September 2008, when two trains underwent a 14 week test on the North London Line. The initial contract also contained an option to purchase additional cars up to a total of 216. A newly constructed depot near New Cross Gate station would be responsible for the maintenance of the new fleet.

On 4 July 2007, TfL announced it had ordered a further 36 Capitalstar carriages for 36 million. The order comprised 3 additional four car units for the East London Line, and 24 additional carriages to extend the original 3 car units for the North London Line into 4 car units to be delivered in 2011.

In February 2008, TfL announced that the new stock would now be leased by London Overground, rather than purchased directly, from a newly formed ROSCO named QW Rail Leasing. The terms of the lease also allow for an increase in the order to 216 vehicles. In April 2008, TfL announced it had taken an option to obtain a further seven 4-car dual voltage units, which would be delivered between 2009 and 2010, filling the full 216 vehicle option.

On 16 September 2008, the first complete unit was unveiled and began testing on Bombardier’s test track prior to being delivered for testing on the national network. Units 378 003/005 – 019 have now been delivered to Willesden Depot, and all except 378 003/019 have entered service. Units 378 020 – 023 are undergoing testing at Ashford Chart Leacon Depot. Unit 378 001 was stationed at New Cross Gate Depot for testing purposes but has now returned to Bombardier Transportation’s Litchurch Lane Works in Derby and will subsequently be moved to Willesden. 378 004 (temporarily made up to 4 cars) was the first unit to run under power over the East London Line on 5 October 2009 and left the East London Line on 2nd November 2009. Units 378 135 – 154 are now at New Cross Gate Depot for testing on the East London Line.

The Class 378 was originally planned to enter service in January 2009, but was delayed for seven months because of the economic recession causing several parts suppliers to become bankrupt, causing a shortage of parts for Bombardier Transportation which also affected delivery of Class 377/5 units to First Capital Connect. The first Class 378 unit entered service on 29 July 2009. On the first public unveiling of the Class 378, TfL announced that they had reached an agreement to procure a further three dual voltage units, taking the total number to 57. These units are intended to enhance the fleet once the South London Line is brought under London Overground’s control.

The trains will not initially be used on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line, as it is not electrified. Although electrification is a long-term aim, it is not included in the short or medium term plans of either TfL or Network Rail. As a consequence, TfL ordered eight Class 172 Turbostar units for use on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line.

Features and fitted equipment

A side view of DMOS vehicle No. 38117 from Class 378/0 Capitalstar EMU No. 378017.

In addition to the usual two-tone horn, Class 378 units are also fitted with a London Underground type kettle whistle (referred to as a depot whistle). A tripcock device is also installed as per the existing London Overground Class 313 stock. The tripcock is the London Underground failsafe equivalent of the Train Protection & Warning System used on the National Rail network.

External CCTV is displayed automatically on releasing the doors via an in-cab monitor, effectively removing the need for Driver-Only Operation (DOO) equipment such as monitors/mirrors at platforms. This is similar in design to that already used on Southern’s Electrostar units.

Internal CCTV footage can be viewed directly by the driver on an in-cab monitor, meaning the driver can immediately view the affected area of the train (in addition to speaking to the person) if a passenger operates the passenger alarm.

The driver has the option of releasing the doors so that passengers can use individual door buttons to open as required. The driver can also release and open all the doors on one side, in a similar fashion to tube trains, but this option is not used in passenger service and is only intended for evacuation purposes[citation needed].

The units are fitted with three radio systems, National Radio Network which is used over the North London Line, Cab Secure Radio used over the Watford DC route, West London line and will be used beyond New Cross on the South London line, and finally GSM-R which will be brought into use on the East London Line between Dalston and New Cross. 378/1 units are equipped only with GSM-R and CSR radio as they are not intended to operate over routes equipped with NRN only.

The trains feature air conditioning, real time passenger information systems, wheelchair access, the ability for level access, and different seat moquette colours to highlight priority seating.

Class 378 suppliers

The Class 378 has been built by a number of worldwide suppliers:[citation needed]

Main contractor = Bombardier, Derby

Traction motors = Bombardier, Sweden

Bogies = Bombardier, Germany

Air conditioning = Liebherr, Germany

Interior panelling = Gilberts, Blackpool & KTK, China

Cabling = Time 24, Derby; Simclar Scotland

Brake Control = Knorr Bremse, Melksham

Friction Brake and Actuation = Faiveley Transport

Door mechanisms = IFE, Austria (Knorr Bremse)

Batteries = Saft, France

Seats = Kiel, Germany

Passenger Information System = Whiteley, UK

Couplers = Dellner, Sweden

CCTV = March Networks, Canada

Gangways = Hbner, Germany

Shoegear and Pantograph = Brecknell Willis, UK

Shock absorbers = ZF Sachs, Germany

Fleet

A pair of Bombardier Class 378 Capitalstar EMUs No. 378007 and 378017 at Richmond.

The Class 378 fleet will ultimately be formed of two separate subclasses:

Class 378/0 (North London Line, West London Line, Watford DC Line) – 24 three-car units were originally ordered. These units will have dual voltage capability, taking current at 25 kV AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from third rail and will be initially designated as Class 378/0. These trains will replace the Class 313 units currently operated in 2010. Additional carriages will be delivered in late 2010 to convert these units to four-car. At this point all units will be renumbered into the 378/2 series – see below.

Class 378/1 (East London Line) – 20 four-car units were ordered. These units will operate services on the extended East London Line, and will be 750v DC only. These trains, which will be designated Class 378/1, will replace the A60/A62 Stock previously used on the line, when the first phase of the extended ELL re-opens in May 2010. In common with all trains in the Electrostar family, these DC only units will have a recessed roof space for the fitting of a pantograph and other equipment for dual-voltage working in the future if necessary.

Class 378/2 – 13 additional dual voltage four-car units ordered for the North London, West London, East London and Watford DC lines. The Class 378/0 units will be redesignated in this sequence (see above) as each unit receives its additional carriage in late 2010.

Class

Operator

No. Built

Year Built

Cars per Set

Unit nos.

Notes

Class 378/0

London Overground

24

2008-2010

3

378001 – 378024

To be extended to 4-car

and reclassified as 378/2

Class 378/1

20

2009-2010

4

378135 – 378154

DC only

Class 378/2

13

Late 2010

378225-378234

378255-278257

References

^ “TfL’s first Class 378 ready to roll!” (in English). Today’s Railways UK (Platform 5): p. 32. November 2008. 

^ “Bombardier Wins A 223 Million Order From Transport For London For 152 Electric Multiple Unit Cars For The United Kingdom”. Bombardier Transportation. August 31, 2006. http://bombardier.com/en/corporate/media-centre/press-releases/details?docID=0901260d8000f75c. 

^ “36m contract to bring extra rail carriages for London Overground”. Transport for London. July 4, 2007. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/media/newscentre/archive/5432.aspx. 

^ “Transport for London – London Overground: Next steps”. Transport for London. July 2009. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/6310.aspx. 

^ “New London Overground Class 378s take shape at Derby” (PDF). The Railway Herald. September 22, 2008. http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/issues/RHUK/Issue148.pdf. 

^ Morrison, Brian (August 2009). “Mayor rides Class 378 – TfL orders three more”. Modern Railways: 8. 

^ “Transport for London – London Overground: Next steps”. Transport for London. July 2009. http://overgroundmicrosite.tfl.gov.uk/service-update/New-trains.aspx. 

External links

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