British Rail Mark 5A

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This article is about the coaches built for TransPennine Express. For the Caledonian Sleeper coaches, see British Rail Mark 5 (CAF).

British Rail Mark 5A
TP02 at Lancaster - mk5a set.jpg
TransPennine Express Mk5A set at Lancaster
In service24 August 2019 - Present
ManufacturerCAF
Built atBeasain[1]
Constructed2017 - 2018
Number built66
Capacity291 seats (261 standard, 30 first class)[2]
Operator(s)TransPennine Express
Line(s) servedNorth TransPennine
Specifications
Car body constructionFully integral aluminium monocoque
Car length22.37 m (73 ft 5 in)[3]
Width2.75 m (9 ft 0 in)
DoorsSliding plug, at body ends
Maximum speed125 mph (201 km/h)[3]
Weightmax. tare 43 t (42 long tons; 47 short tons)
Braking system(s)Cheek mounted discs
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Notes
Transpennine Express coaches

The British Rail Mark 5A is a type of railway vehicle in use in the UK. 52 standard carriages and 14 driving trailers were built by Spanish manufacturer CAF, and all are currently operated by TransPennine Express.[4] They first entered service on 24 August 2019.

Description[]

It was first announced by TransPennine Express in 2016 that they were to procure 126 new vehicles from CAF, which included 66 Mark 5A locomotive-hauled coaches. They would be formed into 13 five-carriage sets, hauled by Class 68 locomotives. This equates to 65 coaches for total service, with the 66th coach being a spare Driving Trailer.[5]

TPE set of Class 68 with Mark 5 coaches, on a test run.

The sets are currently used on services between Liverpool and Scarborough and they will eventually work services between Manchester Airport and Redcar Central.[6] Each set is composed of 1 first class carriage with guards area and catering provision, 1 standard class carriage with PRM toilet, 2 standard class carriages and a standard class Driving Trailer (DT). In October 2016, production started on these coaches,[7] and in March 2017, CAF and TPE released a photo of the first completed bodyshell.[8]

The first completed rake was sent for testing at Velim railway test circuit in March 2018,[9] the second set being delivered straight to the UK in May 2018 via Portbury ahead of their planned entry into service in the autumn of that year.[10][11] TransPennine Express have branded their new trains under the general name Nova, with the Class 68 + Mark 5A combination given the name Nova 3.[12]

In April 2019, the first Nova 3 set was officially handed over from CAF to TPE, after a mandatory period of fault-free running.[13]

Operation[]

The first set entered service on 24 August 2019 between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough.[14]

The Nova 3 was officially launched on 25 November 2019 at Liverpool Lime Street station alongside other members of the new Nova fleet.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ "Countdown to New Trains Begins - First TransPennine Express". www.tpexpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  2. ^ "TPE Nova 3". www.tpexpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "FIRST GROUP TRANSPENNINE PASSENGER CARS". CAF. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  4. ^ Pritchard, Robert (March 2017). "Rolling Stock Update". Today's Railways (183): 38–43.
  5. ^ Clinnick, Richard (25 April 2018). "Testing...testing...". Rail Magazine. No. 851. Peterborough: Bauer Media. p. 62. ISSN 0953-4563.
  6. ^ James, Robin (November 2018). "Changing Times at Transpennine Express". Today's Railways. No. 203. Sheffield: Platform 5. p. 38. ISSN 1475-9713.
  7. ^ "TransPennine Express coach production begins". Railway Gazette International. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  8. ^ "CAF and TPE reveal first Mark 5A bodyshell". Global Rail News. 7 March 2017. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  9. ^ "First Trans-Pennine Express Mk 5A coaches head to Velim". 12 March 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  10. ^ "First TransPennine Express Mk 5As arrive in UK". Rail Magazine. 29 May 2018. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  11. ^ "First TPE modified Class 68s sent to Spain for initial testing". Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  12. ^ "TransPennine Express - Together February 2018". Issuu. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  13. ^ "First TransPennine Express Nova 3 train handed over". Rail Engineer. 13 April 2019. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
  14. ^ UK railway news round-up Archived 30 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Railway Gazette International 29 August 2019
  15. ^ 2019-11-25T10:11:00+00:00. "TransPennine Express launches Nova fleet". Railway Gazette International. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
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