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The Class 450 is a type of diesel multiple unit (DMU) formerly used by Northern Ireland Railways. They were affectionately nicknamed 'Thumpers' and 'Castles' (Also known as the Castle Class) by rail enthusiasts. ==History== In the mid 1980s, Northern Ireland Railways was in the process of upgrading its rolling stock. Having already purchased three new locomotives, it then proceeded to purchase replacements for its Class 70 diesel multiple units. A total of nine three car trains were constructed by BREL between 1985 and 1987 intended to supplement the existing Class 80 DMUs then in service. The trains were constructed using underframes of existing Mark 1 coaching stock, altered to and new Mark 3 bodyshells. Because of this, they bear a strong resemblance to the British Rail Class 150, British Rail Class 210 (based on), British Rail Class 317, British Rail Class 318 and British Rail Class 455, as they use Mark 3 bodyshells. These were combined with refurbished power units and traction motors from the withdrawn Class 70 units (there were only eight Class 70 units available to be salvaged, so the equipment for the ninth train came from a withdrawn Class 80 train, powercar 88). The power cars of the Class 450 units are named after various Northern Irish castles.〔(Irish Railway Record Society - Northern Ireland Railways )〕 The Class 450 operate on the same principle as the prototype Class 210 DMUs on the British network, in that they consist of a single power car containing the traction and generating equipment (numbered 45x), an intermediate trailer car (numbered 79x) and a driving trailer (numbered 78x) as permanently formed 3 car sets. An additional "8" has been added to the start of all the cars so that they can be used by Translink's computer system. In 2005, the entire fleet underwent an extensive refurbishment to bring them up to a similar standard to the newly introduced Class 3000 units, enabling them to remain in service for at least another 5 to 7 years.〔(Translink - New Central Corridor )〕 This would take them up to the point where they are expected to become "life-expired."〔(Northern Ireland Railways Strategic Review - Final Report )〕 In 2011, the entire Class 450 fleet, together with the remaining Class 80 units, was listed by NI Railways for disposal.〔(Rail Vehicles for Disposal ) - Translink〕 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「NIR Class 450」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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