In service 2000–present Refurbishment 2008–9 | Manufacturer Siemens AG and CAF Constructed 2000 Number built 16 trainsets | |
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The British Rail Class 333 is an electric multiple unit with a top speed of 100 mph, They were built by Siemens and CAF in 2000.
Contents
These trains are based on the Class 332 units operated by Heathrow Express.
Description
Sixteen three-car units were introduced in 2000 by Northern Spirit and are now operated by Northern. They replaced the Class 308 units on the Wharfedale and Airedale lines in West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire (between Leeds, Bradford Forster Square, Ilkley and Skipton). They are based at the Neville Hill depot in Leeds and painted in the livery of West Yorkshire Metro, the local passenger transport executive.
Due to increased passenger numbers, the units were lengthened to four cars, 333001–333008 in 2002 and 333009–333016 in 2003, funded by Metro and the Strategic Rail Authority. However, this funding ran out in 2007 and as a consequence of this the fourth cars could have been removed. Had this happened the four-car Class 321s would have been removed from Doncaster services to Wharfedale and Airedale services. This means that the fourth cars are now funded by South Yorkshire PTE, despite rarely running in South Yorkshire, to ensure that four-car units are available on Doncaster services.
333002 and 333004 received the new livery by September 2008 but the finish of the vinyls was unsatisfactory. New vinyls were acquired and the whole fleet was reliveried by mid 2009.
Along with the Class 321 and Class 322 units, these trains were fitted with free wi-fi facilities in 2015.
Performance
The units are capable of 100 mph (161 km/h), but the maximum speed on their routes is 90 mph (145 km/h); their brisk acceleration and high power makes them well suited to commuter services with generally short distances between stations in the hilly part of Yorkshire. They have Standard class only 2+3 high-density seating, and each set has one toilet.