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Class 444 ''Desiro'' electric multiple-unit trains were built in Austria by Siemens AG in 2003-04 for use in Britain on express passenger services operated by South West Trains (SWT). These 45 units form SWT's main long-distance fleet. The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 360, 380, and 450. ==Description== At the start of the 21st century, as part of its franchise agreement, SWT was required to replace the old life expired slam-door rolling stock of Classes 411, 412, 421 and 423, which did not meet modern health and safety standards, with new trains.〔(Class 444 ) - Southern E-Group. Retrieved 2011-07-19.〕 In April 2001 an order was placed with Siemens for 785 vehicles. This was originally to be split as 100 four-car Class 450/0 outer-suburban units, 32 five-car Class 450/2 inner-suburban units, and 45 five-car Class 444 express units. The Class 444 fleet was built at Siemens' Vienna plant.〔 Before being shipped to Britain via the Channel Tunnel, the trains were extensively tested on the test-track at Wildenrath.〔 This was an attempt to reduce the time taken for new trains to enter service, by ironing out any problems beforehand. Many other designs of new train, such as the Alstom Class 458 units, had been plagued by problems and poor reliability. The ''Desiro'' fleet entered service faster than its competitors, but still suffered teething problems. The trains are formed of five coaches, and are numbered in the range 444001-045. Each unit is formed of two outer driving motors, two intermediate trailers, and an intermediate buffet coach. The description of this formation is DMSO+TSO+TSO+TSRMB+DMCO. Individual vehicles are numbered as follows. *63851-63895 - DMCO *67201-67245 - TSRMB - fitted with Pantograph Well *67151-67195 - TSO *67101-67145 - TSO *63801-63845 - DMSO The units have end-gangways, allowing passengers to move between units when used in multiple. Trains are limited to a 10-coach length (i.e. two units), as longer trains cannot be accommodated in stations. At some stations with particularly short platforms (for example Shawford, in Hampshire), even a single unit of five coaches is too long for the platform, so passengers must board and alight via a single door opened by the guard. The fleet is painted in SWT's express livery of white, with a blue window band, and red/orange swishes at the cab ends. Each five-car unit has a first-class section taking up just over half of one car at one end. First-class seats have BS 1363 sockets providing AC power for laptops or mobile phone charges, while the car at the other end is standard-class throughout and appears ordinary but has BS1363 sockets under the tables. Like all new-build third-rail rolling stock in the UK, one coach in each unit is fitted with a recess for a pantograph. This allows for a future conversion to AC overhead power, although at present no trains in this fleet have been so fitted. All sets are based at the purpose-built Siemens depot at Northam, Southampton. A new variable-stiffness hydraulic bush is being fitted to the whole Class 444 fleet so as to reduce track damage and thus infrastructure maintenance costs. This work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「British Rail Class 444」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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