New fuel to power our cars?

[NewcastleFalcon]

Looks like the Hitachi Factory at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham has expanded its order book with the supply of 63 new 100mph AT200 Electric Commuter trains for Abellio. Yes I had never heard of them either, but Abellio is the company operating the ScotRail franchise taking over from First Group on April 1st 2015.

For both the At200, and the Class 800 InterCity Express Programme intial units willbe manufactured in Japan.

The first Class 800 IEP arrived literally today!

UK: The first pre-series Class 800 trainset for the Intercity Express Programme was unloaded at the port of Southampton’s Queen Elizabeth II Terminal on March 12, watched by guests including Transport Minister Claire Perry and the city’s mayor. The five-car electro-diesel trainset left Hitachi’s Kasado factory in Japan on January 7. It was shipped from the port of Kobe on January 22/23, travelling to Britain via the Panama Canal on the Wallenius Wilhelmsen ro-ro ship Tamerlane which arrived in Southampton on March 11. The Department for Transport’s £5·7bn Intercity Express Programme covers the supply and maintenance of 122 trainsets totalling 866 vehicles. Hitachi is to supply the initial trainsets from Japan, with 112 to be produced at its £82m factory which is nearing completion at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.

Its quite awesome the creation of a new factory, but the jigsaw seems to be coming together well, and the Hitachi have already shown its intentions to expand and generate more business which can only be good for the County Durham base.

Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

Neil, that is excellent news for County Durham