New trains move under own power for the first time
The first of 23 new trains which will provide express services throughout the West Midlands has moved under its own power for the first time.
Train No. 805001, the first of 13 new 'bi-mode' trains due to go into service on the West Coast mainline next year, left its factory in County Durham and began testing at Network Rail's centre in Leicestershire this week.
It will be joined by a second train, No. 805003, next month, and then in January both trains will move to Oxley depot in Wolverhampton for a period of intense mainline testing.
They are the first of 13 'bi-mode' units, based on the Japanese A-Train, can switch seamlessly between electric and diesel power. Each train will be made up of five carriages.
They will replace the diesel Voyager trains which have operated on the West Coast mainline for the past 20 years.
They will operate on services from Shrewsbury to London, via Telford Central, Wellington, Sandwell & Dudley and Birmingham, using diesel power between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, before switching to electricity for the rest of the journey.
At the moment, all direct services from Shrewsbury to London use diesel power.
A further 10 class 805 electric trains have also been ordered by operator Avanti West Coast. The seven-carriage trains which will be used mainly for services from Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Sandwell & Dudley to London and Liverpool.
They are part of a £350 million investment plan by Avanti West Coast to improve services on the line.
Avanti took over from Virgin Trains as the main operator of inter-city trains along the line, from London to Glasgow, in December 2019.
Liam Hockings of Avanti West Coast, said: “The new train looks amazing and we’re looking forward to putting it through its paces over the coming months.
“These new Hitachi trains will help deliver a step-change in the travelling experience of our customers and colleagues, along with a much greener and quieter operation.”
He said the new Hitachi trains would offer more space and a quieter journey compared to the diesel-only Voyager trains.
It will also lead to a 61 percent reduction in carbon emissions.
The operator says customers will also enjoy better and more reliable free wi-fi internet service, wireless charging for electronic devices, as well as plug sockets and USB slots.
Catering services will also be improved, and real-time information would be available to inform passengers about connecting rail services.
