05.08.16
Great Western orders seven more AT300s
Great Western Railway (GWR) has confirmed that it will order seven more AT300 trains from Hitachi, as part of a £139m order.
The new trains are in addition to the fleet of 57 Hitachi is already supplying GWR with as part of the £5.7bn Intercity Express Programme, the first of which took its maiden voyage on 1 July to mark the 175th anniversary of the Great Western Main Line.
The order expands on the 29 AT300s Great Western ordered last year. The seven new AT300s will built by Hitachi Rail Italy at its Pistoia manufacturing facility.
Mark Hopwood, managing director of GWR, said the new trains would provide “greater flexibility” in delivering more frequent services and additional seats.
The deal to acquire them will be partially financed by Eversholt Rail Group.
Karen Boswell, managing director of Hitachi Rail Europe, said: “Hitachi is thrilled that First Great Western and Eversholt Rail Group have exercised the options they have with us to increase their AT300 fleet. This further strengthens our working relationship with two major customers.
“This is a further endorsement of our current work delivering modern, high-speed trains connecting people and communities along the route from London to the South West of England.”
Network Rail is currently electrifying the Great Western Main Line to help allow the new trains to operate. However, the initial completion dates have been delayed and there are ongoing concerns about the project going over budget.
Last year, RTM attended the opening of Hitachi’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe, where the first Class 800 was unveiled.
As part of the original 57-fleet order Hitachi is building a fleet of 21 Class 801 units, which were originally intended to be entirely electric but will now also be bi-mode.
GWR also announced recently that it is acquiring 92 Class 387 Electrostar Vehicles from Bombardier via Porterbrook Leasing, which will operate on its Thames Valley services.