The new trains offer a sleek modern design, faster acceleration and longer carriages, offering more space and seats.
Once fully operational, people will benefit from 5,500 extra seats a week, greater reliability and a quieter and smoother ride. The fleet of new high-speed trains are being rolled into passenger service at intervals, with the full fleet expected to be in passenger service by early 2020.
Hitachi is delivering major orders for new trains, with 286 due to be in service by the end of 2021. Its production site in Newton Aycliffe is delivering 122 new high speed trains as part of the UK Government’s £5.7 billion Intercity Express Programme and a fleet of 70 regional trains for Scotland.
The company employs over 3,000 people and is soon to be operational at 15 locations across the UK.
More than two thirds of the journey between Hull and the capital will be operated using electric power, which is much better than the environment. Even under diesel power the modern engines reduce harmful emissions by up to 90% compared to the existing trains.
Andy Barr, group CEO of Hitachi Rail said: “These new trains designed using advanced bullet train technology have proven extremely popular, becoming the intercity train of choice on Britain’s rail network.
“The trains' many benefits include no more diesel emissions when running on electric power, fast and free Wi-Fi, and greater comfort for passengers. With over 25,000 smart sensors on board each train allowing real-time monitoring, our maintenance team can ensure a reliable and efficient service for people travelling to and from Hull and beyond.”
Hitachi www.hitachirail-eu.com