Monday, September 16, 2024 Hitachi has proudly reached a major milestone with the delivery of its 300th train to the UK, marking another step in the transformation of the nation’s railway system. The latest addition, the Class 807 for Avanti West Coast, symbolizes a continuation of the journey that began with the launch of the iconic Class 395 Javelin back in June 2009. Over the last 15 years, Hitachi Rail has worked closely with industry partners to connect the UK, from the scenic landscapes of Penzance to the rugged Scottish Highlands, all through their advanced trains.
The fleet showcases a variety of cutting-edge models, including Scotland’s fastest commuter train (Class 385) on the Central Belt, the durable intercity Class 800 serving the East Coast Mainline, and the UK’s quickest passenger train, the Class 395, which runs on the HS1 route from St Pancras International. Hitachi Rail has truly redefined rail travel across the UK, setting a benchmark for connectivity and reliability. Today, Hitachi’s trains span 10 different fleets, achieving reliability rates that are three times higher than the industry average, with their trains covering distances equivalent to over 100 round trips to the moon each year.
This unparalleled performance has earned Hitachi multiple industry accolades, with fleets such as LNER Azuma, ScotRail’s Class 385, Hull Trains, and Lumo leading the charge. Much of this success can be attributed to Hitachi’s heavy investment in state-of-the-art maintenance infrastructure and skills development. New maintenance hubs in Ashford, Doncaster, and Bristol (Stoke Gifford) serve as innovation centres where Hitachi pioneers digital maintenance techniques and asset monitoring systems.
With 2,100 skilled employees across 16 maintenance facilities and a robust UK supply chain, Hitachi’s operations contribute £500 million in gross value added to the UK economy each year. Jim Brewin, Chief Director of UK & Ireland Hitachi Rail said: “Delivering our 300 th UK train is symbolic of what the rail industry can achieve through strategic partnership. Transforming levels in reliability, capacity and performance across Britain’s railways is only possible due to quality of industry partners we have in the UK.
Going from 1 to 300 trains in just 15 years is credit to incredible people that have embodied the spirit of Hitachi Rail. With exciting innovations in green and digital technology being developed in the UK, Hitachi Rail is already working towards the future.” On May 31, 2024, Hitachi Rail expanded its global footprint through the acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation Systems (GTS) business, growing the company to 24,000 employees across 51 countries.
This acquisition has allowed Hitachi to broaden its product and technology offerings, particularly enhancing its signalling expertise within the UK. Today, Hitachi Rail manages over one million passenger journeys daily in London, with its SelTracTM signalling technology powering 60% of Transport for London’s network..
