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Class 345

Class 345
There are 70 Class 345 Aventra EMUs operating TfL's Elizabeth line. Photo: To The Trains.

The Class 345 Aventra is an electric multiple unit (EMU) operated by Transport for London (TfL) on the Elizabeth line, which runs from Reading and the Heathrow Airport terminals in the west to Abbey Wood and Shenfield to the east. The trains, which were ready long before the core section of the Elizabeth line, entered revenue earning service on 22 June 2017. They initially took over from the Class 315 to operate TfL Rail services along the eastern branch between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

These trains are used to operate what is effectively a hybrid of a metro and National Rail service. That said, the on-board experience is far closer to a sub-surface London Underground service than an intercity commuter service. There are no toilets on board, no internet access, and (very) limited space for luggage. Interestingly, there is a mix of transverse (2+2) and longitudinal seating. There has been a large focus on standing capacity, with the assumption that most passenger journeys will be short.

Overview

Name
British Rail Class 345
Train family
Aventra
Country of operation
United Kingdom (England)
Manufacturer
Bombardier Transportation
Alstom
Years of manufacture
2015—2019
2024—2026
Operators
Transport for London
(Elizabeth line)

Technical specifications

Type
Electric Multiple Unit
Pickup1
Pantograph
Maximum operation speed
90 mph (145 km/h)
Formation
9-car
Floor height
1145 mm
Length
204.73 m
Gauge
Standard (1,435 mm)
Safety systems
AWS, CBTC, ETCS, TPWS

On-board

Capacity2
454 seats
1046 standing
Wi-Fi
No
Food and drink
No
First class seating
No
Seating configuration
Mix of 2+2 and longitudinal seating
Device charging
Yes, USB charging
Luggage
Space beneath seats only
Climate control
Air conditioning and heating
Passenger information displays
Yes, digital displays
Toilets
No
Bicycle storage
No

Accessibility

Step-free access3
At certain stations
Door width
1.45 m
Priority seating
Yes
Accessible area
Yes
Accessible toilet
No
Auditory announcements
Yes
Tactility
Tactile buttons
Lighting
Adaptive lighting, outside

Subclasses

There are no subclasses; all Class 345s have 9 cars per unit. 70 units were originally ordered by Transport for London and built by Bombardier Transportation — acquired by Alstom in 2021 — between 2015 and 2019. In June 2024, it was announced that a new contract had been signed between TfL and Alstom for a further 10 units. This included the associated maintenance, until 2046, at their Derby Litchurch Lane Works.

Context

Ilford EMU, London
Old Oak Common, London
Replaced
Class 315
Class 360
Lines of operation
Elizabeth line
Entered passenger operation
22 June 2017

Media

Footnotes

  1. A pickup is a piece of equipment installed on a train to connect it to the supply of electricity, usually in the form of overhead lines or a third rail.
  2. Standing capacity was calculated by Transport for London at a maximum of four passengers per square metre.
  3. The following stations have step-free access between the train and the platform:
    1. Heathrow Terminal 5
    2. Heathrow Terminal 4
    3. Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3
    4. Paddington
    5. Bond Street
    6. Tottenham Court Road
    7. Farringdon
    8. Liverpool Street
    9. Whitechapel
    10. Canary Wharf
    11. Custom House
    12. Woolwich

References and attribution

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This fact file was authored by Sebastien Jensen and last updated 30 August 2024.

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