The first of ten new Aventra trains destined for the Elizabeth Line has entered passenger service in London.
The new Class 345 EMU, built by Alstom at its Derby factory, will help increase capacity on one of the UK’s busiest rail services.
Class 345 train No. 345071 entered passenger service on 28 August, following an extensive period of testing on the main rail network, carried out by Alstom, Transport for London and the operator GTS Rail Operations Limited (GTS). The train had been officially accepted by the client three days earlier, on 25 August.
The ten new trains, funded by the UK government, are intended to meet the growing demand for transport on the Elizabeth Line. The additional rolling stock will also be crucial for managing passenger flows generated by the forthcoming opening of Old Oak Common station, which will provide a connection to the HS2 high-speed rail project.
“The entry into passenger service of the first of the ten additional trains for the Elizabeth line is a special moment for everyone involved in the project at our Derby factory, as well as for everyone across the country who has contributed to their creation,” said Nimesh Tailor, Elizabeth line Project Director at Alstom.
Trains built at Alstom’s Derby factory
The new EMUs are being built at Alstom’s historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works. The production of the ten trains involves nearly 40 companies in the UK supply chain and supports over 1,000 jobs.
Each Elizabeth line train consists of nine railcars and features approximately eight kilometres of welds, over 80 km of cables, more than 47,700 screws and 31,700 bolts.
The Derby Litchurch Lane Works, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, is Alstom’s largest industrial facility worldwide and the only train manufacturing plant in the UK capable of designing, developing, building and testing trains for both the domestic market and for export.
Between 2017 and 2024, the plant delivered over 2,660 Aventra railcars to British rail operators. Building on the success of this platform, Litchurch Lane has become a centre of excellence and Alstom’s global hub for the new generation of trains based on the Adessia platform.
The entry into service of the first of the ten new Elizabeth Line trains thus marks the start of a new phase in the capacity expansion of this major London railway line, with the remaining nine units due to be delivered progressively.
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