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The British Rail Class 756 FLIRT[8] is a class of tri-mode multiple units built for Transport for Wales Rail by Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler Rail. They are closely related to the Class 755 bi-mode units delivered by Stadler to Greater Anglia between 2018 and 2020, which can be powered either by overhead electric lines or on-board diesel generators. The Class 756 units also carry batteries as an additional source of traction power.[9]

A total of 24 units were built, split between 7 three-car units and 17 four-car units.[1]

History

The Wales & Borders rail franchise, awarded to KeolisAmey Wales with effect from 14 October 2018, included a commitment requiring that the operator oversee a full fleet replacement during the franchise period.[10] As part of this process, KeolisAmey placed an order with Stadler in February 2019 for the 24 FLIRT tri-mode units that came to be designated Class 756. The tri-mode capabilities are intended to facilitate operations over lines that have only been partially electrified. Production of the fleet was underway by mid-2021.[2]

The Class 756 officially entered service on 18 November 2024, and for consecutive days,[11] after initially entering service on one previous day of 15 November 2024.[1]

Operators

Transport for Wales

Transport for Wales Rail Class 756 units currently operate services between Cardiff-Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff-Aberdare and Cardiff-Treherbert.[1]

It is expected that the Class 756 units will move across to the Rhymney Line from late 2025 as the Class 398 tram-trains enter service.[12]

Technical details

Class 756 units have three or four passenger vehicles, along with a separate “Power Pack” vehicle near the centre of the unit that contains a diesel generator set and three battery modules.[13] The diesel generator produces 480 kW (640 hp), while the batteries are capable of supplying up to 1,300 kW (1,700 hp).[7] All vehicles are linked by unpowered Jacobs bogies, while the outermost bogie at each end of each unit carries the traction motors.[7]

The batteries use lithium-titanium-oxide chemistry, with the capacity of 447 kWh for 3-car units and 559 kWh for 4-car units.[14]

Fleet details

Subclass Operator Qty. Year built Passenger cars Unit nos.[3]
756/0 Transport for Wales Rail 7 2021–2023 3 756001–756007
756/1 17 4 756101–756117

Illustration

Illustration of a four-car Class 756 unit (based on concept art)

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b The Power Pack is technically a fourth or fifth vehicle in these units, but as it contains no passenger accommodation it is excluded from the count of passenger cars.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e @todaysrailways (15 November 2024). “Another new class in service from today – two @tfwrail tri-mode Class 756s are in traffic on the Cardiff-Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff-Aberdare routes – 4-cars 756107 and 756116. There are seven 3-cars and 17 4-cars in this fleet built by Stadler. 📷 TfW” (Tweet). Retrieved 15 November 2024 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  2. ^ a b “Testing Begins on New FLIRTs for TfW”. Railvolution. Praha: Railway Public s.r.o. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Pritchard, Robert (2022). British Railways Pocket Book No. 4: Electric Multiple Units (36th ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. pp. 132–133. ISBN 978-1-909-43183-6.
  4. ^ “Time to take stock as the ‘bubble’ bursts…”. Rail Magazine. No. 989. 9 August 2023. pp. 42–47.
  5. ^ “Case Study: Wales & Borders – Commercial and Contract Management”. Apex Rail. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  6. ^ Bi-Mode Multiple Unit – FLIRT – Greater Anglia, UK (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 27 August 2018. FEABMU0819e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
  7. ^ a b c FLIRT Trimodal Multiple Unit – Transport for Wales (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 6 September 2022. FWBBMU0922e. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  8. ^ Transport for Wales Rail [@tfwrail] (2 December 2019). “Lastly, our innovative tri-mode Metro trains which will enter service on the Rhymney, Coryton & Vale of Glamorgan lines in 2023, will be Class 756” (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ “Tri-mode trains launch South Wales Metro electric services”. Railway Gazette International. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2025.
  10. ^ “KeolisAmey reveal new-look Wales trains and services”. BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  11. ^ “Britain’s first Tri-mode trains enter service in Wales”. RailAdvent. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  12. ^ “First electric trains to be introduced to South Wales Metro”. Transport For Wales News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  13. ^ Fender, Keith; Sherratt, Philip (20 September 2022). “Stadler shows trains for the UK at InnoTrans”. Modern Railways. Stamford: Key Publishing. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  14. ^ “Class 756 battery chemistry – a Freedom of Information request to Transport for Wales Rail Limited”. WhatDoTheyKnow. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.