24.03.2011 CAF Class 4000 Trains Arrive in Northern Ireland

The first of 20 three-car diesel multiple-units for Translink NI Railways was delivered to Belfast docks, two years after the order was placed with Spanish manufacturer CAF under a £114m project. The Class 4000 is an evolution of the 23 Class 3000 (C3K) trains which CAF supplied in 2004-05, incorporating the results of passenger feedback and a reliability review. The Class 4000 has double the space for pushchairs and can take up to eight bicycles, while the number of toilets has been reduced from two to one, providing 212 rather than 200 seats. There is an enhanced passenger information system, LED rather than halogen lighting, a revised interior colour scheme and re-styled front ends.

The new trains feature multi-purpose areas on board along with an eco-friendly setup to increase fuel efficiency and reduced emissions in line with Stage IIIA limits. Interior doors are electrically rather than air powered. The first of the Class 4000 trains will enter service at the end of 2011, with all 20 in traffic by 2013.

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