Progress with 345 071 - 345 080

[Peter Sarf]

I feel like they’re making them quite quickly, if they’re close to testing the second and third units out of 10, and this order is meant to be tiding them over until they start building the trains for HS2 as they said, if the HS2 trains don’t need to be in service for a decade from now. Their original request was for a minimum order of 5 units, and they got an order for 10. Will they have to go back to the Government begging for another emergency order to keep the factory open before then again? Perhaps the 3 more options for trains on the original Crossrail contract of 13 optional orders, which haven’t yet been ordered? There’s no guarantee that they’ll win the forthcoming Southeastern or ScotRail tenders which are the closest to being awarded from now, and they haven’t won any bi-mode tenders before now for the other possible tenders, which don’t have any news of being close to awarded yet (Northern, GWR, TransPennine Express, Chiltern, possibly TfW, maybe SWR).

My bold. That is quite a long time I agree BUT I really hope they start to build one or two HS2 trains soon and get them thoroughly tested before rushing into building the entire fleet with bugs baked in. Of course the risk there is the customer is unlikely to settle on a final design / formation any time soon !.

I assume the costs of lead up to production and awaiting money from the customer are borne by the banks (or loans from somewhere), As long as firm orders are there. So interim orders will be more for keeping staff on the payroll which, long term, reduces costs of training.

As for progress it does feel like, at this rate, summer 2027. That is because 345071 was sent from Derby on 14/07/2026 and 345072 sent on 17/08/2026, that is 33 days elapsed between the first two units. So for ten units we could assume 330 days which from 14/07/2026 is roughly mid June 2027. I am assuming no variation in progress that is more associated with a new design.

The following is a bit off topic except the purpose of the order for these 345s was to keep Derby going and also buy more of an existing design while still available from Derby.
Only two days ago I pondered if some more 710s are needed ?.
Something like 730s for Northern perhaps ?.
I think we can rule out any more 701s and 720s ?.
What are the latest ridership figures like for the Elizabeth line (Crossrail) ?.

Perhaps a new thread if folks are interested ?.

 

[Horizon22]

Heard some rumours that 345071 will come out in passenger service this evening or tomorrow morning.

 

[Benjwri]

It is allocated to 9W84 tonight for now

 

[Horizon22]

It is allocated to 9W84 tonight for now

This is correct.

 

[tfw756rider]

Here are 345071's first workings as it enters service tonight (Wed 26/8/26)!

Empty Coaching Stock (5L84 2223 Old Oak Depot to London Paddington):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C36259/2026-08-26/detailed

Passenger service 1 (9W84 2237 London Paddington to Shenfield):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C38150/2026-08-26/detailed

Passenger service 2 (9Y21 2341 Shenfield to London Paddington):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:C38289/2026-08-26/detailed

 

[bluegoblin7]

…and duly red penned! Still got that new train smell. It’s remarkable to compare to the original 70 - you don’t notice slow wear and tear.

 

[RUK]

Gosh, the first one is in service already! They’re being built for Old Oak Common services - when will Old Oak Common come into use? All of the trains will be finished years before then, I think?

 

[Benjwri]

They’re being built for Old Oak Common services - when will Old Oak Common come into use? All of the trains will be finished years before then, I think?

They're also needed to reduce strain on the current fleet, so they can progressively be sent for maintenance overhauls at Derby, and then should hopefully allow for some frequency increases before OOC opens.

 

[RUK]

They're also needed to reduce strain on the current fleet, so they can progressively be sent for maintenance overhauls at Derby, and then should hopefully allow for some frequency increases before OOC opens.

Will that slack-in-the-fleet-enabled over-haul include installing charging points, being 3-pin-plug sockets and/or USB ports, etc.?

 

[Benjwri]

Will that slack-in-the-fleet-enabled over-haul include installing charging points, being 3-pin-plug sockets and/or USB ports, etc.?

The majority of the 345s have had usb ports retrofitted by the carriage join and at the seating bays. 345071 has been delivered with this installed already.

 

[Farnborough]

Yes. But they could start clocking the miles up starting at Crewe instead of paying to drag it to London first.

Testing is more than just clocking up miles.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Testing is more than just clocking up miles.

But does the testing need to start at Wembley or is Crewe just as good ?.
It depends how much testing/other-work was done after delivery and before the runs on the WCML I assume not much as iirc the unit was running on the WCML the day after delivery.

 

[800001]

But does the testing need to start at Wembley or is Crewe just as good ?.
It depends how much testing/other-work was done after delivery and before the runs on the WCML I assume not much as iirc the unit was running on the WCML the day after delivery.

The most important thing is, where are the staff based doing the testing, does anything need to happen to unit before it starts testing, where is the suitable place to start the testing etc.
just because the unit goes to Crewe on test doesn't make it tye suitable place to start testing.

 

[hwl]

But does the testing need to start at Wembley or is Crewe just as good ?.
It depends how much testing/other-work was done after delivery and before the runs on the WCML I assume not much as iirc the unit was running on the WCML the day after delivery.

The staff (testing and snagging work) are based at Wembley, hence suggesting the units should go to Crewe is bonkers!

Crewe is a convenient location in terms of distance /time from Wembley with plenty of siding space to not cause issues.

 

[Peter Sarf]

The staff (testing and snagging work) are based at Wembley, hence suggesting the units should go to Crewe is bonkers!

Crewe is a convenient location in terms of distance /time from Wembley with plenty of siding space to not cause issues.

I was only suggesting delivery to Crewe rather than Old Oak Common depot because Crewe is so close to Derby where the unit was delivered from.

But, as yourself and others have said, too much to do first and specifically at Wembley (it seems, rather then its home depot aiui ?) before any test runs.

Question. I get the impression most work was done at Wembley after a move from Old Oak Common depot ?.
Was much work done at Old Oak Common depot before hand ?.
(it is where the unit was delivered to).

 

[hwl]

I was only suggesting delivery to Crewe rather than Old Oak Common depot because Crewe is so close to Derby where the unit was delivered from.

But, as yourself and others have said, too much to do first and specifically at Wembley (it seems, rather then its home depot aiui ?) before any test runs.

Question. I get the impression most work was done at Wembley after a move from Old Oak Common depot ?.
Was much work done at Old Oak Common depot before hand ?.
(it is where the unit was delivered to).

After the takeover, the OHLE new Rolling Stock (not just 345s) testing , snagging and delivery team has effectively been based at Alstom Wembley from circa half way through original batch of 345 deliveries.
Wembley effectively gives them enough siding and workshop space without impacting existing operator locations where operators frequently have barely enough space as it is before they have to deal with units that don't really move. TfL will be hiring spare siding space from other operators (e.g. GWR/GA) for most of the extra capacity needed to stable the new 10 units.
Alstom at Wembley effectively operates as tiny version of Siemens' Wildenrath test and fettle pre-delivery facility or Old Dalby for most recent LU stock (S / 09 / 2024) or Long Marston for future 810s. The reason for the latter case shows why you deliver to Wembley and not OOC so that existing maintenance doesn't suffer.

The big question is where new SE rolling stock would be tested and snagged.

 

[nigelsporne]

Is there insufficient space to lay new sidings at OOC to cater for the new units or at other locations? So are you saying that GWR/GA have around 10 sidings siting around doing nothing?

 

[800001]

Is there insufficient space to lay new sidings at OOC to cater for the new units or at other locations? So are you saying that GWR/GA have around 10 sidings siting around doing nothing?

Old Oak has sufficient space alongside other sidings across the Elizabeth line to stable the current fleet and the extra 10.

 

[nigelsporne]

Thanks for this. As a matter of interest does TfL use the array of sidings that used to be at Shenfield and those vacated by Crossrail at Abbey Wood?

 

[JonathanH]

Thanks for this. As a matter of interest does TfL use the array of sidings that used to be at Shenfield and those vacated by Crossrail at Abbey Wood?

There are eight sidings at Plumstead, three at Shenfield, and six at Maidenhead. Also Gidea Park and Ilford.

 

[nigelsporne]

Thank you. I have only really travelled on the Central Section of the line since it opened so unaware of the current sidings provision. It will be interesting to see how things pan out once the enhanced services are up and running. It appears to be very slick at present from my experience.