Mind the generation gap

So why did Bombardier offer Aventra and not Electrostar to Crossrail and London Overground?

Simmons explains: “As it stands, the Electrostar won’t be compliant with the next generation of Technical Standards of Interoperability (TSI) compliance, which come into force in 2017, so we took the opportunity and said ‘right, we can either modify Electrostars or we can take this opportunity to make a vehicle that’s lighter, more energy efficient and with a more flexible interior. Also we could reassess its cost base. It is the next generation of a more efficient Electrostar, if you like. But Electrostar taught us a lot.”

However, as RAIL saw in Litchurch Lane at the end of December, Class 387 Electrostars are being built for Gatwick Express, with an order of 80 vehicles for Porterbrook for an as yet unspecified contract, to be followed by 32 vehicles for Great Western Railway. Why still build them, and indeed offer them for these contracts, if they aren’t compliant with next year’s standards?

Simmons explains: “They’ll meet the current requirements. And they do meet some of those future Technical Standards of Interoperability (TSIs). But, for example, there’s a fundamental standard change for which the trains will be updated. This will mean a fundamental change to the car body design, and various other modifications.

“The trains will be updated and ready to go prior to that date. The trigger for the update is when a unit comes in for service, so the trains are entering service before the change to the new TSIs.” This is similar to the emissions rules put into place in 2013, which stopped certain manufacturers from building diesel locomotives because of the emissions they produced.

So, as it stands, the Porterbrook order for 80 vehicles should be the last ever Electrostar trains built, but there is a short-term option, Simmons says, to buy more.

But trains evolve. Plans evolve. Customer needs evolve too. Martin Rennoldson, Group Account Director at Bombardier says: “I think it’s fair to say that our platform focus for inner and outer suburban trains and 125mph trains going forward is the Aventra.

“That’s where the investment is going now. And this site is the global manufacturing centre for that platform.”

That last statement is interesting. Is Bombardier considering building trains at Derby and exporting them around the world? “Correct,” says Simmons.

Is Bombardier actively looking at increasing the export of Aventras from Derby?

“If the Aventra platform suits a particular order then yes. We look at the cost of the products that are available, what the customer wants, and from that we work out the right product. Aventra is certainly a contender for global opportunities.”

Bombardier is investing heavily in the Aventra concept in any case. It spent more than £50m developing it, and when a company is looking at developing the next generation of product it needs to invest in its facilities. That involves a new ‘V Shop’ at Litchurch Lane that will be used for testing the trains, while new test facilities have been constructed to enable testing of the train before it is built. The ‘Train Zero’ system integration facility, officially opened by the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick Mcloughlin and London Mayor, Boris Johnson, enables Bombardier to run tests using simulations and mock-ups so any faults or issues can be solved and, in principle, allow the train to enter traffic without the need for lengthy on-track testing.

Crossrail is not the only order for the Aventra though. In June 2015 it was announced that 45 trains would be built for London Overground’s West Anglia Inner route and the Gospel Oak to Barking line.

The deal involves construction of 180 Aventra Class 710 vehicles. They will be predominantly used on routes from London Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford, the Gospel Oak to Barking line, which is to be electrified, and the Romford to Upminster line. 

Transport for London says that the trains will “transform the service experienced by customers on these routes, and will have similar features to the fleet that serves other parts of the London Overground network, including walk-through carriages, air-conditioning and improved accessibility - there will also be some enhancements such as live TfL journey information .”

Commenting on the order, Mike Brown, TfL’s Commissioner, says: “These 45 new trains will significantly improve the comfort, reliability and overall quality of train services for our customers when they come into service in 2018.

“Ordering new trains for the Gospel Oak to Barking line and West Anglia route together, as well as including a provision to order more trains should passenger demand warrant additional capacity, ensures that we get best value for money for our customers.”

Also commenting on the order was Per Allmer, President, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa, Bombardier Transportation, who says: “These important contracts demonstrate TfL’s continued confidence in our ability to provide high quality transport products and services. We look forward to not only delivering these new trains for TfL, but also providing ongoing maintenance and technical support.”

The plans are for 31 new AC trains to replace the 35-year-old Class 315s and 317s on the West Anglia routes inherited from the previous operator by London Overground (LO) when it took over those services in May 2015. Eight ‘710s’ will be allocated to the newly electrified GOBLIN line to replace two-car diesel Class 172s (doubling the capacity) and six will be used to bolster other LO routes-these will be Dual Voltage variants. There is an option, too, to order more trains.

Construction will begin roughly six months behind Crossrail’s Class 345 order.

Rennoldson explains that while they are the same Aventra platform, and many skills, disciplines and designs are used across both the ‘345’ and ‘710’ vehicles , there will be notable variations. “The lengths are slightly different, and there’s a slightly different percentage of motorisation for example. That means they will be built hard on the heels of the Crossrail Aventra but will go into service around the same time.”  Class 345 will be a fixed formation nine-car train, but 710s are four cars long (operating coupled to form eight-car trains in the peak on West Anglia).