Bombardier Aventra
British Rail classes 345, 701, 710, 720, 730
The Aventra is a family of electric multiple units developed by Bombardier for the British market. Since 2015, they have been built at Derby for several operators. After Alstom took over Bombardier Transportation in 2021, production continued under the new ownership. The five classes differ mainly in their intended services, train lengths and electrical systems.
The class 345 was developed for the Elizabeth line in London and consists of nine-car sets with three pairs of doors per car side to allow fast passenger exchange. The class 701 was built for South Western Railway as five- and ten-car sets for suburban services using the 750 V DC third rail. The class 710 for London Overground is available in four- and five-car configurations and can operate under both 25 kV AC overhead wires and 750 V DC third rail.
The class 720 was designed for longer regional services with Greater Anglia and c2c. Its five-car sets operate under 25 kV AC and reach 100 mph (160 km/h). The class 730 was built for West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway in three- and five-car configurations. While the shorter trains are intended for suburban services, the five-car class 730/2 is designed for longer regional journeys and reaches 110 mph (177 km/h).
Technical data
General
| Property | 345 | 701/0 | 710/1 | 730/2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built | since 2015 | 2019-2024 | 2017-2020 | since 2025 |
| Manufacturers | Bombardier, Alstom | |||
| Wheel arrangement | 2-B+2-B+B-B+2-B+2-2+B-2+B-B+B-2+B-2 | 2-B+B-2+2-2+B-2+2-B+2-B+B-2+2-2+2-B+B-2 | 2-B+B-2+2-B+B-2 | 2-B+B-2+B-2+2-B+B-2 |
| Gauge | 1,435 mm (Standard gauge) | |||
Dimensions and weights
| Property | 345 | 701/0 | 710/1 | 730/2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 204.72 m | |||
| Rigid wheelbase | 2.26 m | |||
| Empty weight | 319 t | 144.3 t | ||
Power
| Property | 345 | 701/0 | 710/1 | 730/2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power source | electric - AC | electric - DC | electric - AC/DC | |
| Electric systems | 25.000 V 50 Hz | 750 V | 25.000 V 50 Hz, 750 V | |
| Continuous power | 5,071 kW (6,895 PS) | 4,057 kW (5,516 PS) | 2,028 kW (2,757 PS) | 2,312 kW (3,143 PS) |
| Top speed | 145 km/h | 161 km/h | 121 km/h | 177 km/h |