British Rail Class 231

The Class 231 FLIRT[4] will be a class of diesel-electric multiple unit which will be built for Transport for Wales by Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail.

British Rail Class 231 FLIRT
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Built at	Szolnok, Hungary (bodyshells) Bussnang, Switzerland (final assembly)
Family name	FLIRT
Replaced	Class 150 Class 153 Class 170[1]
Constructed	TBC
Number under construction	11 units to be built
Formation	11 x 4-car units
Fleet numbers	TBC
Capacity	171 fixed seats 31 tip-up seats Standing capacity 221[2]
Operator(s)	Transport for Wales
Depot(s)	Cardiff Canton TMD
Specifications
Train length	80.7 m (264 ft 9 ^1⁄8 in)[3]
Width	2.72 m (8 ft 11 ^1⁄8 in)[3]
Height	3.915 m (12 ft 10 ^1⁄8 in)[3]
Floor height	0.96 m (3 ft 1 ^3⁄4 in)[3]
Doors	1/3, 2/3 door layout on driving vehicles, one door per side on intermediate vehicles[3]
Maximum speed	90 mph (140 km/h)
Multiple working	Within class
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) (Standard Gauge)

A total of eleven four-car units are to be built.

History

The current Wales & Borders rail franchise, operated by KeolisAmey, commenced on 14 October 2018. During the franchise period, the operator will oversee a full fleet replacement,[5] with a batch of eleven brand new diesel-electric multiple units set to join the fleet in 2022.[6]

Operators

Transport for Wales

When built, Transport for Wales' Class 231 units will operate services between Maesteg and Cheltenham Spa as well as Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale.

Fleet details

Class	Operator	Number	Year Built	Cars	Unit nos.
Class 231	Transport for Wales	11	TBC	4	231001 - 231011

TfW Class 231 based on concept art

References

1. The Class 170s will be cascaded to some routes which Class 150 or Class 153 operates.
2. "Table 2C - Rolling Stock Minimum Requirements and Specifications - Suburban Service Type" (PDF). Retrieved 3 December 2020.
3. "FLIRT Diesel Electric Multiple Unit" (PDF). Retrieved 3 December 2020.
4. @tfwrail (2 December 2019). "The diesel-electric Metro trains that will run on the Maesteg, Ebbw Vale and Cardiff-Cheltenham lines from 2022 will be Class 231" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
5. "KeolisAmey reveal new-look Wales trains and services". BBC News. BBC. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
6. Barry, Sion (4 June 2018). "How Wales' railways will be transformed with new stations, trains and jobs through investment worth billions". WalesOnline. Cardiff: Reach. Retrieved 30 September 2018.