Production work begins in Italy on AT300 units

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Press release ...

New Hitachi trains for GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)’s Devon and Cornwall route a step closer to entering service
·         Production of new intercity trains for the South West reaches another milestone as work begins in Italy
·         93 trains being built at Hitachi factories in UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and Italy using Japanese bullet train technology
·         Fleet includes 36 new trains to connect London to Devon and Cornwall
·         GWR passengers to benefit from more seats, space and on-board technology

Passengers travelling towards Devon and Cornwall are one step closer to experiencing new trains as Hitachi Rail’s Italian factory receives bodyshells to start work.

Hitachi’s UK manufacturing facility has already built its first train for Great Western Railway (GWR), which is due into passenger service later this year.

The delivery of InterCity Express Trains to GWR will transform passenger experience for routes connecting London to Wales and the South West of England.

Modern trains for iconic route

From autumn 2017, the first wave of InterCity Express trains will run on the historic Great Western main line, connecting London to key UK cities including Reading, Bath, Bristol and Cardiff. Production of these trains is already underway at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

From 2018 a second wave of new trains will begin running as far south as Penzance along coastal routes in Devon and Cornwall. Work has started in Italy on these trains today.

The entire fleet of 93 trains will be in passenger service by the end of 2019.

The new fleet harnesses pioneering Japanese bullet train technology known for its quality and reliability. Passengers can expect more seats, better on-board facilities with the possibility of shorter journey times.

Passengers will also benefit from new on-board technology, including real-time journey updates and seat reservation screens.

The fleet is fitted with bi-mode technology, allowing trains to use diesel and electric power, meaning even whilst infrastructure modernisation takes place passengers can enjoy the benefits of the new trains.

The fleet’s design ensures it can withstand the region’s weather conditions, including routes along the Dawlish coast.

Building the new InterCity Express Train fleet

Hitachi is utilising manufacturing facilities in the UK and Italy to ensure the entire fleet is in passenger service by the end of 2019.

The first wave of new trains that passengers will experience is being built at Hitachi’s  UK manufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Meanwhile, work has now begun near Florence at Hitachi’s manufacturing facility in Pistoia, where the second wave of the fleet will be constructed.  The trains that are built in Italy will predominately run on passenger services connecting London to Devon and Cornwall.

Mark Hopwood, Managing Director at Great Western Railways, said:

“Today marks another significant step towards delivering new trains, more seats, more frequent services and quicker journeys; and a step change in passenger experience on the Great Western.

“The first UK built Intercity Express Train rolled off the UK production plant last December for introduction in passenger service later this year, and it is great to see work on the fleet for Devon and Cornwall progress.”

Karen Boswell, Managing Director at Hitachi Rail Europe, said:

“Introducing a new bullet train inspired fleet to run along iconic stretches of British railway will be a truly historic moment.

“These new trains will transform passenger experiences, offering a truly 21st century experience with more seats and on-board technology.  Additional luggage space and a smoother ride will increase comfort for longer journeys connecting distant parts of the country.

“To make sure passengers get the new trains as soon as possible Hitachi is using its factories in Italy and the North East of England, where our skills and expertise are entirely complementary.”

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Story covered in Plymouth Herald at http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/first-look-at-bullet-style-trains-plymouth-will-be-getting-next-year/story-30135239-detail/story.html and in City AM at http://www.cityam.com/259032/hitachi-trains-great-western-railways-devon-and-cornwall

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From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) test trains head to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)

Image copyright GWR
The first five-car test train left Japan for the UK on Wednesday

Test trains for the new fleet of Intercity Express Trains on the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the South West have left Japan, heading for the UK.

The new train is for use on the line linking Paddington to Exeter and Cornwall via Reading and Newbury.

It is part of what GWR describes as the "biggest fleet upgrade in a generation", aimed at reducing journey times and increasing capacity.

The Class 802 fleet is due to enter passenger service next summer.
Image copyright GWR
The test train being loaded at Kobe port, Japan

This new train is the same as the Class 800 model currently being built for other parts of the network, but has a higher powered engine designed specifically for use on the Berks and Hants line to overcome "more challenging geography" in Devon and Cornwall.

These trains will be built in Pistoia, Italy, due to lack of extra capacity in the Newton Aycliffe-based factory, which is building the rest of the new Class 800 fleet.

The Class 800 fleet are being tested in the UK and due to enter service later this year.

At first sight that seems odd - why would such a small design change need a new first of type built in Japan? But I think the point of running tests with at least one unit built in the home factory is to serve as a design reference: it answers the question "is it meant to be like that, or did those ... Italians get something wrong?". So even a tiny change triggers this as a matter of policy. Also, with a new factory getting in on the act, there may be an extra reason for a reference unit built to the identical design.