British Rail Class 805
The British Rail Class 805 is a type of bi-mode multiple unit which will be built by Hitachi for Avanti West Coast. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, 13 five-car units are to be built to replace Class 221s on services between London Euston and stations on the North Wales Coast and Shrewsbury lines. Their introduction will allow the elimination of long-distance diesel working on electrified routes.[1]
| British Rail Class 805 AT300 | |
|---|---|
 Artist's impression | |
| Manufacturer | Hitachi |
| Built at | Newton Aycliffe |
| Family name | A-Train |
| Replaced | Class 221 |
| Entered service | 2022 (planned) |
| Number under construction | 13 × 5-car sets |
| Fleet numbers | 805001–013 |
| Capacity | 301 per trainset |
| Operator(s) | Avanti West Coast |
| Depot(s) | Oxley TRSMD |
| Line(s) served | West Coast Main Line North Wales Coast Line Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury line |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 26 m (85 ft 4 in) |
| Maximum speed | 125 mph (200 km/h) |
| Electric system(s) | 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines |
| Current collection method | Pantograph |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
History
In December 2019, Avanti West Coast placed an order for 13 five-car bi-mode units which will replace its Class 221 fleet, along with 10 Class 807 electric units as part of £350 million contract with Hitachi.[2] All are scheduled to be in service by 2022. The trains are financed by Rock Rail West Coast, a joint venture between Rock Rail and Standard Life Aberdeen.[3] The trains will be maintained by a joint team of Alstom and Hitachi staff, alongside Class 807s, at Oxley depot near Wolverhampton.
Customer service features promised include free Wi-Fi, at-seat wireless inductive charging for electronic devices, plug sockets and USB slots; a catering offer and a real-time passenger information system that can advise of connecting rail services.[4]
Fleet details
| Class | Operator | No. built | Year built | Cars per set | Unit nos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class 805 | Avanti West Coast | 13 | TBC | 5 | 805001–013[5] |
References
- Hub, The Railway (7 January 2020). "Hitachi wins £350million order for new West Coast trains". The Railway Hub. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- "What's In Store | Avanti West Coast". www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- "Rock Rail and ASI close latest UK rolling stock deal". Rock Infrastructure. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- "First Trenitalia chooses Hitachi Rail to build new intercity trains for Avanti West Coast". Mynewsdesk. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
- Avanti confirms class numbers for Hitachi train order Rail 9 June 2020