Hitachi Rail has won a £400 million contract to build a new fleet of intercity trains from Abellio UK, which was recently awarded the new eight-year East Midlands Railway franchise.

The new order will benefit suppliers across the country and, in particular, the East Midlands. Hitachi’s UK train factory at Newton Aycliffe, Durham has worked with 65 different suppliers from the East Midlands, awarding various multi-million-pound contracts to support skills and high-quality jobs in the region.

Since opening in 2015, Hitachi’s manufacturing facility has already delivered over 450 intercity train carriages into passenger service in the UK and, where services are in operation, passenger satisfaction rates have been boosted.

Karen Boswell, managing director for Hitachi Rail UK, said: “Today’s announcement will be welcomed in workshops and engineering centres across the country, thanks to our large network of UK suppliers. Our train factory in County Durham sources train parts from across the country, including a significant amount from the region where the new trains will run.”

Based on Japanese bullet train technology, the new fleet for EMR is the sixth intercity fleet that Hitachi will deliver to UK train operators.

The new intercity trains will start operating in 2022 and will serve the main cities and towns on the Midland Main Line including Sheffield, Chesterfield, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Lincoln as well as Kettering and London St Pancras.

The trains will offer significant advances on the existing fleet, with passengers benefiting from more seats and modern interiors.

Abellio has ordered 33 five-carriage trains, which will regularly be operated in 10-carriage formations.

The trains will include features that passengers and local stakeholders have said they want to see, including air conditioning, free Wi-Fi throughout, plug sockets and better passenger information screens. There will be an improved and more consistent ‘seven day’ catering service in both 1st and Standard Class.

Hitachi Rail

www.hitachi.eu/en-gb

Michael Tyrrell Author Michael Tyrrell Digital Coordinator

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