Success for Voith Turbo in the keenly-contested British rail market: From May 2006, the Voith Turbo Market Area Rail will deliver the first of a total of 87 cooling systems of the second series for the HST (High-Speed-Train) Class 43. In 2002 and 2003, Voith Turbo supplied 35 such cooling systems for the first series of HST vehicles. Once all of the 122 systems have been delivered, more than two thirds of these high-speed trains will be driving with Voith Turbo cooling systems.

The order was placed after the British rail operator First Great Western decided to modernise the HST 1 fleet and run it for another 10 years. All of the vehicles are receiving new engines and cooling systems. A year ago, two of the cooling systems delivered in the first batch were modified and installed into two prototype vehicles fitted with MTU motors for test purposes - “with maximum operating results,” as Christoph Kirschinger of Voith Turbo underlines.

According to Kirschinger, the 35 cooling systems have been in daily operation for more than four years. Voith Turbo is the only manufacturer with experience in HST vehicles with MTU motors. As First Great Western will be fitting all of its high-speed trains with these motors, Voith Turbo was given first preference among the bidders.

Project Manager Dieter Matschulla names further reasons for the order: “Clive Burrows, at the time Engineering Director of First Group, confirmed that we supplied ‘the best technical solution.’ By this statement, Burrows, now holding a senior post in the English Ministry of Transport, did not only mean the low energy consumption and the proven cooling performance reserves. He also referred to the low life cycle costs and the promised low maintenance costs. Our 35 cooling systems in active service have clearly proven how economical our product is,” says Matschulla.

The vehicles of the new First Group franchise, Great Western Trains, operate between London, Wales and Plymouth. The diesel-electric HST is capable of maximum speeds of 200km/h and is therefore among the fastest and most popular passenger trains of its class.

Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications, as well as for ship propulsion systems, is a Group Division of Voith AG.

Voith sets standards for papermaking technology, power transmission, energy technology and industrial services. Voith was founded on January 1st, 1867. With approximately 30,000 employees, annual sales of €3.5 billion and over 200 locations worldwide, Voith is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe. Voith is an official partner of the initiative “Germany - Land of Ideas.”