Work begins on the new Azuma fleet for the east coast route

Due to enter service on the east coast in 2018, Hitachi has begun work on Virgin Trains’ Azuma (Class 800) fleet.

The Azuma fleet will consist of 65 trains that will provide 12,200 extra seats as well as new direct routes to a number of new destinations. It will also provide an increase in through services from London to places such as Bradford, Harrogate and Lincoln.

These are for use on the new east coast route, in which £140 million is being invested.

Work on the bodyshells is taking place in Kasado, Japan, before the trains arrive in the UK to be built by Hitachi’s manufacturing team at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

“We are very excited to be moving closer to the day when our fantastic new train comes into service,” said David Horne, Managing Director of Virgin Trains on the east coast. “The arrival of Azuma in 2018 will mark another milestone on our journey towards totally transforming travel for our customers, and the work happening now in Kasado and beginning in the summer at Newton Aycliffe are important steps on that journey.”

“The new Azuma fleet will be a combination of Japanese design and British manufacturing,” added Karen Boswell, Managing Director at Hitachi Rail Europe. “The trains are built using Japanese bullet train technology, world famous for its quality and reliability. We are proud that our Newton Aycliffe team, based a short distance from the east coast main line, will work on pioneering trains used by millions of passengers.”

UK build work on the Azuma fleet will begin this summer.