| British Rail Class 180 Adelante | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Grand Central Class 180 leavingLondon King's Cross in 2012 | |
 Refurbished Grand Central Interior | |
| Stock type | Diesel multiple unit |
| In service | December 2001 – present |
| Manufacturer | Alstom |
| Built at | Washwood Heath |
| Family name | Alstom Coradia 1000 |
| Replaced | |
| Constructed | 2000–2001 |
| Number built | 14 sets |
| Number in service | 10 sets |
| Successor | |
| Formation | 5 cars per set: DMSL(A)-MFL-MSL-MSLRB-DMSL(B)[1] |
| Fleet numbers | 180101–180114 |
| Capacity | 287 seats |
| Owners | Angel Trains |
| Operators | Grand Central |
| Depots | |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel[3] |
| Train length | 116.52 m (382 ft3+3⁄8 in) |
| Car length | 23.71 or 23.03 m (77 ft9+1⁄2 in or 75 ft6+3⁄4 in) |
| Width | 2.73 m (8 ft11+1⁄2 in) |
| Maximum speed | 125 mph (200 km/h) |
| Weight | 252.5 tonnes (248.5 long tons; 278.3 short tons) (5-car set)[4] Axle load weight 13.25 tonnes |
| Prime mover(s) | Cummins QSK19-R[4](one per car) |
| Engine type | Inline-6turbo-diesel[5] |
| Displacement | 19 L (1,159 cu in) per engine[5] |
| Power output | 559 kW (750 hp) per engineat 2,100rpm[6] |
| Transmission | Voith T 312 brehydrokinetic[6](one per car) |
| UIC classification | 2′B′+B′2′+B′2′+B′2′+B′2′ |
| Bogies | Alstom MB2 |
| Braking system(s) | Disc/Hydrodynamic[7] (Hydrodynamic brake unused in order to prevent the engines from overheating.[7]) |
| Safety system(s) | AWS TPWS ATP ETCS[7][note 1] |
| Coupling system | Scharfenberg Type 330[8] |
| Multiple working | Within type andClass 175[4] |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
TheBritish Rail Class 180 Adelante is a class of 14diesel-hydraulicmultiple unit passenger trains manufactured byAlstom at itsWashwood Heath factory in 2000–01 forFirst Great Western (FGW). They are part of theCoradia 1000 family, along with theClass 175.
All Class 180s are owned byAngel Trains. Operations of the fleet commenced with FGW during December 2001, being tasked with express commuter services that used its 125 mph (200 km/h) capability. However, the type suffered frequent service disruptions due to recurring technical problems, particularly in regards to itshydraulic transmission system. FGW ultimately decided to return all of its Class 180s to the lessor in favour of refurbishedInterCity 125 sets; the last train leaving its service in 2009. The Class 180s were held in storage for a time before new operators were secured.
During 2008,Hull Trains replaced itsClass 222 fleet with several of the Class 180 sets; it operated the type through to 2020 until its replacement byClass 802 sets. Starting in 2009,Grand Central also leased several Class 180s; it operated the type exclusively until November 2023 when it introducedClass 221s onto some services.[9] Five Class 180 sets also returned to service with FGW; the operator's first refurbished unit was introduced on 28 May 2012. These five sets have since been transferred to Grand Central.
The four units formerly used by Hull Trains were transferred toEast Midlands Railway, the first entering service in January 2020; these four units were withdrawn by East Midlands Railway in May 2023. Several proposed operators, such asFirst Harrogate Trains andPlatinum Trains, also envisioned operating Class 180s; however, their track access applications were rejected by the Office of Road and Rail (ORR).
As a part of its agreement to operate theGreater Western franchise,First Great Western (FGW) was required to increase the frequency of its express service fromLondon Paddington toCardiff to half-hourly. In order to do this, the operator required additional rolling stock suitable for high-speed long distance services. In October 1997, FGW ordered fourteen five-carriageAlstom Coradiadiesel multiple-units (DMU) fromAlstom; these were broadly similar to theClass 175s that were then under construction for sister companyFirst North Western, the most noticeable difference being the ability to reach speeds of up to 125 mph (200 km/h).[10][11][12]
On 18 April 2000, the first unit was publicly unveiled.[10] Due to late-stage difficulties encountered, the commencement of full main-line testing was postponed until December 2000.[13] Despite this six-month schedule slippage, Alstom openly claimed that the trains would be capable of entering service in time for the May 2001 timetable change.[13] The first entered regular service in December 2001.[14][15] Due to their delayed entry into service, in May 2001 FGW was forced to introduceClass 47 hauledMark 2 sets on London Paddington toPenzance services to release InterCity 125 sets for additional Cardiff services.[16]
There are 14 Class 180 sets, numbered 180101-180114. There are five cars per unit: two Standard Class Driving Motors, two Standard Class Intermediate Motors and a First Class Intermediate Motor. All coaches are equipped with aCummins QSK19 diesel engine, which develops 560 kW (750 hp) at 2,100 rpm.[6]
The trains feature ahydraulic transmission[4] supplied byVoith, which is a three-speed type, with integralhydrodynamic braking (rated at 750 kW short term, 420 kW continuous). One bogie per coach is powered, with both axles driven. Total vehicle weight is 278 tonnes.[6] The units featureScharfenberg couplers.[17]
Grand Central initially planned to operate a pair of Class 180s on itsLondon King's Cross toSunderland service, having secured the rights to a fourth daily service in each direction.[18][19] During early 2009, a pair of Class 180s started being operated by the company in conjunction with its threeHigh Speed Trains (HSTs).[20][21] Grand Central had initially announced that the two units would run as a ten-car train; it subsequently stated that they would be run separately for greater flexibility. Grand Central initially gave its Class 180s the fleet nameZephyr; the establishedAdelante name was later re-introduced.[22] Maintenance is carried out atCrofton TMD.
During 2010, Grand Central commenced the lease of an additional three Class 180 units for the launch of its new services toBradford Interchange.[23][24] Originally, the service was intended to be operated under the brand nameGrand Northern, as part of the parent company Grand Union; in practice, it has been operated as Grand Central so that units can be interchanged between the two routes.
Prior to entering service with Grand Central, the fleet was subject to modification work undertaken by Railcare, during which it was outfitted withWi-Fi and at-seat sockets, amongst other changes to the amenities.[25] In August 2011, one of the initial two units, 180112, was namedJames Herriot at a ceremony held at London King's Cross; it was also the first train to carry Grand Central's new logo and orange stripe livery.[25][26] During September 2009, the units entered revenue service in September 2009, while the Bradford service was launched on 23 May 2010.[27]
Other sets also received individual names. During October 2010, 180107 was namedHart of the North as a result of a public competition conducted through theHartlepool Mail,[28][page needed] while 180105 became asThe Yorkshire Artist by the artist Ashley Jackson in October 2011, and 180108 was namedWilliam Shakespeare during April 2018.[29]
From July 2016, the train operatorArriva Rail North operated a peak morning working between Halifax and Leeds via Bradford, which was worked using a single Class 180 set that wassubleased from Grand Central. This arrangement released other DMUs to cover the reduction in the number of units available to hire fromTransPennine Express.[30][31]
During 2017, Grand Central received the remaining five Class 180s that had been previously operated byFirst Great Western. Their arrival permitted not only the replacement of the company's HST fleet but also the expansion of its services.[32][33] In 2018, a refurbishment programme for all 10 of Grand Central's sets commenced atArriva TrainCare,Eastleigh.[34]
In August 2023 Grand Central leased two of the sets which had been withdrawn by East Midlands Railway in May that same year.[35]
The Class 180 fleet was first operated byFirst Great Western which gave the type the brand nameAdelante. They were originally deployed on services fromLondon Paddington toBristol Temple Meads viaBath Spa andCardiff Central viaBristol Parkway.[14] On occasion, units were also operated toPaignton.[36]
While operated by FGW, the Class 180 suffered from numerous technical problems, including instances of the doors closing and locking quickly.[37] These difficulties were persistent enough that the train operator decided to begin the early replacement of the Class 180 on the majority of its services, instead opting for considerably older HSTs that had been formerly operated byMidland Mainline before their replacement by Class 222s. FGW later re-leased five Class 180s for operating express commuter services from London Paddington toOxford,Worcester,Hereford andGloucester.
A combination of factors, not only the reliability problems experienced but also increasing passenger numbers, reportedly led to FGW deciding to acquire additional refurbished HST sets towards the end of 2007, which became the replacement for Class 180s on the express commuter services.[37] Between 2007 and 2009, the majority of the fleet was returned to the leasing company Angel Trains.[38][39]
Although FGW had planned to return the entire fleet in December 2007, it decided to retain three units until the operator took delivery of a cascaded HST fromNational Express East Coast.[38] A pair of the units operated in multiple on an early-morning Oxford to London commuter service, before being divided to work independently the rest of the day (after returning as empty stock to Oxford) on the Cotswold Line from Paddington to Worcester and Hereford.[40] On 30 March 2009, FGW's final Class 180 service was operated.[41] The remainder were placed in store from December 2007 atOxley TRSMD.[42][43][44]
During 2009, five Class 180 units (102-104, 106 and 108) were leased byEast Coast; they were intended to be operated on new services, however these were abandoned. Thus, all five were returned to FGW, where they were used to increase capacity on Thames Valley services, while three units were operated byNorthern Rail in the interim.[45] The Class 180s were subsequently re-introduced on theCotswold Line, which releasedClass 165 and166Turbo DMUs for use on Thames Valley services.[46][47][48]
On 28 May 2012, the first refurbished Class 180 commenced passenger service.[49] GWR's Class 180s were maintained atOld Oak Common TMD.[50] During the late 2010s, the type was replaced by new-buildClass 800; accordingly, all five units were transferred to Grand Central in 2017.[51]
During the mid-2000s,Northern Rail leased three Class 180 units (103, 106 and 108); these sets entered service in December 2008. They were operated fromHazel Grove andManchester Victoria toPreston andBlackpool North, prior to the end of 2012.[52] These Class 180s were sub-leased fromEast Coast until the operator could obtain additional long-term rolling stock.[53] The three units were to have transferred to East Coast after the 18-month contract finished in November 2010. However, East Coast changed its plans and no longer required them, so they remained with Northern Rail until December 2011, at which point Northern Rail took delivery ofClass 150s formerly used byLondon Midland. The last of Northern Rail's Class 180s was withdrawn on 2 December 2011.[54] Following their refurbishment, all three units returned to service with First Great Western.[55]
During 2008,Hull Trains arranged for the lease of two Class 180 units to replace a damagedClass 222; these were initially operated alongside the remaining Class 222s betweenLondon King's Cross andHull.[56] Later that year, Hull Trains opted to release its Class 222s toEast Midlands Trains and replace them with additional Class 180s.[57] The acquired units underwent an internal refit, which included the installation of laptop sockets and new coffee machines; this refurbishment programme was completed in early 2012.[58]
In January 2009, the first of Hull Trains' Class 180 units entered service.[59] The type provided more capacity than the operator's prior rolling stock, having an additional carriage. However, around their introduction, the Class 180 units were plagued by technical difficulties, and a period of poor reliability for the company followed.[60] However, their reliability since their introduction has improved considerably. Hull Trains opted to refresh their Class 180s, performing a deep clean internally along with the addition of new seat covers and fresh catering facilities for first class passengers, while external work included their repainting into FirstGroup's neon blue livery.[60] Due to the Class 180's reliability problems, a HST set was hired fromGreat Western Railway in February 2019.[61] In April 2019, Hull Trains introduced another HST for the same purpose.[62]
Prior to 2018, the fleet operated by Hull Trains were maintained alongside the FGW fleet atOld Oak Common TMD inLondon.[50] After FGW ceased operating Class 180s, the majority of maintenance tasks were transferred toBombardier Transportation atCrofton TMD. During early 2020, Hull Trains opted to replace its fleet with new-buildClass 802s.[63] The former Hull Trains Class 180s were subsequently transferred toEast Midlands Railway. The first of East Midlands' Class 180 units entered service during December 2020.[64][65]
On 11 July 2016,Arriva Rail North commenced the lease of a single Class 180 from sisterArriva company Grand Central; it ran once per day from Monday to Friday to provide additional peak time capacity on theCalder Valley Line.[66] By the May 2018 timetable, the unit was diagrammed to operate a morning peak service fromHebden Bridge toLeeds, and an evening peak return; both services called at all stations en-route, except forLow Moor.[67]
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As part of its contract to operate the East Midlands franchise,East Midlands Railway announced that it would lease the four units once released byHull Trains as part of its commitment to replace all its HSTs with more accessible stock.[68] These were operated alongside theClass 222s on EMR's Intercity services betweenLondon St Pancras andNottingham.[69]
In January 2020, the first pair arrived atDerby Etches Park.[70] By August 2020, EMR had received all four of the Class 180s, despite the transfer of the last two units being delayed due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, and driver training commenced during the following month.[71]
In September 2020, the first unit, 180111, emerged from Derby Etches Park in EMR livery.[72] On 13 December 2020, all entered service.[64]
In 2021, 180110 was converted to a four-carriage set with carriage 56910 removed due to excessive corrosion.[73] From July until September 2022, Class 180s operated Summer Saturday services fromDerby toSkegness.[74][75]
All were scheduled to be directly replaced by newClass 810 units,[76][77] but in March 2023 it was confirmed that EMR's Class 180 fleet would be withdrawn at the May 2023 timetable change even though the first Class 810 are not expected to enter service until 2024.[78][79]
East Midlands Railway withdrew its Class 180 fleet in May 2023.[80]
In March 2008,National Express East Coast (NXEC) requested additional services to a number of destinations in its application for access rights on theEast Coast Main Line, stating that, in addition to its existing InterCity 125 andInterCity 225 sets, it would require as many as nine Class 180 units.[81] The routes proposed were London toLincoln (with one train per day extended toCleethorpes) and London toHarrogate viaYork. Following NXEC's demise, successorEast Coast decided to press ahead with the plans with three Class 180s temporarily sub-leased to Northern Rail.[53][82] However, the planned services were never introduced,[83][84]
During the late 2000s,First Harrogate Trains proposed to operate services from London King's Cross to Harrogate with Class 180s.[85][86] The company's track access application was rejected by theOffice of Rail Regulation as the proposed route was deemed to largely duplicate those already provisioned by NXEC, leading to economic concerns.[87]
In the late 2000s,Platinum Trains had planned to use Class 180 units on anAberdeen to London King's Cross service.[88][89] The company's track access application was rejected by theOffice of Rail Regulation, primarily due to concerns over the ratio of revenue abstraction (from existing operators) to revenue generation (from new travellers), and secondarily that the journey times sought would be difficult to regularly achieve.[87]
During 2008, the train operating companyVirgin Trains West Coast leased a pair of Class 180 units from Angel Trains, intending to use them as standby units on theWest Coast Main Line following the loss of aClass 390Pendolino in theGrayrigg derailment. Described as 'strategic standby' units by the company, they were ultimately returned to Angel Trains without ever being used following the decision to use aClass 90 locomotive andMark 3 coaching stock instead.[90][91]
| Class | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180 | Grand Central | 10 | 2000–2001 | 5 | 180101–180108, 180112, 180114[35] |
| Stored | 4 | 180109-180111 180113[80][92] |
Some units have received names:[93]
Media related toBritish Rail Class 180 at Wikimedia Commons