The CAF Civity is a platform of regional passenger trains which is manufactured by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF. Available as both a diesel and electric multiple unit, the Civity was first launched in 2010 and received its first order two years later. As of 2018, twenty Civity units have been constructed, with a further 254 on order. The United Kingdom had been the largest customer of the platform up until then, with 136 units due to enter service there by 2020. Dutch operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen has since ordered a total of 206 units in 2 orders of 118 and 88 units respectively.
Description
The Civity is a modular platform available in four variants, which are diesel, diesel-electric, electric and bi/dual mode. Most variants of the Civity platform, with the exception of the Civity UK, have shared bogies and a low floor.
Diesel
As of 2018, the diesel variant has only been ordered by operators in the United Kingdom, with these units being constructed in either two, three or four-car formations. These trains will be fitted with MTU powerplants which produce, which will give them a maximum speed of.
Electric
The electric variant is capable of operating on 1500 V or 3500 V DC power supplies with a pick-up shoe or 15 kV or 25 kV AC power supplies with a pantograph. It has so far been ordered in either three, four or five car formations, with these being capable of speeds between and.
Operations
Italy
In 2010, the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giuila placed an order with CAF for eight ETR 563 five-car units for Trenitalia. Four more units were subsequently ordered, with these units capable of operating services into Slovenia and Austria, with these being designated as ETR 564 units. The units were delayed into service as they could not be approved.
Montenegro
Three Class 6111 three-car EMUs were delivered to the Railways of Montenegro specifically to serve the Podgorica-Nikšić railway, cutting travel time to only 50 minutes. The first of the new trains started with service on 13 July 2013.
Netherlands
In 2014, the Dutch Railways placed a €510 million order 118 Civity sets. These new trains, which will consist of three and four car formations, will replace the NS SGMm and the remaining NS Mat '64 sets. The train is known as the Sprinter New Generation by the NS. The trains will be delivered from 2018 and can operate at. A mock-up of an SNG was presented in September 2015, featuring sockets, recycling bins and a toilet. An additional 88 sets were ordered in December 2018, with deliveries expected to continue through 2023.
In January 2016, Arriva Rail North placed an order for 98 units, with the majority of these trains due to operate on the company's Northern Connect regional express services The order breakdown is for 58 diesel multiple units and 43 electric multiple units. All of these trains were planned to gradually enter service throughout 2019. In early 2018, it was revealed that there is an option for an undisclosed number of additional carriages. There is also a provision available extend the four car Class 331 units to five carriages in the future. The extra three Class 195 units were ordered in November 2018.
CAF are currently building twelve five-car electric multiple units for FirstGroup subsidiary TransPennine Express for their West Coast Main Line services, which operate from Liverpool and Manchester to Glasgow and Edinburgh. These units were due to be delivered between 2018 and 2019, replacing the four-car /4 units which were previously used on these services. They have a maximum speed of.
It was announced in late 2017 that CAF will also supply 26 diesel multiple units for West Midlands Trains, which will be in two-car and four-car formations. They are due to be delivered in 2020 and will operate services for the company's West Midlands Railway sub-brand.
In June 2018 it was announced that Transport for Wales, the current operator of the Wales & Borders franchise, would take delivery of 51 two car and 26 three car diesel multiple units from CAF, which are to be based at Chester and Machynlleth depots. These have since received the TOPS designation Class 197.
In 2012, Latvian railway operator Pasažieru vilciens placed a €400 million order for 34 electric and seven diesel-electric multiple units. The order also included a 30-year maintenance plan for the units. The three car sets were to be built for the and capable of operating on lines electrified at 3000V DC with a maximum speed of. The order was subsequently cancelled, with no units built.
