Crossrail Class 345s shown off in Derby

Sam Hewitt

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19th August 2016

The first of the 66-strong fleet for the new cross-London Elizabeth Line has started testing at Bombardier’s factory in the Midlands.

Unit No. 345001, the first of the 66-strong fleet, was shown off on the Bombardier test track in Derby on July 29. The unit has seven cars (Nos. 340101, 340201, 340301, 340501, 340701, 340801 and 340901) for use on initial Liverpool Street to Shenfield services from May next year, but will eventually be lengthened to nine cars for the full cross-London service from 2019. All photos by Paul Bickerdyke — Unit No. 345001, the first of the 66-strong fleet, was shown off on the Bombardier test track in Derby on July 29. The unit has seven cars (Nos. 340101, 340201, 340301, 340501, 340701, 340801 and 340901) for use on initial Liverpool Street to Shenfield services from May next year, but will eventually be lengthened to nine cars for the full cross-London service from 2019. Paul Bickerdyke

UNIT No. 345001 was shown off to the press at manufacturer Bombardier’s factory in Derby on July 29.

The EMU is the first of 66 that will form the Crossrail, now Elizabeth Line, fleet for services between Reading and Shenfield/Abbey Wood via the new tunnel being built beneath central London.

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After dynamic testing at Derby and then on the Old Dalby test track in Leicestershire, the first sets should be delivered to Transport for London in February next year, and are due to enter service three months later in May between Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

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