Class 397

The Class 397 Civity is a type of Electric Multiple Unit built by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF for lease to TransPennine Express by Eversholt Rail Group. A total of twelve five-car units were built to operate services on TransPennine North West services between Liverpool Lime Street/Manchester Airport and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central.

TransPennine Express has branded all of their new fleet under the general name Nova, with the Class 397 units branded as Nova 2. The first unit entered service on 30 November 2019.

A Class 397 at Wigan North Western in April 2019.

Background & History

The announcement of new trains was made by FirstGroup when it was confirmed that they would become the next operator of the TransPennine Express franchise from 1 April 2016.

In May 2016, TransPennine Express revealed that they had placed an order for 12 five-car electric multiple units from CAF. This order was part of a strategy to modernize their fleet, replacing the older ten four-car Class 350 Desiro units which had been servicing routes between Liverpool, Manchester, and Scotland. The new units were expected to bring increased capacity and improved passenger comfort.

Testing of the first set of these new trains began in July 2018 at the Velim railway test circuit. This phase was crucial to ensure that the new units met all safety and performance standards before being introduced into regular service. The rigorous testing process was designed to identify any potential issues and to fine-tune the trains for optimal operation on the TransPennine network.

TransPennine Express had an option to purchase up to 22 additional units beyond the initial order. However, this option was not exercised, leaving the fleet expansion at the originally ordered 12 units. This decision was based on various operational and financial considerations.

In May 2023, unit 397011 was specially branded to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest, which was hosted in Liverpool. This special branding was a nod to the city's cultural significance and was part of a broader effort to engage with the public and celebrate notable events through the rail network.

Operation

The Nova 2 was launched officially by TPE at Liverpool Lime Street with other members of the Nova fleet. The first unit entered passenger service on 30 November 2019.

Fleet Details

The units were designed as an intercity train. This included the addition of single doors at the ends of the coach, a maximum speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) and first class with catering provision from the on-board galley kitchen. WiFi and seat reservations are also available on the train. These trains were also awarded the Golden Spanner Award for maintenance reliability.