British Rail Class 170 - Definition and Overview

Class 170, no. 170202 at Cambridge on 21st August 2004, whilst forming a service to Norwich. This unit has recently been repainted in the new One Railway livery.

The British Rail Class 170 "Turbostar" is a diesel multiple unit (DMU) built by Bombardier Transportation (previously ADtranz) at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works. This has become the most popular type of DMU built since the privatisation of Britain's railways, with more than 300 vehicles built.

Description

The units have been acquired for use by several franchises, each with different specifications. One of the more noticeable differences with later units compared to earlier ones, is the larger headlights now specified for safety reasons. Units are generally numbered 170xxx, where xxx is the serial number of the unit. Individual carriages numbered 50xxx and 79xxx for driving motor cars, and 56xxx and 54xxx for centre cars.

The Class 171 "Turbostar" operated by Southern, is identical to the Class 170, except for the replacement of the BSI coupler with a Dellner coupler. This was in order to allow emergency joining with Class 377 DC third-rail electric units.

Class 170, no. 170205 at Ely on 31st May 2004, with a service to Cambridge. This unit is painted in Anglia Railways livery.

Current Operations

Anglia Railways / One Railway

Anglia Railways ordered two batches of Turbostars. The first batch of eight 3-car Class 170/2 units were built for London Liverpool Street to Ipswich, Norwich, Lowestoft and Bury St. Edmunds services. These supplemented the existing Class 86 locomotive-hauled trains from London to Norwich. Four of these units were later hired to Hull Trains from 2002-2004, before they acquired their own Turbostars. Other units, including the spot-hire set no. 170399, were used on Anglia's short-lived Chelmsford to Basingstoke "Cross-City" service.

In 2002, Anglia introduced a new Cambridge to Norwich direct service, and acquired four 2-car units dedicated to working these services.

In 2004, the Anglia franchise was merged into the new Greater Anglia franchise, which was won by the National Express Group who renamed the company One Railway. Several units have now been reliveried into the new One Anglia livery. Units have now been replaced on Norwich to London services by Class 90 locomotives. This, combined with the return of the four units hired to Hull Trains, has allowed the use of 3-car Turbostars on Cambridge to Norwich trains, with the 2-car units being cascaded to other routes to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.

Class 170, no. 170518 at Peterborough on 3rd June 2004, whilst forming a service to Birmingham. This unit is a two-car set operated by Central Trains.

Central Trains

First ScotRail

Hull Trains

Hull Trains is the latest company to opt for Turbostars. It received four 3-car Class 170/3 units in 2004 for working its London King's Cross to Hull services. These units replaced four sets previously hired from Anglia Railways, which allowed the latter to redeploy its fleet. Hull Trains are expected to introduce a new London to Cleethorpes service in 2005, which will increase the sphere of operation for the Turbostars.

Class 170, nos. 170110 and 170117 at Derby on 18th September 2003, whilst forming a service to London St. Pancras. These units are operated by Midland Mainline.

Midland Mainline

Midland Mainline (MML) was the first operator to order Turbostars, with the first being introduced in MML's green and tangerine livery in 1998. MML ordered a fleet of seventeen 2-car Class 170/1 units, althought the first 10 were subsequently made-up to 3-cars. The units were introduced on new 'stopping' services from London St. Pancras to Leicester, Derby and Nottingham. Some units were also used on Summer-only services from the capital to York.

In 2004, MML introduced new Class 222 "Meridian" units, which started to replace the Turbostars. This was because the Meridians have faster acceleration than the Turbostars, and therefore would not slow down an express train travelling on the same route. The MML fleet is in the process of being transferred to fellow National Express Group franchise Central Trains.

Class 171, no. 171802 on display at the York Railfest exhibition on 3rd June 2004. When photographed, this unit was brand new, and was yet to enter service for Southern.

South Central / Southern

South Central (now renamed Southern) acquired an initial fleet of six 2-car Class 170/7 and six 4-car Class 171/8 units, to replace its ageing Class 205 and Class 207 "Thumper" fleet. The first units were introduced in 2003 on Ashford to Hastings services. Later services from Oxted to Uckfield were also transferred to Turbostar operation. The final services from London Bridge to Uckfield are expected to go over to Turbostar operation in late 2004.

The Southern fleet are fitted with different coupling devices to most Turbostars, and as such as classified as Class 171. The four-car units were built with the new couplers, but the two car units will be fitted at a later date, and reclassified as Class 171/7.

Class 170, no. 170308 at London Waterloo on 19th July 2003. This unit is operated by South West Trains.

South West Trains

South West Trains (SWT) acquired a fleet of eight 2-car Class 170/3 units in 2000, to supplement it existing Class 159 fleet. Units were pressed into service on London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter services, as well as a new Southampton local train, and Reading to Basingstoke trains. The fleet was increased with the addition of no. 170392 in 2004.

Fleet Details