LNER Azumas have been granted approval to operate on the East Coast Main Line in passenger service.
They are expected to enter service in the coming weeks. The authorisation is for Class 800/1 and ‘800/2’ bi-modes, with no details released regarding authorisation for Class 801 electrics.
In a letter to Hitachi Rail Europe (seen by RAIL), the Office of Rail and Road lays out a number of terms and agreements that must be resolved within a specified timeframe.
These include that before entering traffic, Automatic Selective Door Opening (ASDO) must be proven on the ECML on operational routes where they will be used. European Train Control System (ETCS) must not be enabled other than to support functionality.
The trains have been assessed and passed for 125mph running, and can run in either five, nine or ten-car formations. They will run initially between London King’s Cross and Leeds/Hull.
Regarding the inter-car connectors that prevented authorisation last year (RAIL 863), sources suggest Hitachi will make the engineering modifications to the LNER fleet within a year of authorisation.
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 873, out now.
AndrewJG8918 - 28/02/2019 00:35
About time that the LNER Azuma Class 800 and Class 801 IETs can begin passenger service on the East Coast Main Line. But will Class 801 Azuma will only go as far York and Leeds. As its not allowed to go north of York as signalling needs to be updated before the Class 801s can go further to Newcastle and Edinburgh Waverley. With Class 800's to extend to other destinations such as Bradford, Hull, Lincoln, Sunderland, Aberdeen, Glasgow Central and possibly Class 800s can operate to Scarborough in the future.