The Class 230 is an up-cycled multiple unit made from former London Underground D78 Stock, which were withdrawn by London Underground in 2017. Vivarail bought 150 driving motors (DM) and 300 carriages (T) from London Underground with the aim of converting them into diesel multiple units for use on National Rail. As the project has progressed Vivarail also built battery and diesel-hybrid units, the latter of which were used by the second customer Transport for Wales.
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| Transport for Wales 230 008 at Cefn-y-bedd |
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Number built: | 26 (11 2 and 3-car sets) |
| Built: | 1979-1983 (Original D78) 2015-2022 (Conversions) |
| Builder: | (Original) Metro-Cammell (Conversions) Vivarail |
| Motor: | (DMU) 4 Ford Duratorq 3.2 TDCi diesels |
| Power: | 789 hp (588 kW) |
Vivarail converted the former Underground electric stock to diesel-electric multiple units which used Ford Duratorq diesels. The prototype began testing in the Summer of 2016 with mainline testing beginning later in the year. Unfortunately, in December of that year the prototype unit caught fire near Kenilworth delaying the project. However, the long-awaited breakthrough first order came for three units from London Northwestern Railway. LNWR bought three two-car sets for use on the Marston Vale line [1] between Bletchley and Bedford. The Class 230 finally entered revenue service on the line at the end of April 2019.
Vivarail began tests of a battery powered version of the Class 230 on the Bo'ness and Kinnell Railway in late 2018 [2]. The battery version had four 106kWh battery arrays and an operational range between charges of sixty four kilometres. This unit is now owned by GWR and is to be tested on the Greenford branch.
The second order for the Class 230 was for five three-car sets for the Borderlands Line (between Wrexham and Bidston) operated by Transport for Wales. These are diesel-hybrid units and will entered service in 2023 [3].
Unfortunately in 2022 Vivarail entered administration. LNWR withdrew the units from service as Vivarail were maintaining them, these units now have an uncertain future. Transport for Wales are maintaining their own Class 230s and they are continuing in service (indeed did not enter service until Vivarail had already gone under).
A sister unit to the Class 230 is the Class 484, which is a third-rail EMU converted from D78 Stock. This replaced the Class 483 on the Isle of Wight Island Line between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin in 2021 (testing beginning in 2020) [4].
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| Another view of 230 008 at Cefn-y-bedd |
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| LNWR 230 003 at Bletchley |
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| 230 003 at Bow Brickhill |
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| Aboard TfW 230 008 |
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| 230 008 at Wrexham General |
[1] Underground News No. 688 (April 2019) p. 196
[2] Underground News No. 684 (December 2018) p. 676
[3] "Rolling stock challenges", Modern Railway (May 2019) p. 52
[4] Underground News No. 697 (January 2020) p. 40