AnsaldoBreda given three months to solve Fyra problem

SNCB has suspended plans to purchase three more high-speed Fyra trains after Belgian authorities announced a ban on the V250.

High-speed Fyra services between Brussels and Amsterdam were suspended last week after an investigation discovered damage to the undercarriage of a number of trains.

AnsaldoBreda’s vice-chairman and head of external communication, Alessio De Sio, issued an apology on Twitter, and said that tests showed that the damage appeared to have been caused by a build up of snow underneath the vehicles that had turned to ice and then fallen off while the trains were moving.

Rolling stock manufacturer AnsaldoBreda has been given three months to fix the problem after which SNCB, Belgium’s national rail operator, said it will cancel its contract with the train builder.

De Sio said: “We apologise to the Netherlands and Belgium for the Fyra problems. We are committed to the utmost to solve this unexpected situation.

“The Fyra trains have been properly and duly tested and verified. They performed tests in the climatic chamber at the internationally Arsenal Institute of Vienna as well as development and verification races on the test circuit in Velim in the Czech Republic and also on the Fyra line. In no way the problems outlined above occurred.”

De Sio added that the damage would not have impacted on the safety of the trains.

Marc Descheemaecker, managing director of SNCB, said: “For SNCB, the focus is now on establishing a connection and qualitative alternative to the Netherlands.”