Summary
The British Rail Class 807 AT300 is a type of electric multiple unit being built by Hitachi Rail for train operator Avanti West Coast. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, a total of 10 seven-car units will be produced.
| British Rail Class 807 AT300 | |
|---|---|
 Artist's impression of Hitachi A-train units for Avanti West Coast | |
| In service | Planned for 2024[1] |
| Manufacturer | Hitachi Rail |
| Built at |
|
| Family name | A-train |
| Replaced | Class 221 (Avanti West Coast) |
| Number under construction | 10 |
| Formation | 7 cars per unit |
| Fleet numbers | 807001–807010[3] |
| Capacity | 453 seats (49 first-class, 404 standard)[4][5] |
| Owners | Rock Rail West Coast |
| Operators | Avanti West Coast |
| Depots | Oxley (Wolverhampton)[4] |
| Lines served | |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium[2] |
| Car length | 26 m (85 ft 4 in)[6] |
| Maximum speed | 125 mph (200 km/h)[7] |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead |
| Current collector(s) | Pantograph |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
History edit
In December 2019, Avanti West Coast placed an order for 10 seven-car electric units which will replace its Class 221 fleet, along with 13 Class 805 bi-mode units as part of £350 million contract with Hitachi Rail.[8] All units were scheduled to be in service by 2023 but have since been pushed back to 2024. The trains are financed by rolling stock company Rock Rail West Coast, a joint venture between Rock Rail and Standard Life Aberdeen.[9] The trains will be maintained by a joint team of Alstom and Hitachi staff, alongside the Class 805, at Oxley depot near Wolverhampton.
Customer service features promised include free Wi-Fi, at-seat wireless inductive charging for electronic devices, plug sockets and USB sockets, a catering offer and a real-time passenger information system that can advise of connecting rail services.[6]
Construction edit
Construction of the Class 807 in the UK commenced on 7 July 2020. The aluminium shells arrived after being shipped from Hitachi's Kasado plant in Japan. Final production commenced at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe facility. Out of the 135 bodyshells, 56 are being manufactured in the UK.[2]
Static testing began in June 2022. The trains were planned to enter service in 2023, but this did not occur.[10]
Fleet details edit
| Class | Operator | Qty. | Year built | Cars per unit | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 807 | Avanti West Coast | 10 | 2021–present | 7 | 807001–807010 |
References edit
- ^ "Rolling Stock Special: New Trains on order". Today's Railways UK. No. 241. March 2022. p. 30.
- ^ a b c Wordsworth, Nigel (4 July 2020). "First bodyshells for Avanti West Coast's new trains arrive in the UK". Rail Insider. Rail Business Daily. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ Clinnick, Richard (9 June 2020). "Avanti confirms class numbers for Hitachi train order". Rail Magazine. Bauer Consumer Media Ltd. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ a b Hewitt, Sam (7 January 2020). "Hitachi wins £350million order for new West Coast trains". The Railway Hub. Mortons Media Group. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "West Coast partnership 2023: national rail contract" (PDF). Department for Transport. gov.uk. 21 March 2024. p. 76 | Specified Additional Rolling Stock. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ a b "First Trenitalia chooses Hitachi Rail to build new intercity trains for Avanti West Coast". Hitachi Rail UK. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "Speed limiters for Hitachi fleets". Traction & Stock. The Railway Magazine. Vol. 168, no. 1457. August 2022. p. 92.
- ^ "Avanti West Coast - What's in Store". Avanti West Coast. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ "Rock Rail and ASI close latest UK rolling stock deal". Rock Infrastructure. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- ^ Thompson, Victoria (13 June 2022). "Static testing begins on Avanti West Coast's new train fleet". Rail Advent.