British Rail Class 379
The British Rail Class 379 Electrostar is an electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger train which was designed and built by Bombardier Transportation. The trains are part of the company's extensive Electrostar family.
| British Rail Class 379 Electrostar | |
|---|---|
Greater Anglia Class 379 at Bethnal Green in 2012 | |
The interior of Standard Class aboard a Class 379 | |
| In service | March 2011 – February 2022 |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Transportation |
| Built at | Derby Litchurch Lane Works |
| Family name | Electrostar |
| Replaced | Class 317 |
| Constructed | 2010–2011 |
| Number built | 30 |
| Successor | |
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| Fleet numbers | 379001–379030 |
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| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium alloy, with steel cab ends |
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (161 km/h) |
| Traction system | IGBT–VVVF (Bombardier MITRAC DR1000) |
| Power output | 1.68 MW (2,250 hp) |
| Acceleration | 0.65 m/s2 (2.1 ft/s2) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | 2′Bo′+2′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′2′ |
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| Braking system(s) | Air (disc) and regenerative |
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| Coupling system | Dellner 12 |
| Multiple working | Within class, and with Classes 375, 376, 377, and 378 |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Class 379 was specifically procured in response to a government white paper issued in 2007, under which £185 million of investment was issued to the West Anglia Main Line (WAML), the bulk of which was spent with Bombardier Transportation to procure the 30-strong Class 379 fleet of EMUs. While the type was largely intended to increase capacity, its introduction did enable the withdrawal of ageing units such as the Class 317 EMUs; the programme also involved various infrastructure improvements. The Class 379's introduction was relatively smooth and brought about a noticeable step up in service quality.
Since their introduction during early 2011, the Class 379 became the principal type operated on the Stansted Express service; it was also tasked with additional services between London Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport, Cambridge and Kings Lynn. The fleet was initially operated by National Express East Anglia (NXEA) and subsequently by Greater Anglia.
As of 2024, the vehicles are not in service and are currently in storage. In March 2024, new owners Porterbrook announced that the trains would be used on Great Northern services in future.