Polaris (train)
Encyclopedia
The Polaris is a design of locomotive
-hauled train manufactured by Chinese Sourced Railway Equipment (CSRE). The train is inspired by the British Rail
InterCity 125
(HST), and has a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). The loco hauled trains will have two power cars and will be compatible with British Rail Mark 3
coaches. The power cars will either be Diesel electric, electric and electro-diesel
, making it suitable for use across the whole British railway network. CSRE also offer a Electric multiple unit
(EMU) type of Polaris called the Polaris E.
with Mark 3 coaches
and Class 180 multiple units
.
Alliance Rail Holdings
, an open access operator
, aims to use 17 Polaris trainsets on a number of services starting in late 2013, although the deal has not yet been finalised.
installed, 2+1 seating in first class and 2+2 in standard. Trains will have a buffet car, electric screens and five toilets (two accessible) per 6 car rake.
and the trains will be assembled in the UK possibly in the North East or Liverpool
.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
-hauled train manufactured by Chinese Sourced Railway Equipment (CSRE). The train is inspired by the British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
(HST), and has a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). The loco hauled trains will have two power cars and will be compatible with British Rail Mark 3
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
coaches. The power cars will either be Diesel electric, electric and electro-diesel
Electro-diesel locomotive
An Electro-diesel locomotive is powered either from an electricity supply or by using the onboard diesel engine...
, making it suitable for use across the whole British railway network. CSRE also offer a Electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
(EMU) type of Polaris called the Polaris E.
Potential orders
According to the Managing Director of CSRE, David Shipley, there has been interest from a number of train operating companies, and the Polaris will be operating in the UK by 2012. Grand Central Railway planned to introduce some Polaris trains in 2010, but has not yet announced an order; presently it operates a mixture of Class 43 locomotivesBritish Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
with Mark 3 coaches
British Rail Mark 3
British Rail's third design of standard carriage was designated 'Mark 3' , and was developed primarily for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train...
and Class 180 multiple units
British Rail Class 180
The Class 180 is a type of British diesel multiple unit train built by Alstom between 2000 and 2001 for use on then-new express services by First Great Western . They were built at Washwood Heath in Birmingham and are part of the Coradia 1000 family along with the Class 175. FGW stopped using the...
.
Alliance Rail Holdings
Alliance Rail Holdings
Alliance Rail Holdings is a proposed train operating company in the United Kingdom and is finalising its development plans for the operation of new rail services on a number of routes through its subsidiaries Great North Western Railway Co Ltd and Great North Eastern Railway Co Ltd...
, an open access operator
Open access operator
An open access operator is a train operating company that is not subject to franchising.- Open access operators in Great Britain :*Eurostar*Grand Central Railway*Heathrow Connect*Heathrow Express*Hull Trains*Nexus*Pre Metro Operations -In development:...
, aims to use 17 Polaris trainsets on a number of services starting in late 2013, although the deal has not yet been finalised.
Features
The train will have Wi-fiWi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
installed, 2+1 seating in first class and 2+2 in standard. Trains will have a buffet car, electric screens and five toilets (two accessible) per 6 car rake.
Manufacture
It is planned that the parts will be built in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the trains will be assembled in the UK possibly in the North East or Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
.
See also
- Hitachi Super Express
- InterCity 125InterCity 125The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
- Class 390 PendolinoBritish Rail Class 390The Class 390 Pendolino is a type of train used in Great Britain. They are electric multiple units using Fiat's tilting train pendolino technology and built by Alstom. Fifty-three 9-car units were originally built for Virgin Trains from 2001 to 2004 for operation on the West Coast Main Line , with...
- Class 395 JavelinBritish Rail Class 395British Rail Class 395 is a dual-voltage electric multiple unit used by train operating company Southeastern for its services along High Speed 1 and onwards to the Kent coast. The trains were built in Japan by Hitachi and shipped to the United Kingdom to operate new high speed domestic services...