British Rail Class 484

British Rail Class 484
D-Train
Island Line Class 484 at Shanklin
Class 484 passenger saloon
In service1 November 2021 – present
Manufacturer
Family nameD-Train
ReplacedClass 483
Constructed2020–2021
Number built5
Number in service5
Formation2 cars per unit
Fleet numbers484001–484005
OperatorsIsland Line
DepotsRyde
Lines servedIsland Line, Isle of Wight
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium[1]
Car length18.372 m (60 ft 3 in)[2]
Width2.840 m (9 ft 4 in)[2]
Height3.630 m (11 ft 11 in)[2]
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 speed
  • Design: 60 mph (97 km/h)
  • Service limit: 45 mph (72 km/h)
Traction motors8 × Traktionssysteme Austria TME 32-43-4 56 kW (75 hp)[3]
Power output448 kW (601 hp)
Electric system(s)750 V DC third rail[4]
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
UIC classificationBo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′
BogiesBombardier[1]
Braking system(s)Electro-pneumatic
Coupling systemWedglock[2]
Multiple workingWithin class
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge

The British Rail Class 484 D-Train is a class of electric multiple unit built by rolling stock manufacturer Vivarail which operates on the Island Line on the Isle of Wight. Based on the British Rail Class 230 diesel multiple unit, the units are part of the Vivarail D-Train family, converted from London Underground D78 Stock originally manufactured in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Metro-Cammell.

Five units have been converted for the Island Line to replace the Class 483 sets, with the first delivered for testing in late 2020 and the second in May 2021. The line closed in January 2021 for upgrade works and was originally scheduled to reopen on 1 April 2021 with the new fleet of trains,[5] but delayed infrastructure work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic extended the shutdown period by six weeks to 13 May 2021,[6] and then problems with software on the trains further delayed their introduction.[7] The line reopened to passengers using the Class 484 stock on 1 November 2021.[8]

  1. ^ a b 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.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "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. ^ "British Rail Class 230 – diesel-electric and battery MU overhaul for VivaRail and RDC". Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  4. ^ David Burroughs (16 September 2019). "Fleet and track upgrades in £26m Isle of Wight investment". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  5. ^ Marriott, Alan (20 August 2020). "Isle of Wight faces three months with no trains on Island Line". Isle of Wight County Press. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Covid: Isle of Wight rail overhaul delayed by pandemic". BBC News. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Train issues delay Island Line reopening". SWR. 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Isle of Wight rail line reopens 10 months after £26m overhaul". BBC News. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.