29.06.18
First of Northern’s 98 new trains arrive in UK for testing
The first of Northern’s new two-car Class 195 DMU is currently being kept at the Edge Hill depot in Liverpool, where it awaits mainline testing to be carried out in the coming weeks.
The train arrived on 25 June at the Royal Portbury Dock in Bristol by ship from Spain.
The CAF-built and Evershot Rail-owned DMU trains are part of a £500m order placed by Northern as part of its modernisation plans to improve trains and stations and provide more services by 2020.
The TOC’s order comprises of 25 two-car Class 195/0 and 30 three-car Class 195/1 DMUs, which are being built at CAF’s Irun factory; and 31 three-car Class 331/0 and 12 four-car Class 331/1 electric multiple units, which are being built in Zaragoza.
The first of the EMUs are expected to arrive in the UK in the coming weeks.
All of Northern’s new rolling stock will boast air conditioning, power sockets, free wi-fi, and an electronic seat reservation system. They will also be fully accessible.
Ben Ackroyd, engineering director at Northern, said: “Getting the train onto UK soil is a major milestone in our modernisation programme.
“Northern’s engineering and operations teams have worked hard to produce a design that will deliver a real improvement in our customers’ on-board experience. I’m excited to see the first of them go into service at the end of the year.”
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