First IEP Train Presented In Japan

On 13 November 2014 at its Kasado works Hitachi presented the first of the 122 Class 800 EDMUs on order for the British rail network. Of these the first 12 are to be built completely in Japan, and the remainder at Hitachi Europe's Newton Aycliffe works in northeast England. The first Class 800s are scheduled to enter service on the Great Western Main Line in 2017, with those for the East Coat Main Line following in 2018. Although the trains will be built as electro-diesels, the underfloor diesel engines are designed for easy removal as more of the lines on which the trains will operate are electrified, at 25 kV AC.