British Rail Class 756

The British Rail Class 756 FLIRT^[7] 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.^[8]

British Rail Class 756 FLIRT
Class 756 unit at Aberdare in November 2024
Interior
In service	15 November 2024-Present[1]
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Assembly	Stadler Bussnang AG
Built at	Bussnang, Switzerland[2]
Family name	FLIRT
Replaced	Class 150 Class 153 Class 769
Constructed	2021–2023[3]
Number built	24[1] (7 × 756/0, 17 × 756/1)
Formation	3-car units:[a] DMS-PP-PTSW-DMS 4-car units:[a] DMS-PTS-PP-PTSW-DMS
Fleet numbers	756/0: 756001–756007 756/1: 756101–756117[3]
Capacity	3-car: 118 seats, plus 24 tip-up & 148 standees 4-car: 158 seats, plus 32 tip-up & 204 standees
Owners	SMBC Leasing[4]
Operators	Transport for Wales Rail
Depots	Canton (Cardiff)
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium
Train length	3-car: 65.0 m (213 ft 3 in) 4-car: 80.7 m (264 ft 9 in)
Width	Passenger vehicles: 2.720 m (8 ft 11.1 in) Power Pack: 2.822 m (9 ft 3.1 in)[5]
Height	3.915 m (12 ft 10.1 in)
Floor height	960 mm (3 ft 2 in)
Doors	Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1.300 m (4 ft 3.2 in) wide (total 5 per side per 3-car, 7 per side per 4-car)
Wheel diameter	Powered: 870 mm (34 in) Unpowered: 760 mm (30 in)
Wheelbase	Bogies: 2.700 m (8 ft 10.3 in)
Maximum speed	75 mph (121 km/h)
Traction system	IGBT
Power output	On AC power: 2,600 kW (3,500 hp) On battery power: 1,300 kW (1,700 hp) On diesel power: 480 kW (640 hp)
Tractive effort	Maximum starting: 200 kN (45,000 lbf)
Acceleration	Maximum starting: 1.1 m/s2 (2.5 mph/s)
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	3-car: Bo′2′2′2′Bo′ 4-car: Bo′2′2′2′2′Bo′
Safety system(s)	AWS TPWS (plus provision for ETCS)
Multiple working	Within class (max. 2 units)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
Sourced from [6] unless otherwise noted.

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.^[9] 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,^[10] after initially entering service on one previous day of 15 November 2024.^[1]

It is expected that the Class 756 units will enter service on the Treherbert line over the coming months, and then move across to the Rhymney Line from late 2025 as the Class 398 tram-trains enter service.^[11]

Operators

Transport for Wales

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

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.^[12] The diesel generator produces 480 kW (640 hp), while the batteries are capable of supplying up to 1,300 kW (1,700 hp).^[6] All vehicles are linked by unpowered Jacobs bogies, while the outermost bogie at each end of each unit carries the traction motors.^[6]

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

• British Rail Class 231 - A diesel multiple unit variant of the Stadler FLIRT UK platform also built for Transport for Wales Rail.
• British Rail Class 745 - An electric multiple unit variant of the Stadler FLIRT UK platform built for Greater Anglia.
• British Rail Class 755 - A bi-mode multiple unit variant of the Stadler FLIRT UK platform built for Greater Anglia.

Notes

1. 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.