Hitachi Rail - English | News archive

5 May 2016 07:00

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and UK Prime Minister David Cameron visit Hitachi Train Maintenance Centre

Hitachi Rail Europe (HRE) was proud to host Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister David Cameron at its recently refurbished North Pole train maintenance centre in West London. As part of a UK visit by the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe joined UK Prime Minister David Cameron for a tour of the rail facility, which will serve as one of the maintenance centres for new IEP trains.

Local stakeholders visit the construction site of Hitachi's Stoke Gifford Rail Maintenance Facility

7 July 2014 07:00

Hitachi Rail Europe celebrates progress on Stoke Gifford Train Maintenance Centre

Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. today celebrated the progress being made on construction of the company’s new Train Maintenance Centre in Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire, where the superstructure of the main maintenance building nears completion. This is a significant milestone in the £80 million facility development, which started in August 2013 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

18 July 2013 07:00

Hitachi Class 800 series train selected by DfT to provide more seats and greater comfort for passengers as part of capacity improvements on East Coast Main Line

Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. today welcomed the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin to replace the current train fleet on the East Coast Main Line with Hitachi Class 800 series trains in a £1.2bn deal.

14 December 2009 07:00

High Speed Train Service Officially Launched

Today saw the official launch of the UK’s first domestic high speed service. The new high speed service operates from St Pancras International to Kent and is part of a fully integrated timetable in the South East, marking the biggest change in 40 years.

11 December 2009 07:00

Hitachi Hands Over Last Class 395 Train to Southeastern

Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. today announced that it has handed over the 29th and final Class 395 train to Southeastern, ahead of the scheduled start of full passenger service on 13 December 2009. The trains provide the first 140 mph high-speed domestic service in the UK, running on the HS 1 line from St Pancras International to Ashford International.

Class395 in Ashford Train Maintenance Centre

1 October 2009 07:00

Hitachi’s Ashford Depot Two Successful Years On

The train maintenance centre has now taken delivery of all Class 395 trains destined for Southeastern’s high-speed rail service. The final train arrived in the UK on 17 August 2009, bringing the number of units housed in the depot to 29. Before being handed over, all Class 395 trains are commissioned and put through 4,000 miles of fault free running (FFR).

18 June 2009 07:00

Hitachi Class 395 Train Makes UK’S First Domestic High Speed Passenger Voyage

Hitachi today celebrates the first high speed passenger journey of its Class 395 between Ashford International, Ebbsfleet International and St Pancras International. At the invitation of Southeastern, members of the media and key stakeholders were welcomed on board the Hitachi-built trains today to experience the new trains first hand.

23 March 2009 07:00

Class 465 Trains with new Hitachi Traction Drive Handed Back to Southeastern as Scheduled

Hitachi Europe Rail Group today announced that the first Class 465 unit with Hitachi traction technology have been handed back to Southeastern on schedule and this prototype unit will start revenue service today.

Class 395 leaving Hitachi Train Maintenance Centre in Ashford, Kent

1 October 2008 07:00

Hitachi Celebrates Successful First Anniversary for Ashford Depot

Hitachi Rail Group (Hitachi) today celebrates the first anniversary of its state-of-the-art Ashford Train Maintenance Depot, which was opened 12 months ago by Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport. Over the past year the depot has attracted over 3,500 visitors from the UK, Europe and Japan’s rail industry and has created 47 jobs for local employees.