Family name Electrostar Number built 30 trainsets | Constructed 2010 - 2011 Formation 4 cars per trainset | |
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In service 17 March 2011 - Current Manufacturer Bombardier Transportation | ||
The Class 379 Electrostar is a British electric multiple unit train type ordered in April 2009 for Stansted Express services operated by National Express East Anglia (NXEA) and later Greater Anglia.
Contents
The trains are also being used on services between London Liverpool Street, Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town, Stansted Airport, Cambridge, Ely and Kings Lynn. The fleet was ordered as part of the NXEA Service Improvement Plan designed to expand capacity on the heavily crowded lines into London Liverpool Street.
Description
The trains are part of Bombardier Transportation's Electrostar family and are owned by Macquarie European Rail. They were built at Bombardier's Derby plant, where the first unit was unveiled on 13 October 2010.
A phased introduction into passenger service began in March 2011. They are maintained by Bombardier at Ilford. They work alongside the Class 317.
Features and fitted equipment
The Class 379 units feature 2+2 seating in standard class, and 2+1 seating in first class. Large luggage racks are provided should the train be on airport services.
Wi-Fi is supplied by Icomera of Sweden, not only for passenger internet use but also for linking the train's reservation, CCTV, passenger information and monitoring systems to the control room.
The trains have regenerative braking and use Bombardier's Orbita predictive fault monitoring system. Some features are taken from the upcoming Aventra. Interior lighting is supplied by Teknoware and includes state-of-the-art emergency lighting to fulfil GM/RT 2130 requirements. CCTV cameras on the roof monitor the pantograph arm.
Operations
The first two units, 379005 and 379006, entered service on 17 March 2011. 379005 was named Stansted Express at a ceremony at London Liverpool Street. A further 18 units were to enter service in May 2011, on Stansted Express workings. They will work in a mixture of 12-car and 8-car lengths.
The remaining 10 began entering service in summer 2011 on Cambridge services. The Class 379 first ran on 3 March 2011 between Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport. All units had entered service by mid-August 2011, two months ahead of schedule and the airport services are now entirely worked by 8-car Class 379s. The December 2011 timetable change included the introduction of 12-car trains on some peak workings out of Liverpool Street to/from Bishops Stortford, Harlow Town, Ely, Kings Lynn and Cambridge. Plus on some services out of Stratford to/from Cambridge, Harlow Town and Bishops Stortford and on some Bishops Stortford/Stansted Airport-Cambridge services. They work on long distance express services.
These trains are now operated by Abellio Greater Anglia as of 5 February 2012.
BEMU trial
Network Rail used unit 379013 as a testbed for a future Battery-Electric Multiple Unit (BEMU). The unit first carried passengers on a Manningtree–Harwich Town service on 12 January 2015.
Future
By 2019, the Class 379s will be replaced by a brand new fleet of Stadler FLIRT EMUs which will be fixed 12-car trains.
Named units
Named units are as follows: