Northern Ireland Railways orders 21 new vehicles from CAF

[Mordac]

https://www.railwaygazette.com/news.../view/translink-orders-more-caf-dmu-cars.html

Translink orders more CAF DMU cars
06 Dec 2018

UK: Northern Ireland transport operator Translink has ordered a further 21 diesel multiple-unit cars from CAF to cope with increasing ridership on the Northern Ireland Railways network.

Funded by £50m from the Department of Infrastructure, the intermediate vehicles have been ordered as an option on the contract under which CAF supplied 20 three-car Class 4000 DMUs in 2011. Due for delivery during 2021 and expected to be in service by autumn 2022, the extra cars will be compatible with the Class 4000 sets. They will add around 1 400 seats to the NIR fleet and enable Translink to operate more six-car services at busy times.

Describing the order as ‘another very exciting step in the development of Northern Ireland’s rail network’, Translink Group Chief Executive Chris Conway said ‘passenger numbers have grown by more than 130% in the last 12 years, reaching 15 million last year, the highest in Northern Ireland Railways’ 50-year history.

‘This has followed the introduction of our new fleet, infrastructure investment and service and timetable enhancements, alongside a continued focus on improving the overall customer experience. As more people make the train their first choice for travel to work, study, shopping, health and leisure activities, we look forward to the introduction this new fleet and thank the Department for Infrastructure for this significant investment in public transport.’

CAF UK Director Richard Garner said the contract was the third that the manufacturer had been awarded by Translink. As well as the 20 Class 4000 DMUs which entered service from September 2011, CAF had previously supplied 23 Class 3000 DMUs in 2004-05.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I wonder if these will be assembled in Newport?
The funding looks as though it is part of the extra £1bn deal for NI between the Tories and the DUP.

 

[mullac30]

Will they be based on Class 19X? The Class 4000 is quite an old design these days.

 

[edwin_m]

Looking at the mention of 21 cars for 20 currently 3-car units and of 6-car working, does this mean they are extending seven units to 6-car and leaving the rest as 3-car?

 

[twpsaesneg]

Deleted after reading article properly!

 

[bangor-toad]

That's good news.
Looking at the Translink website it seems that this is for 21 carriages that "...will be fully compatible with the existing CAF-built fleet of 20 Class 4000 trains which entered service from September 2011."

I guess this means that we're going to get another 7 complete 3 car sets that are of the 4000 series family. That's welcome as my ride to and from work is a crowded 3 car unit and I hope that the services I use will get these extra sets.

(All NI services, apart from the Enterprise to Dublin, are based on 3 car sets. A few are doubled up but there are no 6 car sets used by Translink now. I don't think this order will be to extend units, I think it'll be for 7 complete new units.)

All in all, a good bit of news.
Cheers,
Mr Toad

 

[AC47461]

I would have thought additional units would provide more flexiblity but the Translink article does also say this:
“We are pleased to once again work in partnership with international market leaders CAF after exercising an option within the original Class 4000 train procurement contract to purchase additional intermediate carriages. They will meet the very latest standards in comfort and quality and be compatible with our current fleet”.

 

[Elwyn]

A member of staff in the ticket office at Antrim station seems to think that the extra carriages will be intermediate coaches, intended to bump some of the existing 3 car units up to 4. Don’t know if that’s right. I did notice that Antrim and some other stations on the line to Coleraine do have 4 car stop boards. Not sure how long they have been there but obviously they are not used at present because there are no 4 car sets. Perhaps they have been installed in anticipation of 4 car sets? Or maybe they’ve been there for years and I never noticed. Most of the trains on the Belfast - Coleraine branch are standing room only these days so the extra capacity can’t come soon enough.


It's fascinating to consider that less than 20 years ago there were proposals to close the line. Instead of which new trains, an improved timetable and free car parks have meant that nearly all the trains are now full. An astonishing turn around.

 

[Chris125]

Looking at the mention of 21 cars for 20 currently 3-car units and of 6-car working, does this mean they are extending seven units to 6-car and leaving the rest as 3-car?

That looks the likeliest solution.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

It's fascinating to consider that less than 20 years ago there were proposals to close the line. Instead of which new trains, an improved timetable and free car parks have meant that nearly all the trains are now full. An astonishing turn around.

Part of the "peace dividend"?

 

[jopsuk]

Operator Translink from Northern Ireland ordered 21 intermediate cars for the CAF built Class 4000 diesel trains to add extra capacity to its fleet.

On 6 December 2018 Northern Irish public transport operator Translink signed a contracts worth £ 50 million (€ 56 million), with Spanish manufacturer CAF to supply 21 new intermediate cars for the twenty Class 4000 diesel trains. The delivery of these cars is an option in the original Translink-CAF contract. The 21 new cars secures another 1400 seats to Translink’s fleet to provide the much needed extra capacity as traffic grew 130% in the last 12 years.

A CAF built class 4000 DMU for Translink NI Railways – Photo: CAF
Translink NI Railways intends to operate more six car trains, incorporating the new intermediate cars, on busy routes at peak hours. The delivery is due for during 2021 and the trains should be in service by autumn 2022.

CAF’s third contract for Translink
According to CAF UK Director Richard Garner it’s the third contract awarded by Translink. Previously CAF supplied:

• the 20 Class 4000 DMUs (2011);
• and 23 Class 3000 DMUs (2004/2005).

link to source

Interesting- as these are for addition into 3 car units, and there are 21 cars on order, is the intention then that they will have seven sets set up as fixed formation 6 car units, with the other 13 Class 4000 operating singly and in pairs?

 

[hexagon789]

link to source

Interesting- as these are for addition into 3 car units, and there are 21 cars on order, is the intention then that they will have seven sets set up as fixed formation 6 car units, with the other 13 Class 4000 operating singly and in pairs?

From what I recall, when the C4Ks were built, there was an option for 20 additional intermediate cars to lengthen them all to 4-cars.

This new order is for 21, I don't think this is to lengthen all to 4-cars as it seems a little strange to have one spare intermediate car for what are fixed-formation units.

The fact that NIR also say they are going to operate more six-car services leads me to think that it is to lengthen some sets to six-cars with the remainder being operated as single or double three-car sets.

Having Googled extensively, the news articles I can find do not mention if it is the intention to form a sub-fleet of six-car Class 4000s, but this seems most likely compared to the alternatives.