Bombardier Electrostar

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Bombardier Electrostar
A Southern Class 377 approaching Norwood Junction in 2015
In service	2000–present
Manufacturer	Adtranz (1999–2001) Bombardier Transportation (2001–2017)
Built at	Derby Litchurch Lane Works
Replaced	Class 165 Class 166 Class 310 Class 312 Class 313 Class 317 Class 319 Class 321 Class 332 Class 365 Class 411 Class 421 Class 423 Class 442 Class 455 Class 456 Class 508
Constructed	1999–2017
Number built	679 trainsets, 2704 carriages
Number in service	649 trainsets
Successor	Alstom Aventra
Formation	3, 4 or 5 cars per trainset
Capacity	Varies depending on number of carriages and seating configuration, see individual articles for details
Operators	Current: c2c Southeastern Southern London Overground Great Northern Great Western Railway Gatwick Express Heathrow Express Gautrain Former: Connex South Eastern South Eastern Trains National Express East Anglia First Capital Connect Thameslink Stansted Express Greater Anglia
Specifications
Car length	Classes 357, 376: DMS: 20.40 m (66 ft 11 in) MS, PTS, TS: 19.99 m (65 ft 7 in)[1] Class 377: DMC, DMS: 20.39 m (66 ft 11 in) MS, PTS, TS: 20.00 m (65 ft 7 in)[2]
Width	2.80 m (9 ft 2 in)
Height	3.78 m (12 ft 5 in)
Maximum speed	Classes 376, 378: 75 mph (120 km/h) Classes 357, 375, 377, 379: 100 mph (160 km/h) Class 387: 110 mph (180 km/h)
Weight	Class 357 c2c:157.6 t Classes 375/3, 377/3: 133.1 t Classes 375/6, 375/7, 377/1, 377/2: 173.6 t
Power output	2×373=746 kW (377/3 only) 3×373=1,119 kW (others, third rail) 3×560=1,680 kW (AC mode)
Electric system(s)	Overhead line, 25 kV 50 Hz AC Third rail, 750 V DC
Current collector(s)	Pantograph (AC) Contact shoe (DC)
Safety system(s)	AWS TPWS ETCS (Heathrow Express fleet only) ERTMS (East Coast Main Line)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Bombardier Electrostar (sold as the ADtranz Electrostar until 2001) is a family of electric multiple-unit (EMU) passenger trains manufactured by Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz) at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works in England between 1999 and 2017. It has become the most common new EMU type in the United Kingdom since the privatisation of British Rail with a number of variants. Electrostar trains are most common on high-volume suburban commuter routes around London; and on mainline services from London south to Surrey and the south coast, east to Essex, and north to Cambridge and Stansted Airport.^{[citation needed]}

The model shares the same bodyshell and core structure as the Bombardier Turbostar which is the most common post-privatisation diesel multiple unit (DMU) family; both evolved from the Class 168 Clubman design by ADtranz. The Turbostar and Electrostar platforms are a modular design, sharing the same basic bodyshell and core structure, and optimised for speedy manufacture and easy maintenance. A common underframe, created by seam-welding a number of aluminium alloy extrusions, is covered by body panels and topped by a single piece roof, again made from extruded sections. Car ends (cabs) are made from glass-reinforced plastic and steel, and are bolted onto the main car bodies. Underframe components are collected in "rafts" which are bolted into slots on the underframe. The predominantly aluminium-alloy body gives light weight to help acceleration and energy efficiency.^{[citation needed]}

The Electrostar was selected for use on the Gautrain system in South Africa, a new railway between Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Johannesburg International Airport.^{[citation needed]} The trains were assembled by UCW Partnership in South Africa from components made in Derby.^[3]

Transport for London (TfL) announced in August 2006 that it had ordered 48 three- and four-car Electrostar trains for the new London Overground service.^{[citation needed]} These were categorised by Network Rail as Class 378, and entered service in 2009 to replace the Class 313 and Class 508 trains on the North London Line and West London Line, and to provide the opening service on the new East London line extension in 2010.^[4]

In 2009, as part of the government's wider rolling stock plan, an order was placed for thirty four-car Class 379 Electrostar units intended for use by National Express East Anglia (now operated by Greater Anglia) on the Stansted Express and West Anglia services.^[5] The first of these units entered passenger service on Thursday 3 March 2011.

Production of the trains ended in 2017 when unit number 387174 for Great Western Railway was completed at Derby Litchurch Lane Works.^[6] The family was superseded by the Bombardier Aventra.^{[citation needed]}