British Rail Class 379

The Class 379 Electrostar is a British electric multiple-unit train type ordered in April 2009 for Stansted Express services operated by National Express East Anglia (NXEA) and later Greater Anglia.

The trains are also being used on services between, Stratford, Cambridge and Kings Lynn. The fleet was ordered as part of the NXEA Service Improvement Plan designed to expand capacity on the heavily crowded lines into London Liverpool Street.

Description
The trains are part of Bombardier Transportation's Electrostar family and are owned by Macquarie European Rail. They were built at Bombardier's Derby plant, where the first unit was unveiled on 13 October 2010.

After going to the Velim railway test circuit in the Czech Republic during November 2010, the first train returned to the UK in December for further testing along with other members of the class as they are built.

A phased introduction into passenger service began in March 2011. They are maintained by Bombardier at Ilford. They work alongside the Class 317.

Features and fitted equipment
The Class 379 units feature 2+2 seating in standard class and 2+1 seating in first class. Large luggage racks are provided as befits an airport service.

Wi-fi is supplied by Icomera of Sweden, not only for passenger internet use but also for linking the train's reservation, CCTV, passenger information and monitoring systems to the control room.

The trains have regenerative braking and use Bombardier's Orbita predictive fault monitoring system. Some features are taken from the upcoming Aventra. Interior lighting is supplied by Teknoware and includes state-of-the-art emergency lighting to fulfil GM/RT 2130 requirements. CCTV cameras on the roof monitor the pantograph arm.

Operations
The first two units, 379005 and 379006, entered service on 17 March 2011. 379005 was named Stansted Express at a ceremony at. A further 18 units were to enter service in May 2011, on Stansted Express workings. They will work in a mixture of 12-car and 8-car lengths.

The remaining 10 began entering service in summer 2011 on Cambridge services. The Class 379 first ran on 3 March 2011 between Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport. All units had entered service by mid-August 2011, two months ahead of schedule and the airport services are now entirely worked by 8-car Class 379s. The December 2011 timetable change included the introduction of 12-car trains on some peak workings to/from.

These trains are now operated by Abellio Greater Anglia as of 5 February 2012. Network Rail have announced that they will be using one of these as a testbed for a future Battery-Electric Multiple Unit.