An Electro-Star Is Born? Show Us Your Interest In An Accurascale and Rails Of Sheffield Ultimate Electrostar In 00/4mm!

[Warbonnet]

"We need more EMUs!" 

"More modern stock please! Nobody is making four car units!"

Well, we've listened, and here is what so many of you have been calling for. 

We're teaming up with Rails Of Sheffield to produce the ultimate Electrostar. And we mean ultimate.

We're looking for expressions of interest in producing the ultimate model of the Electrostar family of modern 4 car EMU units in 00/4mm scale. The project follows hot on the heels of our successful Class 89 partnership, which is now nearing completion of manufacture. 

For our next joint project, both companies decided on yet another stand-out candidate, and something that will both impress on a technical level but also be something much desired within the hobby. 

One area that has been underrepresented when it comes to new models is the 4 car multiple unit area, particularly EMUs. The Electrostar family has been identified as once such area that requires a Ready-to-Run model, so we set to work on this ambitious project a number of years ago (pre-COVID!) 

Our Development Team identified the opportunity to include all variants of the Class 375, Class 377, Class 379 and Class 387 Electrostars, which will make up the tooling suite of our first EMU. The sheer variation and myriad of detail differences across this large family of units makes it our biggest project to date in terms of tooling and cost, as well as development lead time. Excited by the prospect of being associated with such a groundbreaking and technologically innovative model, Rails of Sheffield was keen to partner up with us to bring the Electrostar to market and became involved in the embryonic stages of the project. 

The launch of the project is being considered over two separate production runs. The most technologically complex dual-power versions, namely the 375/6s, the 377/2s and 377/5s, the 379s and the 387/1s and 387/2s will form the basis of the project. Should these be successful, other members of the Electrostar family will then be modelled at a later date. 

History

In Autumn 1999, just as our Electrostar Project Manager Paul Isles was about to leave his job in London and finish with the daily commute from the Kent coast, rumours began to circulate that the slam door stock that we loathed as commuters (and loved as enthusiasts) would soon be replaced by a new class of more modern (and hopefully, more reliable) Electric Multiple Unit. The occasional 4-car Class 465 Networker EMU ventured down to Dover, but on the whole, Kent Coast commuters were still living the life of travelling in noisy, draughty, weatherbeaten and past-their-best 4-CIGs and 4-VEPs. 

But when the Class 375 Electrostars finally arrived on the routes in 2000, everything changed for the better.

The Electrostar story spans a manufacturing period of 18 years, seven different classes, a multitude of sub-classes, three different manufacturers’ names above the door, over 650 sets in service and a geographical spread across southern Britain, and still the story continues.

The privatisation of the United Kingdom’s rail market in the mid-1990s was more akin to the 1889 Oklahoma land rush, with a horde of new franchises poised to take over the rail network, and manufacturers saw the opportunity to create more modern passenger train designs to fulfil their needs, with Siemens, Alstom and ADtranz being the prominent players in the market. ADtranz, in particular, saw the potential in creating a modular design based on a common body to suit both suburban and outer-suburban markets, with differing seating layouts, traction sources and train lengths, and to meet this concept, the Turbostar (diesel powered) and Electrostar (AC/DC powered) families were created.

Bodies were built as aluminium monocoques, with steel ends for energy absorption (the cabs being GRP and steel), with one piece aluminium roofs and the underframe equipment being suspended from a ‘raft’, allowing for flexibility in equipment layout. Two pairs of bi-parting doors on each side of the vehicles allows for rapid entry/exit of passengers and an integrated seating rail in the body design allows for different seating configurations of 2+1, 2+2 and 2+3 laterally, or even longitudinal seating.

Traction for the Electrostars can be via 750V DC bogie mounted Third Rail provision, or 25kV AC overhead power collection via the pantograph and where AC power is not required, the pantograph equipment is simply omitted, leaving a blank well on those TSOL vehicles. The bogies themselves were ADTranz’s own design, being the P3-25 powered bogie, or the T3-25 trailer bogie. The first of the Electrostar family built were the Class 357 4-car sets, constructed by ADTranz and entering service in 2000, and these were followed by the Class 375 family of 3-car 375/3 units, and 375/6, 375/7, 375/8 and 375/9 4-car units, being built by ADTranz (subsequently Bombardier) for the Kent Coast services under Connex, then SouthEastern.

At the same time, the South Central franchise (later Southern) also required replacements for its slamdoor stock and although these Tightlock equipped sets were initially delivered as Class 375, a change to Dellner couplings resulted in a change of classification, becoming the Class 377 family of 4-car 377/1, 377/2, 377/4 and 377/5 units, and the 3-car 377/3 units. Subsequently, Southern also added 5-car units to the fleet in 2013 to cover delayed Thameslink stock, resulting in the addition of 377/6 and 377/7 variants.

Electrostars were also built to serve the high volume services in South-East London, North Kent and London Overground, resulting in the 5-car Class 376 sets and Class 378 ‘Capitalstar’ sets of the mid-2000s. At the end of the 21st century’s first decade, National Express East Anglia ordered Electrostar sets for the Stansted Express and Cambridge services and with their extended luggage accommodation and low density seating, these 4-car sets became Class 379, setting the standard for the last of the Electrostar family to enter service.

The final member of the family was the 4-car Class 387; a development of the Class 377 and Class 379 fleets that was capable of running at 110mph and suitable for long distance workings. Originally ordered for Thameslink as Class 387/1, the Class has extended to another two variants; 377/2 and 377/3 as the type have gone on to serve Great Western Railway, Gatwick Express, Heathrow Express, Great Northern, c2c and recently, Southern.

The Model

Such is the level of research required to execute these units correctly, we employed a new approach to scanning. In addition to the common exterior scans to create an overall cloudpoint model, our Development Team also employed the services of a rail head scanning specialist for the bogies and underframe, to ensure that those areas which are normally in a digital ‘shadow’ were covered to give the ultimate in underframe detailing. This ensures that the underframe detailing and cabinets are very visible from side views and to get placement perfectly aligned, We needed to scan the underframe ‘raft’, with and without equipment attached.

How in-depth are we going? Let Paul show you in our launch video!

Extensive drawing sets being provided and the number of surveys undertaken. The Alstom team at Ramsgate depot were on hand to provide 100s of drawings, and photographic/measuring surveys were undertaken at Ramsgate, Ashford, Brighton and Reading depots, as well as at Alstom’s Derby works.

This has resulted in a whole new approach to UK outline multiple units, with an extensive tooling suite to cover the exhaustive list of detail variations over the life of these units. Our vision for our first UK outline multiple unit is equally ambitious, with a desire to bring the highest specification possible to the Electrostar model. The model will feature DCC operating pantographs, operating CDL lights, motors driving the leading and trailing axles of the DMCOs, which also have working magnetic front mounted Tightlock, or Dellner couplings (depending on variant). 

Each sound fitted unit will have a speaker mounted in every car to give a full surround sound experience of the real trains. Full interior lighting with each car having a power bank of capacitors for flicker free lighting. Each unit will have correct seating arrangements depending on class and operator, and all the DCC functions will be controlled by one central DCC decoder only. Our tried and trusted method of helical gearing, unique in UK outline, will be employed in these units too, giving a constant mesh and offer smooth, near silent, running. Fully directional lighting, with full range of light options for day/night running and shunting/yard configurations, and of course, separate cab lighting at each end along with front and side lit destination boards. 

A total of ten running numbers across three different operators and from Classes 375 and 377 form the first run, with Classes 379 and 387 arriving in the second run. 

Express Your Interest And Pre-Order

A project of this scale of tooling variation, complexity and intricacy incurs a significant cost and therefore, considerable risk is taken. To ensure that this risk is mitigated as much as possible, both Rails and ourselves are calling for concrete “expressions of interest” to be placed for this model, with a £50 reservation fee required when placing an order per unit before Friday, March 28th 2025 at 5pm. Should we decide not to proceed with the project after this deadline, then all reservations will be refunded. Should the project go ahead, the reservation fee will be deducted from the final price and will not be refundable. 

If this project gets the green light from modellers, the CAD, which is ready to go to tooling, will be submitted to the factory and tooling will commence straight away after the March 28th deadline. As part of our regular production updates, an expected delivery date will be available after the first, working sample is delivered and tested extensively, but we ask modellers to bear in mind that delivery is likely to be 2-2.5 years away at least due to the complex development of the extensive specification required. 

As per the Class 89, the models will be available exclusively via the Accurascale and Rails of Sheffield websites, and the Rails of Sheffield shop. Total price is £499.95 for DC/DCC Silent Fitted 4 car unit, and £599.95 DCC Sound Fitted, with £50 reservation fees deducted from this total amount should the project go ahead.  The balance will be taken once the models arrive in stock.

DC modellers will be able to use either configuration on their layouts, with limited sound functionality with the DCC sound variants.

You can place your expression of interest and browse the first proposed first production run on both the Accurascale and Rails of Sheffield websites.

Pre-Order Direct From Accurascale Here

MODEL SPECIFICATION:

• Die-cast metal chassis, with ABS plastic body
• Low mounted, high quality 5-pole skew-wound motor, with single flywheel, driving the lead bogie of the DMCO only. This means that each 4-car unit is powered from the front and rear cars
• Helical gear box for maximum performance and slow speed running
• Gearing arranged so unit can achieve a scale maximum top speed of 100 mph (128.75 km/h) as a 2 x 4-car unit
• Supplied as DCC Silent Fitted, or DCC Sound fitted (Both Will Run On DC)
• Scale lengths:
  • DMCO: Scale length of 262.24mm over body ends, and 36.745mm wide
  • MSOL and PTSOL: Scale length of 258.4mm over body ends, and 36.745mm width
• Bogie centres at 186mm, allowing operation over a minimum radius of 438mm (2nd radius set-track)
• Single style of 11mm solid wheel, to the new profile blackened 00 Gauge RP25-110 standard, set in blackened brass bearings or contact strips and conforming to
• Accurascale standards of 14.4mm back-to-back, on 2mm axles over 26mm pinpoints. Brake discs to be inset separate items
• Fully detailed die-cast underframes with all cylinders, battery boxes, cabinets and piping applied separately
• Seating layouts modelled to specific classes/sub-classes
• Leading Cars (DMCO) have working magnetic front mounted Tightlock, or Dellner couplings (depending on variant)
• Inter-car connection by 10-pin custom designed male/female connectors, allowing the operation of all functions, across all cars, from A SINGLE DECODER
  MSOL and PTSOL/TSOL are un-motored (or dummy) cars, but retain full lighting features, being DCC ready with PowerPack capacitor for uninterrupted power
  PTSOL to feature DCC operated Pantograph, a slimline roof mounted development of the successful Accurascale unit used in the Class 92 and 89 projects
• Eroded metal, plastic and wire detail parts, including (but not limited to) roof details, handrails, door handles, kick plates, lamp brackets, brake gear, brake discs, draw gear, vents and louvres
• Prism free flush glazing
• Easy access to PCB for decoder fitting
• Designed to work with the ESU LOKSOUND V5 21-PIN Decoder with easy access.
• Blanking plate to carry switches for limited DC lighting options
• Fully directional lighting, with full range of light options for day/night running and shunting/yard configurations
• Separate cab lighting
• Full passenger interior lighting in all vehicles, set at correct colour temperature, with hidden stay-alive capacitors
• Operable Central Door Locking (CDL) lights on bodysides
• Supplied DCC Sound Ready, with fitted ESU 22mm x 42mm x 8.0mm rectangular 4Ω speakers and Passive Radiators, in all vehicles
  

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[DJ Dangerous]

This looks gorgeous, absolutely lovely, and 2+2 = 29000 or 2600?

 

On 7/2/2025 at 7:46 PM, BosKonay said:

We have a lot of exciting models well underway for IRM for the coming year in addition to the Hunslet there are more wagons, more new tooled coaches as well as Park Royals, more new tool locos, steam and diesel and more than one of each too! 

 

[Flying Snail]

37 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

"We're looking for expressions of interest in producing the ultimate model of the Electrostar family of modern 4 car EMU units in 00/4mm scale.

Exciting project, I hope you get the numbers.

Is the request for expressions of interest a learning from the 22000 experience? I hope you crack the ' multiple units' nut  ... would love to see more Irish DMUs in future

[Mol_PMB]

Somewhere out there is an Electrostar vehicle that I built. During my graduate training at Litchurch Lane I had a few weeks placement on the shop floor and worked my way down the production line with one of the cars. It was a PTOSL on one of the dual-voltage units - I remember wrestling with the "elephant's trunk" HT cable! And the 6' long torque wrench for bolting the ends on the vehicle - just 6 big bolts and a lot of mastic...

[leslie10646]

Easily the best EMU of the Privatisation era. I wish you masses of orders!

We have 387s out to Reading and I always opt for a semi-fast into London with them (at 110mph) rather than be thrown about in the Jap Cxxp jokingly referred to a an Intercity Express Train - in the running for the World's Worst train.

I hope that IR keep way from the so called Bi-modes!

[Darius43]

I used to commute from West Worthing to East Croydon every day in Southern 377s for 6 years until I started my own consultancy and worked from home and an office in the countryside 20 mins drive away.

My preorders are in

Cheers

Darius

[Horsetan]

20 minutes ago, Darius43 said:

I used to commute from West Worthing to East Croydon every day in Southern 377s for 6 years...

I frequently had to use them between Victoria and East Croydon when I was acting for clients in the Croydon area.

The other thing about the Southern 377s is that they played a major role in some of the Microsoft Train Simulator add-ons: London South-East, and South Coast.  I had the original MSTS and "drove" the 377 to various virtual destinations including Brighton, Ford (change here for the open prison), Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Worthing, etc.

7 hours ago, Warbonnet said:

....scale maximum top speed of 100 mph (128.75 km/h) as a 2 x 4-car unit....

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Hmm, I think 100mph is equivalent to 161km/h.

128km/h is more like 80mph