British Rail Class 230

For the electric multiple unit in the same family as the Class 230, see British Rail Class 484.

British Rail Class 230
D-Train
Transport for Wales Class 230 approaching Wrexham General in 2024
Interior of a Transport for Wales unit
In service23 April 2019 – present
Manufacturer
Family nameD-Train
Replaced
Constructed2015–2022
Number built11
SuccessorClass 150 (London Northwestern Railway)
Formation2 or 3 cars per unit
Fleet numbers230001–230011
Operators
DepotsTfW: Birkenhead North[1]
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Car length
  • Driving vehicles: 18.372 m (60 ft 3 in)[2]
  • Intermediate vehicles: 18.119 m (59 ft 5 in)[2]
Width2.840 m (9 ft 4 in)[2]
Height3.703 m (12 ft 2 in)[note 1]
DoorsSingle-leaf sliding pocket, each 1.127 m (3 ft 8 in) wide[2]
Wheel diameter790–710 mm (31.10–27.95 in) (new–worn)[2]
Wheelbase
  • Bogies: 2.200 m (7 ft 3 in)[2]
  • Bogie centres: 11.885 m (39 ft 0 in)
Maximum speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Prime mover(s)4 × Ford Duratorq 3.2 TDCi
Engine typeInline-5 4-stroke turbo-diesel with EGR[4]
Displacement3.19 L (195 cu in) per engine[4]
Traction motors8 × TSA TME 32-43-4,
each of 56 kW (75 hp)[5]
Power output588 kW (789 hp) total (147 kW (197 hp) per engine)[4]
UIC classification2-car units: Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′
BogiesBombardier[3]
Braking system(s)Electro-pneumatic
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemWedglock[2]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 230 D-Train is a diesel-electric multiple unit, diesel-battery electric multiple unit or battery electric multiple unit built by rolling stock manufacturer Vivarail for the British rail network. The units are converted from old London Underground D78 Stock, originally manufactured in 1980 by Metro-Cammell, and have been assigned the designation of Class 230 under TOPS.[3]

The conversion re-uses the D78's aluminium bodyshells with new interiors. It runs on the same bogies but these are rebuilt to as-new standard by Wabtec and fitted with brand-new three-phase AC induction motors sourced from Austria. The initial build of three vehicles for London Northwestern Railway replaces the four-rail traction-current system with four diesel gen-sets, driving eight traction motors via purpose-built electronic traction control units. In this configuration, every wheel is driven and all are braked by a computer-controlled blended reactive/pneumatic braking system, allowing for optimum braking performance in all weather conditions.

In August 2016, a prototype was produced for testing and accreditation; the type was planned to be prepared to enter passenger service during the following year.[6] During July 2016, it was announced that the prototype was to be tested in mainline service on the Coventry to Nuneaton Line over a 12-month period with operator London Midland;[7] however, this trial deployment had to be postponed after the prototype was damaged by a fire and could not be repaired quickly enough.[8] It is proposed that up to 75 units may be converted, with each unit consisting of two or three cars.[9][10] During October 2017, West Midlands Trains announced that it would procure three 2-car D-Trains for the Marston Vale line[11] and the first unit entered service in April 2019.[12] Transport for Wales' units started passenger service on the Borderlands line on 3 April 2023.[13][14]

  1. ^ "Vivarail dream over as the liquidation process begins". Rail Magazine. No. 977. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. 22 February 2023. pp. 16–17.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "D78 Stock". Rolling Stock Information Sheets (PDF) (2nd ed.). London Underground Limited. March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c McCaffrey, Sam (1 May 2015). "'They don't make trains like this anymore'". Rail Technology Magazine. Manchester: Cognitive Publishing. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Powertrain". New Ford Ranger – Technical Specifications (PDF). Köln: Ford of Europe. 2016. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  5. ^ "British Rail Class 230 – diesel-electric and battery MU overhaul for VivaRail and RDC". Wiener Neudorf: Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  6. ^ Wade, Andrew (21 August 2015). "D-Railed: Old tube trains gain a new lease of life". The Engineer. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  7. ^ "D-Train to enter service on Coventry - Nuneaton line". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference cancel trial16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "D78 Stock Conversion is Go." Archived 16 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine Modern Railways, December 2014. pp. 37-38.
  10. ^ "Vivarail Homepage". Vivarail. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference westmid17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference entryservice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Delayed Class 230 train finally begins passenger service on Wrexham – Bidston line". Wrexham.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Wales' first battery-electric train enters service on Borderlands Line". RailAdvent. Retrieved 3 April 2023.


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