- Next generation of Britain’s high-speed trains to be built in
Derby, Crewe and County Durham by Hitachi/Alstom JV
- 2,500 jobs will be created and supported through landmark
£2bn contracts to build HS2’s state-of-the-art train
- Move will help deliver faster rail journeys for towns and
cities in the North and Midlands
Britain's new generation of super-fast "bullet trains" - capable
of speeds of more than 200mph - will be designed and built here
in the UK, promising massive investment in the North East and
Midlands and thousands of new jobs.
Announced today by the Government (9 December), the
state-of-the-art high-speed trains will be built by
Hitachi/Alstom JV at their factories in Derby, Crewe and County
Durham in a major deal set to support 2,500 jobs across the UK.
For the first time, the trains will be entirely designed and
assembled on home soil, supporting jobs in factories across the
Midlands and North and in their supply chains, including
apprentices and roles for young people – a great example of the
Government’s Plan for Jobs in action. They will also be the
fastest and lowest carbon per passenger km trains of their kind
in the UK, minimising environmental impacts and helping
decarbonise transport.
Today’s announcement comes following last month’s announcement of
the biggest ever public investment in Britain’s rail network.
Journeys across HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail, both from
London and across the Pennines, will be faster, more frequent and
reliable under the government’s Integrated Rail Plan over the
next couple of decades – including shorter journeys between Leeds
and Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham, and London and
Sheffield.
Transport Secretary said:
“Today’s announcement places Britain firmly at the forefront of
the high-speed rail revolution with a billion pound investment in
state-of-the-art trains serving communities right across the
country from London to Glasgow.
“Not only does this show we are getting on with delivering better
and faster journeys through our plans to upgrade the rail
network, this is another landmark step in the delivery of HS2,
sustaining 2,500 jobs and levelling up employment and leisure
opportunities for generations to come.”
Designed in the UK and capable of speeds of up to 225mph
(360km/h), the fully electric trains will also serve destinations
on the existing network such as Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester
and Birmingham.
The first train is expected to roll off the production line
around 2027. Following a rigorous process of testing and
commissioning, the first passengers are expected to be carried
between 2029 and 2033.
HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Thurston said:
“Today is a massive day for HS2. The trains that will be built at
Derby and Newton Aycliffe will transform rail travel – offering
passengers unparalleled levels of reliability, speed and comfort
and help in the fight against climate change. I’d like to
congratulate Alstom and Hitachi and I look forward to working
with them as together we bring these exciting new trains to
passengers across the UK.”
Designed to be fully accessible, the interior layout will be
decided following a two and a half year collaborative design
process involving HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport and the
West Coast Partner, the operator of the trains when they first
come into service.
HS2 trains will operate seamlessly between HS2 and the existing
rail network halving many journey times across the UK. Each train
will be around 200m long, with the option to couple two units
together to create a 400m long train with up to 1,100 seats.
