TheHitachi A-train is a family of railrolling stock built and designed byHitachi Rail using a common base and construction techniques. The stock is designed to facilitate a number of product life-cycle improvements including ease of manufacture, increasedenergy efficiency, andrecyclability.
The "A-train" design concept includes several elements. The primary feature is that vehicle car bodies are constructed from double skin aluminium extruded sections, which arefriction stir welded,[1] creating a strong body. Other features include hollow, extruded mounting rails on the vehicle body to which modular components are attached.[2]
Initially the A-train family consisted ofmultiple units designed and built by Hitachi, for use on the railway system in Japan. It comprises trains for both commuter andlimited express services. The modular design enables both production and refurbishment to be undertaken faster.[2] Due to the low heat input of friction stir welding, high strength, excellentcrashworthiness and minimal distortion can be achieved.
Hitachi has provided a number of trains based on the A-train concept for use in Japan:[3]
For their products overseas, the Hitachi A-train has different designations by Hitachi depending on their type.[4][5]
Hitachi have been marketing the A-train family overseas. Both theChongqing Monorail in China and theSentosa Express Monorail in Singapore utilise A-train derived cars.
In 2005 Hitachi received an order fromTaiwan Railway Administration (TRA) for six 8-car trains, based on the Japanese885 series, designated as TEMU1000, for operation on the main line betweenTaipei andHualien.[6] Deliveries of the trains began in late 2006, with the first public test of the new trains in March 2007.[7][8] Two more sets were purchased in December 2014, and delivered in early 2016.[9]
In 2007,Korail ordered eight 4-car express trains branded as theTrunk-Line Electric Car (TEC) to Hitachi. The car bodies, bogies and power systems were made in Japan, but were assembled at SLS Heavy Industry inChangwon, Korea. A significant number of the components were replaced by Korean parts.The trains were for deployment on "Rapid Train" services on theGyeongbu Line andJanghang Line betweenSeoul Station andSinchang station, brandedNuriro and with a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).
In 2018, theTaiwan Railway Administration placed a new order for 50 12-carEMU3000 series sets, to be delivered between 2021 and 2024.[10] The first set was delivered on July 31, 2021, with service entry scheduled for the end of the year.[11]
Between 2019 and 2021, the first Hitachi AT100 units arrived inBangkok for theSRT Dark Red Line andSRT Light Red Line, which opened on 2 August 2021. These trains are coloured red, and are very reminiscent of a typical Japanese commuter train. 15 units form 6-car sets, while 10 form 4-car sets.
The United Kingdom became the first country outside Japan to place a major conventional rail order for Hitachi whenSoutheastern ordered 29electric multiple units for use on domestic services on theHigh Speed 1 line. These are designated asClass 395 units, which arestandard gauge with the ability to operate at speeds of up to 225 km/h (140 mph).[2] Southeastern branded these trains as theJavelin, a reference to the2012 Summer Olympics.[12]
Hitachi gained further ground in the UK market when it was announced in 2009 that an A-train based design similar to that of the Class 395, initially named theHitachi Super Express, was the preference for the government'sIntercity Express Programme tender to replaceInterCity 125 andInterCity 225 sets on theGreater Western andInterCity East Coast lines. These units were classified asClass 800electro-diesel 'bi-mode' units (powered by AC overhead wires where available, and by underfloor diesel generators beyond the extents of electrification) andClass 801 electric multiple units sets powered purely by AC overhead wires. The train specification allows for the conversion of Class 800s to Class 801s, as it is assumed thatelectrification will continue to expand.[13] The units would form as part of the Hitachi AT300 product, joining the Class 395 in the same family.
The choice of Hitachi units was controversial, as it would see little final manufacturing in the UK in comparison to the foreign-owned but domestically manufactured Bombardier option,[14] leading to a campaign to reverse the decision. However, it was economics that became a sticking point, with the weight of the Bombardier design creeping up. The decision was postponed due to the difficulty of government borrowing.[15]
After winning the franchise,Abellio ScotRail announced they would purchase Hitachi AT200 trains (designated asClass 385) for their commuter services.[16]
In March 2015, after the initial order of the Class 800 units,Great Western Railway (or First Great Western as it was at the time) ordered 29 bi-modeClass 802 units which would also join the AT300 product. These units have little difference over the Class 800 units, except that the 802s have a higher power output as-built to cope with gradients in Devon and Cornwall, and have larger fuel tanks. Being bi-mode, they will use overhead electric power betweenLondon Paddington andNewbury stations.[17] Having initially ordered 29 units, it was later announced that there would be an increase of up to 36 units on order. The first of the Class 800s entered service with GWR in October 2017 and the first of the Class 802s entered service with GWR in August 2018, with all of the units branded asIntercity Express Trains (IET) by GWR.[18][19]
The first unit withLondon North Eastern Railway (the current holder of the InterCity East Coast franchise) entered service in May 2019 after a delay, with their first trains in service being Class 800s. Their Class 801s entered service afterwards in September 2019. Separately from GWR, these trains are branded asAzuma, which is 'east' in Japanese.[20]
Many other UK operators have bought Hitachi AT300 trains, including orders for Class 802 units byTransPennine Express (branded asNova 1) andHull Trains (branded asParagon).[21][22]East Midlands Railway have orderedClass 810 units (branded asAurora),Lumo purchasedClass 803 units andAvanti West Coast have orderedClass 805 andClass 807 units (branded asEvero).[23][24][25]
In December 2024, Hitachi Rail stated in a press release that it had entered into a contract withFirstGroup andAngel Trains to lease 14 new five-car electric, battery-electric or bi-mode trains for First Rail's open-access operations, which will be manufactured atNewton Aycliffe, with their delivery expected to commence in late 2027. These trains will be used on a newly announced London-Carmarthen route, and to increase the number of carriages on the existing Lumo and Hull Trains services. The agreement includes an option to add 13 more trains to the order if more of First Rail's recently submitted open-access applications are successful.[26]
| Class | Image | Type | Power | Operator | Brand | No. built /on order | Cars per set | Unit nos. | Year built |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 385/0 |  | AT200 | EMU | ScotRail | eXpress | 46 | 3 | 385001-385046 | 2015–2019 |
 | |||||||||
| 385/1 |  | ScotRail | eXpress | 24 | 4 | 385101-385124 | 2015–2019 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 395 |  | AT300[27] | Southeastern | Javelin | 29 | 6 | 395001-395029 | 2007–2009 | |
 | |||||||||
| 800/0 |  | Bi-mode | Great Western Railway | Intercity Express Train (IET) | 36 | 5 | 800001-800036 | 2014–2018 | |
 | |||||||||
| 800/1 |  | London North Eastern Railway | Azuma | 13 | 9 | 800101-800113 | 2014–2018 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 800/2 |  | London North Eastern Railway | Azuma | 10 | 5 | 800201-800210 | 2014–2018 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 800/3 |  | Great Western Railway | Intercity Express Train (IET) | 21 | 9 | 800301-800321 | 2014–2018 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 801/1 |  | EMU | London North Eastern Railway | Azuma | 12 | 5 | 801101-801112 | 2017–2019 | |
 | |||||||||
| 801/2 |  | London North Eastern Railway | Azuma | 30 | 9 | 801201-801230 | 2017–2019 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 802/0 | _at_Par.jpg) | Bi-mode | Great Western Railway | Intercity Express Train (IET) | 22 | 5 | 802001-802022 | 2017–2019 | |
 | |||||||||
| 802/1 |  | Great Western Railway | Intercity Express Train (IET) | 14 | 9 | 802101-802114 | 2017–2019 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 802/2 |  | TransPennine Express | Nova 1 | 19 | 5 | 802201-802219 | 2018–2019 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 802/3 |  | Hull Trains | Paragon | 5 | 5 | 802301-802305 | 2019 | ||
 | |||||||||
| 803 |  | EMU | Lumo | None | 5 | 5 | 803001-803005 | 2020–2021 | |
 | |||||||||
| 805 |  | Bi-mode | Avanti West Coast | Evero[28] | 13 | 5 | 805001-805013 | 2021–2024 | |
 | |||||||||
| 807 |  | EMU | Avanti West Coast | Evero[28] | 10 | 7 | 807001-807010 | 2020–present | |
 | |||||||||
| 810 |  | Bi-mode | East Midlands Railway | Aurora | 33 | 5 | 810001-810033 | 2020–present | |
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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