| NZR FP/FT class Matangi |
|
|---|---|
Matangi electric multiple unit train FP/FT 4103 at Wellington Railway Station platform 9 for a public open day on 9 September 2010. |
|
Artist's impression of the interior of a FP carriage of the Matangi EMU |
|
| In service | August 2010 |
| Manufacturer | Hyundai Rotem/Mitsui |
| Built at | Changwon, South Korea[1] |
| Constructed | 2008 - 2012 |
| Entered service | December 2010 - mid 2012 |
| Number under construction | 20 |
| Number built | 28 |
| Formation | 1 FP power car + 1 FT trailer per set |
| Fleet numbers | FP 4103 - FP 4610 FT 4103 - FT 4610 |
| Capacity | 147 sitting, 230 standing, 377 total[1][2] |
| Operator | Tranz Metro |
| Line(s) served | Wellington suburban lines Kapiti Line Hutt Valley Line Melling Line Johnsonville Line |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Stainless steel [1] |
| Car length | 21.56 m (70 ft 9 in) over couplers |
| Width | 2.73 m (8 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 3.64 m (11 ft 11 in) excluding pantograph |
| Floor height | 1.10 m (3 ft 7 in) |
| Platform height | 0.73 m (2 ft 5 in) nominal |
| Entry | Step (FP) Level (FT)[1] |
| Doors | 8× electronically operated twin doors (open on demand)[1] |
| Maximum speed | 110 km/h (68 mph)[2] |
| Weight | 76,900 kg (170,000 lb) empty 103,700 kg (229,000 lb) fully loaded[2] |
| Acceleration | 0.84 m/s2 (2.8 ft/s2)[2] |
| Traction system | AC electric |
| Power output | 680 kW (910 hp)[2] |
| Electric system(s) | 1500V DC overhead |
| Current collection method | Pantograph |
| AAR wheel arrangement | Bo-Bo (FP) 2-2 (FT) |
| Multiple working | Within class only |
| Gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Cape gauge |
The Matangi NZR FP class[3] is a class of two-car electric multiple units under construction for use in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. The units, each made up of a FP power car and a FT trailer car, are designed to run on Wellington's 1500V DC overhead electric suburban Hutt Valley line to Upper Hutt, Kapiti Line to Waikanae, Melling Branch and Johnsonville Line. They are owned by Greater Wellington Rail Ltd,[1] a subsidiary of the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), and operated by Tranz Metro, the Wellington suburban service subsidiary of government-owned rail operator KiwiRail.[4] The units are officially named Matangi,[5] coming from the Maori word for wind or breeze.
Forty-eight Matangi EMUs were ordered by GWRC in July 2007 to increase capacity on the Wellington network, and to allow the last of the DM/D class multiple units, supplied by English Electric in 1949, to be withdrawn. Hyundai Rotem in South Korea was awarded the construction contract for NZ$210 million, with the first unit planned to enter service in 2010.
A large amount of preparation works has been done to allow the units to operate: clearances on the Johnsonville Line in tunnels, at platforms and under two bridges had to be increased to take the new trains and the existing fleet of EM/ET class electric multiple units.[6] KiwiRail has installed ten new rectifier substations to increase electrical supply for the new trains, and has hardened the signalling system against interference from their AC traction equipment.[7] The length of Matangi trains was initially limited to a maximum of six cars out of concern for the load long trains would have on the power supply.[8] Testing performed by Tranz Metro and KiwiRail Network in September 2011 with eight-car sets in revenue service on the Hutt line found that the network is able to cope with a limited number of long trains on the Hutt and Kapiti lines resulting in the lifting of restrictions on the running of six-car trains and restricted running of eight-car trains.[9]
The first unit, FP/FT 4103, entered revenue service for one day on 23 December 2010, operating the 9:05 am Hutt Valley service from Wellington and the return service from Upper Hutt.[10] The units will progressively enter service as they arrive. It was planned that they were to be introduced to the Johnsonville and Kapiti lines in July 2011, with the units running on all lines by July 2011,[11][12][13] but this has been delayed. Regular revenue service commenced on 25 March 2011 with a single train running on the Hutt Valley Line.[14]
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The name Matangi came from a competition run by GWRC. Over 100 entries were received, including several "Thomas" suggestions. Matangi was nominated by regular commuter Brian Bond of Linden. Matangi, Māori for wind, was chosen for Wellington's windy reputation, and the new trains being "as fast as the wind" and a "breath of fresh air to the transport system". The name was also chosen as it is easy to pronounce and spell, is distinctively Kiwi, and had support from local iwi (Māori tribes).[15]
The class letters have been chosen as a continuation of the class letters assigned to the DM/D English Electric and EM/ET Ganz Mavag EMUs. FP stands for Matangi Power car (FM was not chosen to avoid confusion with NZR FM guards vans from the 1980s) and FT for Matangi Trailer car. Road numbers will be FP 4103 to FP 4610, and FT 4103 to FT 4610.
In December 2006 GWRC announced that it would begin the tender process for 58 EMU cars to replace the DM/D English Electric EMUs and to provide additional capacity. Three suppliers were shortlisted.[16] GWRC formed Greater Wellington Rail Limited to purchase the EMUs. In July 2007 GWRC announced that the preferred supplier was a consortium of Rotem and Mitsui, and they were to be built in Korea.[17][18] The other two shortlisted tenderers were Bombardier (Germany) and CAF (Spain).[19]
In April 2008 GWRC announced that an additional 20 cars would be purchased[20] though an earlier announcement referred to an additional 12 cars, making a total of 70.[6][21] A further addition to the order of three units was announced by GWRC on 4 November 2008, bringing the total number of cars to 96 i.e. 48 sets.[22]
The 2008 - 2009 GWRC Annual Plan stated that work of $4.7 million to continue upgrading the traction and signalling equipment for the new passenger trains has been brought forward.[23]
GWRC advised that the Request for Tender documentation included the following requirements, although some specifications may change and no weight specifications were available.[24]
The cars have AC traction gear and convert the DC power supply to AC.[7]
The interior configuration allows for more standing room, increasing the passenger capacity compared with the EM/ET class units. This comes at the expense of seating, which remains at the same capacity but with 42 fewer front/rear-facing seats per set. One side of the section between the doors of each FP carriage contains only longitudinal seats, to widen the aisle.
Increased passenger capacity through six reconditioned British Rail Mark 2 carriages top-and-tailed by EO class locomotives and reconditioning of DM/D EMUs in storage was announced in February 2007.[15][25][26] Hillside Workshops have refurbished the ex-BR carriages to SE class, and Hutt Workshops the EO locomotives.
The proposed refurbishment of the EM/ET Ganz Mavag units has been deferred from 2008/09 until the new units are available.[23]
The interim increase is a two-car DM/D English Electric unit in September 2008 (ex-Ferrymead), another in October 2008 (Phoenix, owned by KiwiRail), and six ex-BR carriages and two locomotives in December 2008 to provide express services.[27][28]
| Key: | In service | Out of service | Auckland Transport service | Preserved | Overhaul | Scrapped |
|---|
| TMS number | Introduced | Current status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4103 | 23 December 2010 (one off trip) and 25 March 2011 (full service) | In service | Delivered 31 July 2010. |
| 4126 | July 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 January 2011. |
| 4132 | April 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 September 2010. |
| 4149 | April 2011 | In service | Delivered 25 October 2010. |
| 4155 | May 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 December 2010. |
| 4161 | May 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 December 2010. |
| 4178 | June 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 January 2011. |
| 4184 | August 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 May 2011. |
| 4190 | June 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 January 2011. |
| 4201 | August 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 May 2011. |
| 4218 | October 2011 | In service | Delivered 28 June 2011. |
| 4224 | October 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 July 2011. |
| 4230 | October 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 July 2011. |
| 4247 | November 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 August 2011. |
| 4339 | August 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 May 2011. |
| 4345 | August 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 May 2011. |
| 4351 | August 2011 | In service | Delivered 28 June 2011. |
| 4368 | September 2011 | In service | Delivered 28 June 2011. |
| 4374 | Delivered 29 November 2011. | ||
| 4380 | Delivered 1 October 2011. | ||
| 4397 | November 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 July 2011. |
| 4408 | November 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 August 2011. |
| 4414 | Delivered 30 October 2011. | ||
| 4472 | November 2011 | In service | Delivered 26 August 2011. |
| 4489 | Delivered 1 October 2011. | ||
| 4506 | Delivered 30 October 2011. | ||
| 4512 | Delivered 29 November 2011. | ||
| 4529 | Delivered 29 November 2011. |