British Rail Class 781
British battery electric train
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The British Rail Class 781 is a planned fleet of four-car battery electric multiple unit (BEMU) trains to be built for Northern Trains.
- 8
- 265 seats
| British Rail Class 781 | |
|---|---|
| Replaced | (Planned)[1] |
| Number built |
|
| Fleet numbers | TBA |
| Capacity |
|
| Operators | Northern Trains |
| Specifications | |
| Train length |
|
| Maximum speed | 100 mph (160 km/h) (Planned as of September 2025)[2] |
| Axle load | Route Availability 3 (Planned as of 2025)[2] |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| Safety system(s) | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
History
In August 2023, Northern issued a tender to acquire a contract for up to 450 new trains to replace the older rolling stock in their fleet.[3] A more detailed tender for up to 329 new trains was issued in 2024,[4] and in January 2025, it was revealed that Northern had shortlisted five companies to build its new fleet - Alstom, CAF, Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler.[5][6][7]
Contracts are expected to be awarded in 2026, with the first units delivered by 2032.[2]
In September 2025, Modern Railways reported that the TOPS number 781 is reserved for the planned new BEMU fleet.[2]