British Rail Class 378
Encyclopedia
The Class 378 Capitalstar is a type of electric multiple-unit train, part of Bombardier Transportation
's Electrostar
family. These trains are operating on the new London Overground
network. The class is derived from the Class 376
trains used by Southeastern
, with the same wider metro-style sliding pocket doors for more efficient boarding and alighting, which are faster and more reliable than plug door
s, although they do not provide as much insulation for heating and cooling purposes. However, they also have significant differences from the Class 376, such as fully longitudinal seating similar to that used on London Underground rolling stock
to give more standing room, needed for the high-volume metro-style services on London Overground. The units were initially announced as coming in two separate batches.
was initially for a total of 152 individual cars costing some £223 million, with deliveries beginning in September 2008, when two trains underwent a 14-week test on the North London Line
. The initial contract also contained an option to purchase additional cars up to a total of 216. A newly constructed depot near station would be responsible for maintaining the new fleet.
In 2006, TfL announced the new vehicles, with livery designed by Real 451 and interior concept design by Design Triangle
.
On 4 July 2007, TfL announced it had ordered a further 36 Capitalstar carriages for £36 million. The order comprised three additional four-car units for the East London Line, and 24 additional carriages to extend the original 3-car units for the North London Line into 4-car units, to be delivered in 2011.
In February 2008, TfL announced that the new stock would now be leased by London Overground, rather than purchased directly, from a newly formed ROSCO named QW Rail Leasing
. The terms of the lease also allow for an increase in the order to 216 vehicles. In April 2008, TfL announced it had taken an option to obtain a further seven 4-car dual-voltage units, which would be delivered between 2009 and 2010, filling the full 216 vehicle option.
On 16 September 2008, the first complete unit was unveiled and began testing on Bombardier's test track before being delivered for testing on the national network. Units 378201 - 217/222/225 - 231 have now been delivered to Willesden Depot.
Units 378135 - 154/218 - 221/223 - 224/232 - 234 are at New Cross Gate Depot for East London Line services. Unit 378001 was stationed at Depot for testing purposes but was returned to Bombardier Transportation's Litchurch Lane Works
in Derby
. It has now entered service as 378201. 378004 (temporarily made up to 4 cars) was the first unit to run under power over the East London Line on 5 October 2009 and left the East London Line on 2 November 2009. 378255 - 257 are under construction and will be delivered to LOROL in 2011.
The Class 378 was originally planned to enter service in January 2009, but was delayed for seven months because of the economic recession causing several parts suppliers to become bankrupt, causing a shortage of parts for Bombardier Transportation which also affected delivery of Class 377/5
units to First Capital Connect
. The first Class 378 unit entered service on 29 July 2009. On the first public unveiling of the Class 378, TfL announced that it had reached an agreement to procure a further three dual-voltage units, taking the total number to 57. These units are intended to enhance the fleet once the South London Line is brought under London Overground
's control.
The trains cannot be used on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line
, as it is not electrified
. Although electrification of the line is a long-term aim, it is not included in the short- or medium-term plans of either TfL or Network Rail
. As a consequence, TfL also ordered eight Class 172 Turbostar
units for use on that line.
In 2011, several 378s on the North London Line suffered shutdowns due to harmonic interference from using the line for freight movement. The problem was fixed after LOROL altered the interference tolerance settings.
colours to highlight priority seating.
There are wide gangways between cars, giving a feel similar to an articulated bus
.
In addition to the usual two-tone horn, Class 378 units are also fitted with a soft two-tone horn and a London-Underground-type kettle whistle (referred to as a depot whistle). A tripcock device is also installed as on the existing London Overground Class 313 stock. The tripcock is the London Underground failsafe equivalent of the Train Protection & Warning System used on the National Rail network.
External CCTV is displayed automatically on releasing the doors via an in-cab monitor, removing the need for Driver-Only Operation (DOO) equipment such as monitors/mirrors at platforms. This is similar to that already used on Southern's
Electrostar units.
Internal CCTV footage can be viewed directly by the driver on an in-cab monitor, so that he or she may immediately view the affected area of the train (in addition to speaking to the person) if a passenger operates the passenger alarm.
The driver has the option of releasing the doors so that passengers can use individual door buttons to open as required. The driver can also release and open all the doors on one side, in a similar fashion to tube trains, but this option is not used in passenger service and is only intended for evacuation purposes.
The units are fitted with three radio systems: National Radio Network, which is used over the western section of the North London Line; Cab Secure Radio
, used over the Watford DC route, the West London line and beyond New Cross on the South London line; and GSM-R
, used on the eastern section of the North London Line and the East London Line between Dalston and New Cross. 378/1 units are equipped only with GSM-R and CSR radio, as they are not intended to operate over routes equipped with NRN only.
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
's Electrostar
Electrostar
Electrostar is the name given to a series of related electric multiple-unit passenger trains manufactured by Bombardier Transportation at their Litchurch Lane Works in Derby, England...
family. These trains are operating on the new London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
network. The class is derived from the Class 376
British Rail Class 376
The Class 376 Suburban Electrostar is a model of electric multiple-unit passenger train manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. It is part of the Electrostar family, which are the most common EMUs introduced since the privatisation of British Rail...
trains used by Southeastern
Southeastern (train operating company)
London & South Eastern Railway Limited, trading as Southeastern is a train operating company in south-east England. On 1 April 2006 it became the franchisee for the new Integrated Kent Franchise , replacing the publicly owned South Eastern Trains on the former South East Franchise...
, with the same wider metro-style sliding pocket doors for more efficient boarding and alighting, which are faster and more reliable than plug door
Plug door
A plug door is a door designed to seal itself by taking advantage of pressure difference on its two sides and is typically used on pressurised aircraft...
s, although they do not provide as much insulation for heating and cooling purposes. However, they also have significant differences from the Class 376, such as fully longitudinal seating similar to that used on London Underground rolling stock
London Underground rolling stock
The history of the London Underground's rolling stock is as complex as the history of the network itself. A wide variety of types have been operated, from the early days of steam locomotives and carriages through to today's electric multiple units...
to give more standing room, needed for the high-volume metro-style services on London Overground. The units were initially announced as coming in two separate batches.
History
The deal between Bombardier and Transport for LondonTransport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
was initially for a total of 152 individual cars costing some £223 million, with deliveries beginning in September 2008, when two trains underwent a 14-week test on the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
. The initial contract also contained an option to purchase additional cars up to a total of 216. A newly constructed depot near station would be responsible for maintaining the new fleet.
In 2006, TfL announced the new vehicles, with livery designed by Real 451 and interior concept design by Design Triangle
Design Triangle
Design Triangle is a transport design firm, based in Cambridge, UK. Founded in 1986, Design Triangle specializes in the design of the interiors and exteriors of vehicles for public transport, particularly rail passenger cars.- Rail Vehicles :...
.
On 4 July 2007, TfL announced it had ordered a further 36 Capitalstar carriages for £36 million. The order comprised three additional four-car units for the East London Line, and 24 additional carriages to extend the original 3-car units for the North London Line into 4-car units, to be delivered in 2011.
In February 2008, TfL announced that the new stock would now be leased by London Overground, rather than purchased directly, from a newly formed ROSCO named QW Rail Leasing
QW Rail Leasing
QW Rail Leasing is a Rolling Stock Operating Company formed in 2008 to fund the purchase of rolling stock in the United Kingdom, which would then be leased to train operating companies or TOCs...
. The terms of the lease also allow for an increase in the order to 216 vehicles. In April 2008, TfL announced it had taken an option to obtain a further seven 4-car dual-voltage units, which would be delivered between 2009 and 2010, filling the full 216 vehicle option.
On 16 September 2008, the first complete unit was unveiled and began testing on Bombardier's test track before being delivered for testing on the national network. Units 378201 - 217/222/225 - 231 have now been delivered to Willesden Depot.
Units 378135 - 154/218 - 221/223 - 224/232 - 234 are at New Cross Gate Depot for East London Line services. Unit 378001 was stationed at Depot for testing purposes but was returned to Bombardier Transportation's Litchurch Lane Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works
Derby Carriage and Wagon Works was built by the Midland Railway in Derby, England. The plant has been through many changes of ownership and is currently owned by Bombardier Transportation, a subsidiary of Bombardier Inc. of Canada. As of 2011 it is the only remaining passenger rolling stock...
in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. It has now entered service as 378201. 378004 (temporarily made up to 4 cars) was the first unit to run under power over the East London Line on 5 October 2009 and left the East London Line on 2 November 2009. 378255 - 257 are under construction and will be delivered to LOROL in 2011.
The Class 378 was originally planned to enter service in January 2009, but was delayed for seven months because of the economic recession causing several parts suppliers to become bankrupt, causing a shortage of parts for Bombardier Transportation which also affected delivery of Class 377/5
British Rail Class 377
The Class 377 Electrostar is an electric multiple unit type built by Bombardier Transportation at their Derby Works, from 2001 to present. The Electrostar family, which also includes Classes 357, 375, 376, 378, and 379, is the most numerous type of EMU built in the post-privatisation period of...
units to First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
. The first Class 378 unit entered service on 29 July 2009. On the first public unveiling of the Class 378, TfL announced that it had reached an agreement to procure a further three dual-voltage units, taking the total number to 57. These units are intended to enhance the fleet once the South London Line is brought under London Overground
London Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
's control.
The trains cannot be used on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line
Gospel Oak to Barking line
The Gospel Oak – Barking Line is a railway line in north and east London which connects Gospel Oak in North London and Barking in East London as part of the London Overground network. It is sometimes known as the Goblin , although this is a nickname rather than an official title...
, as it is not electrified
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
. Although electrification of the line is a long-term aim, it is not included in the short- or medium-term plans of either TfL or Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
. As a consequence, TfL also ordered eight Class 172 Turbostar
British Rail Class 172
The Class 172 is a type of diesel multiple unit of the Turbostar family, similar to the Class 168, Class 170 and Class 171.-Technical details and variants :There will be four sub-types:*Class 172/0 - two-car units in operation with London Overground...
units for use on that line.
In 2011, several 378s on the North London Line suffered shutdowns due to harmonic interference from using the line for freight movement. The problem was fixed after LOROL altered the interference tolerance settings.
Features and fitted equipment
Innovations for the passenger are air-conditioning, real-time passenger information systems, wheelchair access, the ability for level access, and different seat moquetteMoquette
Moquette is type of fabric with a thick, dense pile. It is a particularly versatile and hard-wearing material, predominantly wool with a small percentage of polyester. Moquette is renowned for its attractive, hard-wearing, durable, and fire-resistant qualities, hence it is commonly used for...
colours to highlight priority seating.
There are wide gangways between cars, giving a feel similar to an articulated bus
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
.
In addition to the usual two-tone horn, Class 378 units are also fitted with a soft two-tone horn and a London-Underground-type kettle whistle (referred to as a depot whistle). A tripcock device is also installed as on the existing London Overground Class 313 stock. The tripcock is the London Underground failsafe equivalent of the Train Protection & Warning System used on the National Rail network.
External CCTV is displayed automatically on releasing the doors via an in-cab monitor, removing the need for Driver-Only Operation (DOO) equipment such as monitors/mirrors at platforms. This is similar to that already used on Southern's
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
Electrostar units.
Internal CCTV footage can be viewed directly by the driver on an in-cab monitor, so that he or she may immediately view the affected area of the train (in addition to speaking to the person) if a passenger operates the passenger alarm.
The driver has the option of releasing the doors so that passengers can use individual door buttons to open as required. The driver can also release and open all the doors on one side, in a similar fashion to tube trains, but this option is not used in passenger service and is only intended for evacuation purposes.
The units are fitted with three radio systems: National Radio Network, which is used over the western section of the North London Line; Cab Secure Radio
Cab Secure Radio
Cab Secure Radio is an in-cab analogue radiotelephone system used on parts of the British railway network. Its main function is to provide a secure speech link between the train driver and the signaller which cannot be overheard by other train drivers...
, used over the Watford DC route, the West London line and beyond New Cross on the South London line; and GSM-R
GSM-R
GSM-R, Global System for Mobile Communications - Railway or GSM-Railway is an international wireless communications standard for railway communication and applications. A sub-system of European Rail Traffic Management System , it is used for communication between train and railway regulation...
, used on the eastern section of the North London Line and the East London Line between Dalston and New Cross. 378/1 units are equipped only with GSM-R and CSR radio, as they are not intended to operate over routes equipped with NRN only.
Class 378 suppliers
The Class 378 has been built by a number of worldwide suppliers:- Main contractor = Bombardier, Derby
- Traction motors = Bombardier, Sweden
- Bogies = Bombardier, Germany
- Air conditioning = Liebherr, Germany
- Interior panelling = Gilberts, Blackpool & KTK, China
- Cabling = Time 24, Derby; Simclar Scotland
- Brake Control = Knorr Bremse, Melksham
- Friction Brake and Actuation = Faiveley Transport
- Door mechanisms = IFE, Austria (Knorr Bremse)
- Batteries = Saft, France
- Seats = Kiel, Germany
- Passenger Information System = Whiteley, UK
- Couplers = Dellner, Sweden
- CCTV = March Networks, Canada
- Gangways = Hübner, Germany
- Shoegear and Pantograph = Brecknell Willis, UK
- Shock absorbers = ZF Sachs, Germany
Fleet
The Class 378 fleet is currently formed of two separate subclasses, DC-only 378/1 and dual-voltage (AC and DC) Class 378/2:- Class 378/1 (East London LineEast London LineThe East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
) - 20 four-car units were ordered. These units operate services on the extended East London Line, and are 750V DC only. These trains, which are designated Class 378/1, replaced the A60/A62 StockLondon Underground A60 StockThe A Stock is the type of train used on the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground. It was built in two batches by Cravens of Sheffield in the early 1960s. The trains replaced all the previous stock then used on the Metropolitan Line...
previously used on the line. They entered service on 27 April 2010, on the preview service between Dalston Junction and New Cross / New Cross Gate. The service was extended to Crystal Palace and West Croydon on 23 May 2010. In common with all trains in the Electrostar family, these DC-only units have a recessed roof space for the fitting of a pantograph and other equipment for dual-voltage working in the future if necessary.
- Class 378/2 (North London LineNorth London LineThe North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
, West London LineWest London LineThe West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
, Watford DC LineWatford DC LineThe Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
) - 37 dual-voltage four-car units ordered for the North London, West London, East London and Watford DC lines. These units will have dual-voltage capability, taking current at 25kV AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from third rail. These trains replaced the Class 313British Rail Class 313British Rail Class 313 electric multiple units were built by BREL at York Works between February 1976 and April 1977 and were the first second-generation EMUs to be constructed for British Rail...
units in 2010. The first 24 units were originally three-car units designated Class 378/0 (378001-378024), and were were redesignated 378/2 (renumbered 378201-378224) as each unit received its additional carriage in late 2010. The remaining 13 units (of which 378225 was the first) were built as four-car Class 378/2s from the outset.
| Class | Operator | No. Built | Year Built | Cars per Set | Unit nos. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 378/1 | London Overground | 20 | 2009–2010 | 4 | 378135–378154 | Third-rail only |
| Class 378/2 | 24 | 2008–2010 | 378201–378224 | Originally built as 3-car Class 378/0 (378001–378024) | ||
| 13 | 2010–2011 | 378225–378234 378255–378257 |