British Rail Class 700


The British Rail Class 700 is an electric multiple-unit passenger train built between 2014 and 2018 for Thameslink as part of the Thameslink Programme in the United Kingdom.
A fleet of 60 eight-car and 55 twelve-car trains entered service between Spring 2016 and 2018. Maintenance depots have been built at Hornsey and Three Bridges. The first train was delivered in late July 2015.
In 2011, the consortium Cross London Trains consisting of Siemens Project Ventures, 3i Infrastructure and Innisfree was announced as preferred bidder with Siemens to manufacture the trains. The decision was politically controversial as the trains were to be built in Germany, while the competing consortium led by Bombardier Transportation had a train factory in the UK. Both the procurement process and final close of contract were significantly delayed, resulting in the expected first delivery date moving from 2012 to 2016. The £1.6 billion contract to manufacture and provide service depots for the trains was finalised in June 2013.
The first unit, 700108, was introduced on 20 June 2016. Following the withdrawal of s, Class 700s operate on all routes across the Thameslink network.

History

The Department for Transport began its procurement process on 9 April 2008, with the aim of introducing more passenger capacity on Thameslink lines to match expected demand. In addition, the bidders were to provide depots for vehicle maintenance and storage, and finance for the rolling-stock project whereby revenues would be generated from the long-term leasing of rolling stock to the train operating company and associated maintenance payments.
The general specifications included: high reliability, short station dwell times, integrated information technology including passenger information and information for vehicle maintenance, a top speed of, high acceleration and deceleration performance in line with a high-frequency timetable. The trains were to be designed for low weight, low track forces and high energy efficiency. A standard 12-car train was to be about long and services using 8-car trains are limited to.
The passenger accommodation were to include versions for both "metro" and "commuter" trains, based around a 2+2 seating arrangement, with fold-up seats and designed for high levels of standing passengers. Ride quality and noise levels were expected to equal or be better than those of current vehicles and climate control was to be fitted. The vehicles were to be fitted for driver-only operation, and to include GSM-R communications radio, as well as AWS, TPWS and ERTMS level 2 safety systems. The ability to be used in 'Automatic train operation' mode, where an on-board computer controls the motors and brakes, was also specified.
Vehicles were to operate on 750 V DC and 25 kV AC electrification systems, with regenerative brakes. Maintenance time was to be reduced by the use of modular components, remote diagnostics, and the avoidance of over-complicated systems. The Department for Transport gave a target of when empty for a train.

Bids

In July 2008, the Department for Transport shortlisted consortia including Alstom, Bombardier, Hitachi and Siemens as train builders. The invitations to tender were issued to the four bidders in November 2008.
Hitachi exited the bidding process in April 2009.
In July 2009, Siemens unveiled the Desiro City, a development of design and technology used in its British Desiro range and the Desiro Mainline range. Development of the design began in 2007, with an investment of about £45 million.
In September 2009, Alstom unveiled the "X'trapolis UK, unusually an articulated vehicle, using cars, with individual carriages proposed to be supported at one end by a bogie, and at the opposite end by a linkage to the next carriage. The shorter vehicle allowed a slightly wider design; the smaller number of bogies was to have resulted in a train approximately 40 tonnes lighter than a conventional design. However, the design would have resulted in a higher axle load. The bid was rejected in October 2009.
Bombardier Transportation offered the Aventra, a design incorporating a development of the FLEXX Eco inside frame bogie with bogie-mounted traction motors.
Both Bombardier's and Siemens' rolling-stock designs were conventional EMUs incorporating inside frame bogies and modern passenger and rolling stock information systems.

Contract decision and financial close

The contract for the order was originally planned to be signed in Summer 2009, with the first vehicles in service by February 2012, and squadron service by 2015. The award of the contract was delayed by the 2010 general election, and the subsequent spending review, following which the procurement was announced to be proceeding in late 2010.
On 16 June 2011, Cross London Trains Ltd, a consortium formed by Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, Innisfree Ltd., and 3i Infrastructure Ltd., was named preferred bidder for the PFI contract, and the targeted entry of trains into service was rescheduled to 2015–2018. The vehicles would be manufactured at Siemens' plant in Krefeld, Germany, and maintenance depots were to be built at Hornsey and Three Bridges. Because the trains were to be built outside the UK, the decision to award the contract to Siemens proved controversial: there was widespread criticism of the UK government's bidding process and perceived lack of support for British manufacturing, which in turn led to a review of governmental procurement mechanisms.
The contract was significantly delayed: initially Siemens had hoped to reach agreement in early 2012; by late 2011 commercial close was hoped for by the end of the year, and financial close in early 2013. Key aspects of the commercial contract were reported to have been finalised by December 2012.
As a result of the delays to the procurement, in late 2012, train operating company Southern began procurement of 116 dual-voltage EMUs from Bombardier that would be used temporarily on the Thameslink route until 2015; the order contract was finalised in July 2013 In mid-2013 the National Audit Office reported that the contract delay could negatively impact the delivery of the entire Thameslink Programme.
The £1.6 billion contract to finance, supply and maintain a 1,140-carriage fleet of passenger rolling stock was finalised between the DfT, the supplier Siemens and the Cross London Trains consortium on 14 June 2013.
To finance the work, loans were arranged with nineteen banks, with Lloyds, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, KfW and BTMU acting as mandated lead arrangers; the European Investment Bank also provided a debt facility. Loans for the construction of the rolling-stock depots were through Siemens Financial Services.
In 2014, the NAO reported on the handling of Intercity Express and Thameslink rolling-stock procurement projects by the Department for Transport. The report questioned the DfT's attempt to take leadership in the project, contrary to general policy, without any prior experience of large-scale rolling stock procurement; the NAO also said the DfT had handled communications with bidders poorly, increasing the likelihood of a legal challenge to its decisions.

Additional orders

In addition to the Thameslink fleet, Govia Thameslink Railway announced upon winning the franchise that it would seek to replace the existing units in use on services on the Northern City Line, with up to 25 six-car units intended to be procured. In December 2015, GTR announced that it had selected Siemens to provide this new fleet as a follow-on order to the Class 700, with entry into service expected from 2018. The order was finalised in February 2016. These are known as.

Manufacture, design and introduction

Design

SF7000 bogie

Development of a new bogie type began in 2007; the design was intended specifically for the UK market as a replacement for the SF5000 bogie. To reduce energy consumption and track access charges, a key feature of the design was reduced weight: weight-saving design elements included short wheelbase, inboard frames, a bolsterless bogie design, and hollow axles. Total bogie weight is 6.3 tonnes and 4.4 tonnes, a reduction of around one third from the SF5000 design. The decision to procure a train with a new bogie design untested in the UK was challenged by several observers at a parliamentary investigation into the train procurement; rival bidder Bombardier already had a proven low-weight bogie.
The primary suspension system uses layered rubber, with pneumatic secondary suspension. The bogie wheel base is with wheels. Braking is by tread brakes, and regenerative braking on power bogies, and by two axle-mounted disc brakes per axle on trailer bogies.
Prototypes of the new SF-7000 bogie were completed at Siemens' bogie plant in Graz, Austria in late 2011.

Seating

There has been criticism of the seating arrangements in the Class 700s. There are 666 seats on the twelve-car versions of the new trains, compared to 714 on a twelve-car formation of a Thameslink Class 377/5, and 807 on a twelve car formation of a Great Northern they replace, although there will be more seats overall as services will run more frequently. The reduced number of seats is to allow for more room for passengers to stand on busy commuter trains into Central London, prompting complaints from those who travel long distances on the trains. The lack of any tables has drawn similar criticism, comparing the experience to travelling on the London Underground. Many passengers on the Thameslink route have also criticised the hardness and width of the seats, with one passenger likening them to ironing boards. Seatback tables and Wi-Fi were later retrofitted.

Manufacture and introduction

Manufacture of pre-series production trainsets began before formal financial close of the project in mid-2013.
A mockup of the train was unveiled at the ExCel centre in January 2014, and then displayed at various stations in London and the surrounding area; and testing of a twelve-car unit at the Test and validation centre, Wegberg-Wildenrath began in March 2014; a completed unit was presented by Siemens in Krefeld, Germany in April 2015.
The first delivered train arrived in the UK by the end of July 2015, and was delivered to the Three Bridges depot. The first test run on the Brighton Main Line took place in December 2015.
The first train in service was unit 700108 forming the 1002 Brighton to London Bridge service on 20 June 2016. All units will have entered service by 2018.

Fleet details

The rolling stock was given the TOPS code 'Class 700' in 2013. This was divided into Class 700/0 for eight-car units, and Class 700/1 for twelve-car units.
In July 2013 Eversholt Rail entered into an agreement with Cross London Trains to provide long-term asset management for the fleet of trains.
There are 60 eight-car units and 55 twelve-car units. Each is a fixed length continuously gangwayed vehicle. The initial livery is "light grey with pastel blue doors and a white diagonal flash at the carriage ends".
As of April 2020, unit 700 111, alongside Southern unit 377 111 and Great Northern unit 717 011, has been painted with a special NHS appreciation livery to show support for the NHS and the 200,000 essential commuters travelling on Govia Thameslink Railway's network each week during the nationwide recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
ClassOperatorNo. builtYear builtCars per unitUnit nos.
Class 700/0Thameslink602014–20188700001–700060
Class 700/1Thameslink552014–201812700101–700155

Livery diagrams

Formation details

The Class 700/0 units are, using the British Rail coach designations code, formed of DMCO-PTSO-MSO-TSO-TSO-MSO-PTSO-DMCO, and the Class 700/1 units are formed of DMCO-PTSO-MSO-MSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-MSO-MSO-PTSO-DMCO.
The first class compartment at the rear of the units is declassified at all times.

Depots

In 2008, the Department for Transport commissioned a study into the location of depots for the future Thameslink rolling stock: Network Rail preferred two depots based on an expectation that at times the central area of the Thameslink route would be closed for maintenance outside commercial operational hours, with no workable alternative electrified routes available; as a result, depots on either side of the central Thameslink area were required, enabling trains to reach a depot on a nightly basis without passing through central London. A single-depot solution was also investigated, but no suitably large sites were identified for such a facility.
Sites were considered at: Wellingborough ; Hornsey ; Cricklewood ; Selhurst ; Three Bridges, and Tonbridge. By late 2008, the sites had been narrowed to Hornsey, Three Bridges and Tonbridge; finally Hornsey and Three Bridges were selected as a two-depot solution.
In late 2009, the Hornsey depot was refused permission on grounds of its scale; it would have damaged a local conservation area. In 2011 revised plans were submitted for both the Hornsey and Three Bridges schemes, with the Hornsey scheme reduced in size, and the Three bridges scheme expanded; the Three Bridges depot was to be located on either side of the London to Brighton main line, with a five-road carriage shed; the Hornsey depot, to be located next to the East Coast main line, was to have a three-road carriage shed; the depots were expected to be opened in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
In mid-2013, VolkerFitzpatrick was awarded the approximately £150 million contract to build the two depots.

Three Bridges

In 2009, Arup acting on behalf of Network Rail submitted a planning application for a rolling-stock depot south of Three Bridges railway station, with facilities on either side of the Brighton Main Line. The development was on a site owned by Network Rail 1.5 km south of Three Bridges railway station.
The development site was on land historically used for railway use; unbuilt on prior to railway developments; by 1910 sidings had been built east of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway, as well as an engine shed and turntable adjacent west of the site; In 2008 the western development area comprised underused sidings and hardstanding with the site east of the mainline including operation sidings, as well as offices; tenants included English Welsh & Scottish Railway, BAM Nuttall, Colas Rail and Balfour Beatty. The western side of the proposed development included a single-ended three-road maintenance shed, high, a wheel lathe, electricity substation, and sidings for 8 twelve-car trains; the eastern side included stabling for 4 twelve-car trains, and an underframe-cleaning facility; both sides of the development were to have separate train-washing facilities, waste storage, and controlled emission toilet facilities. Site offices and warehousing were to be in a three-storey building northwest of the main shed.
Planning permission for the development was granted in November 2009, but in December the associated Hornsey depot application was blocked by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government; Network Rail submitted revised plans for both sites in 2011, with a smaller Hornsey scheme and an expanded Three Bridges scheme. In the same period as the new application, Network Rail submitted plans for a large railway operation and signalling centre to be built adjacent to the Three Bridges depot..
The revised plans added additional carriage stabling on the EWS/DB Schenker freight depot to the west of the original site; with stabling for 5 eight-car trains, and with CET facilities – and total stabling on the western site was increased to 11 eight-car trains. Additional major changes included expansion of the main depot to a 5-road building, wide; stabling on the eastern site was increased by 1 to 5 eight-car trains; and additional office and accommodation space was specified.
The depot was officially opened by Patrick McLoughlin in October 2015. The completed main facilities building was with five roads, each with full underfloor inspection facilities, and a light crane. One road had two bogie drops, and a road was fitted with 25 kV AC electrification for static tests though the main building was unelectrified. Wheel lathes and carriage washes were outside the MFB.

Hornsey

Network Rail submitted a planning application in August 2009; the development was split across sites east of the main railway line: the main maintenance building was north of Hornsey railway station and the A504 road ; storage sidings were located south-east of Hornsey station, adjacent to the pre-existing Hornsey EMU depot.
The Northern site was on rail sidings which had been developed on made embankments from the later 19th century to early 20th century, the southern stabling area was on land that had been extensively developed as railway sidings since the early 20th century.
The proposed development required bridge widening of the crossing at Turnpike lane, and additional embankment work and extensions. The main maintenance building was a six-road, high single-ended train shed, with an adjacent train wash and a two-storey warehouse adjacent to the east. The southern site included sidings for 11 twelve-car trains and 2 eight-car trains, with cleaning and controlled emission toilet facilities.
In 2009, John Denham, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government blocked the development of the depot – the development had been subject to local and council objections on grounds including negative impact to a conservation area, as well as a potential negative impact to Haringey Council's "Haringey Heartlands" redevelopment project.
A revised two-depot plan was produced: the southern depot was expanded to a five-road shed, while estimates for total maintenance roads required had been reduced from nine to eight. The northern depot was required to be only a three-road depot; the depot was to be suitable for twelve-car trains, with wheel lathe, cleaning, warehousing and stabling facilities. Potential sites for the northern depot were reassessed and possible options reduced to three: a main depot at Coronation Sidings Hornsey; a main depot adjacent to the existing depot at Hornsey; and a site at Chesterton, Cambridge – a depot reduced in size on the site of the original plan was chosen as the best option for Network Rail. The revised plan was submitted in 2011, with the main depot reduced approximately in height, and nearly half the area, and with estimated employment figures reduced from 270 to 120 people. Rail union RMT criticised the loss of employment opportunities due to the reduced scale of the plans, stating "Without anyone trying, Haringey has lost 150 jobs"; the revised scheme continued to produce significant opposition from local residents, with concerns including noise and light pollution during night working, as well as visual impact and traffic.
The main building was a three-road high single-ended shed, with a two-storey warehouse adjacent east, and a train-washing building adjacent west; facilities at the depot were to include equipment for heavy overhaul, with overhead synchronised lift cranes on one road. The southern site, adjacent to the pre-existing First Capital Connect EMU depot, would include CET facilities, another train-washing building, a underfloor cleaning building, and shunter's cabins. Wheel-lathe facilities were to be shared with a pre-existing installation at the FCC depot. Existing sidings adjacent to the FCC depot were to be rebuilt to provide 16 roads – four arrival and departure roads, and 12 storage roads. Civil engineering work included bridge-widening across Turnpike Lane and a culverted waterway, as well as minor embankment works, and rebuilding of a footbridge at Hornsey station.
The plan was given permission in late 2011.

Future

As part of the Thameslink Programme, Class 700s have already replaced the s. The Thameslink Programme was due to be completed later in 2019. Class 700s are still due to enter service between Cambridge and Maidstone East but a date for this has not yet been confirmed.
Thameslink Class 700s have started on the Great Northern network with the first, 700 125 introduced on the Peterborough to London Kings Cross route. Class 700s have replaced 19 s on this route.

New routes

Thameslink Class 700s have also started on peak-time services from London Bridge to Littlehampton and on weekday-only services from London Bridge to Horsham which have been taken over from Southern on 11 December 2017 as part of the new Southern timetable. The Littlehampton service now starts from Bedford instead of London Bridge according to the new timetable.
From 26 February 2018, Peterborough and Cambridge joined the Thameslink route with six off-peak trains being operated from Horsham to Peterborough via Finsbury Park and Brighton to Cambridge. This service is now being operated half-hourly using the same rolling stock.
From 21 May 2018, Class 700s also entered service on the new Rainham to service, having replaced the s from Gillingham to. The Class 465s are now being used to enhance capacity on other routes.

Accidents and incidents

Sixty Thameslink Class 700 and 717 trains failed during disturbances to the National Grid on 9 August 2019 during which the grid frequency fell to 48.914 Hz. Govia Thameslink Railway reported that their Class 700 and Class 717 trains that were operating on AC power were affected by the frequency deviation below 49Hz. Half were restarted by the drivers but the others required a technician to come out to the train to restart it. Thousands of passengers had their journeys delayed with 371 trains cancelled, 220 part cancelled, and 873 trains delayed. London St Pancras and King's Cross stations had to close for several hours due to overcrowding.
The DNOs confirmed that no track supplies were lost due to the DNO's Low Frequency Demand Disconnection protection operation. The problem was identified as the recent "Desiro City" software update from Siemens Mobility. Desiro City is the software that enables the train to operate. Siemens Technical Specification for the train states that the train will continue to operate with supply frequency drops down to 48.5Hz for short periods of time. But that the train drives are permitted to disconnected at or below 49Hz. However Siemens also state that all trains should have been recoverable via Battery Reset. Instead a Permanent Lockout on the trains followed the protective shutdown caused by a supply voltage frequency drop. Siemens confirmed this lock out should not have occurred and "This was not the intended behaviour of the train." This permanent lock out was due to the recent software update. The trains where the driver recovered them with a battery restart and thus were not affected by the permanent lock out did not yet have the latest version of the software.
Two large power stations, Hornsea One Ltd and Little Barford who did not remain connected after the lightning strike have agreed to make a voluntary payment of £4.5 million each into Ofgem's redress fund.