Think Railways

Hitachi Rail Europe and Abellio have signed a contract for the provision and maintenance of 70 new trains for the upcoming ScotRail franchise. The contract is being financed by Caledonian Rail Leasing Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle created by SMBC Leasing.

46 three-car and 24 four-car AT200 EMU trains are being procured to operate along the Edinburgh-Glasgow and Stirling – Alloa –Dunblane lines and will go into service in late 2017. The contract also comprises a 10-year maintenance deal, with plans currently in place to stable and service the trains at depots in Edinburgh.

The first seven trains are scheduled to be built in Hitachi’s Kasado factory in Japan, with the remaining 63 being built in their flagship Newton Aycliffe train manufacturing facility in the UK, opening later this year.

The AT200 model has been designed to transform the regional commuter travel experience. With a top speed of 100 miles per hour, each car is 23 metres in length, and features cab-end and inter-vehicle gangways to facilitate the best use of passenger space. The train has a 35-year design life andis made to complement the requirements as set out and agreed with Transport Scotland.

“With the new ScotRail franchise, a number of impressive infrastructure projects and these slick new trains, we are giving Scotland a railway to be proud of", stated Derek Mackay, Scottish Transport Minister.

Jeff Hoogesteger, Chief Executive of Abellio said: “This is an important deal for passengers and for Scotland. New trains for Scotland were a key feature in Abellio’s bid for the franchise and we are excited to be pressing the button on the delivery programme. The arrival of 24 Hitachi AT200s by late 2017 and a further 46 by Dec 2018 will ensure that the full benefits of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme are realised for passengers; delivering faster journey times, greater capacity and higher service quality. And the effects of the investment will spread much wider than that. The new trains will be more energy efficient, and innovations in design and lightweight construction will reduce the impact of services on important infrastructure.”