York rail operator hails new trains as 'landmark moment'

A YORK-BASED rail operator is set to launch a fleet of new trains by Christmas.

Northern, whose services include the York to Harrogate route, says the new Class 331s will be capable of travelling at 100mph, and will be air conditioned and offer passengers wifi.

A spokesman said the first completed new train was due off manufacturer CAF's production line in a matter of weeks and will start to be introduced on the network from December after testing in the Czech Republic and UK in the spring and summer.

Managing director David Brown said it was a 'landmark moment' for Northern and for rail travel in the north of England.

“We are introducing 98 new electric and diesel trains which will significantly improve journeys and the travel experience for our customers across the region," he said.

“As well as looking like 21st Century trains, our new state-of-the-art units will be capable of travelling at 100mph, will have wifi, plug sockets at every seat, will be air conditioned and fully accessible.

“Our modernisation programme is gathering pace and the promises we made at the start of the franchise are really taking shape.

“Alongside our new trains we have delivered more than 70 refurbished trains which are already helping customers go about their daily lives with greater reliability and comfort."

He said the company had also started a significant station improvement scheme, called Better Stations, which has already seen more than 100 stations upgraded.

"This work will continue for the next 18 months as we further improve waiting areas, seating, lighting and customer information," he said.

“By 2020, we will also be operating an extra 2,000 services every week, meaning our customers will not only have better trains and stations, they will also have improved options to get them to where they need to be.”

The spokesman said all components and systems on the trains were tested to ensure they were working correctly and were safe while in the factory, and further checks were made within the driving cab to ensure all controls operated correctly and all the alarms and emergency stop devices worked.

"All doors are checked to make sure they don’t open when the train is moving and a sway test is carried out, which involves jacking the train up on one side to check that the body only rolls over on its suspension by the design amount. This ensures its safe on inclined track.

"Tests are also made on the bogies and suspension to check all carriages can go around curves and along uneven track safely."

He said the trains will then go to the test track to run in controlled conditions, without other trains around to ensure that the train accelerates and brakes correctly, the ride is smooth and free from wobbles and vibrations, the forces exerted on the wheels and suspension are within safe limits, so there is no risk of derailment, the noise emitted is within safe levels and the train doesn’t emit high levels of electromagnetic radiation that could interfere with other trains and signals.

"Separate tests are carried out to make sure body of each train and the bogies are strong enough and that the seats, tables and cab all behave correctly in a simulated crash," he added.