The first Intercity Express Programme trains reached Edinburgh Waverley today (September 7).
Two five-car Class 800/0 bi-modes operated a test run from Hitachi Rail Europe’s Doncaster depot to the Scottish capital and return.
Virgin Trains East Coast will use a fleet of 65 IEP sets from next year, although the pair used, 800001 and 800002, are destined for Great Western Railway.
“We are very pleased to see the new train reach Edinburgh and now look forward to planning test journeys further north,” said Andy Rogers, Programme Director at Hitachi Rail Europe.
“This is a key milestone in the testing and introduction of the new fleet of Intercity trains on the East Coast Main Line which will benefit passengers in both Scotland and England. It’s exciting for everyone involved because it means we are a step closer to creating more space, more comfort and more reliability for millions of passengers on the East Coast Main Line,” said Transport Minister Paul Maynard.
Last month, nine-car 800101 ran as far north as Dunbar.
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AndrewJGwilt1989 - 09/09/2017 03:53
Good to see this Class 800 that has reached Edinburgh and Scotland. Next it run on test to Glasgow and to Aberdeen, Inverness and the far north of Scotland.
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FrankH - 10/09/2017 22:44
Inverness is as far as they'll go. I think when Scotrail get the HST's in full service they might take over VTEC's Edinburgh to Inverness and vice versa portion of the London train. In the time it takes VTEC could do another Kings Cross run and back.
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