Hitachi unveils suburban and metro train designs

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Hitachi has released details of new suburbs and metro train models that it hopes to sell to the UK and European market.

Mockups of the AT100 and AT200 were unveiled at a special event in London on July 21.

The trains will be manufactured in Hitachi’s new train factory, which is currently under construction in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The AT200, which has been dubbed as the next generation commuter train, has been designed to tap into the huge market for electric multiple units – a market currently dominated by Siemens and Bombardier in the UK.

Both the AT100 and AT200 will be available in three to 12-car configurations. The trains feature onboard diagnostic system that communicates back to the depot about performance, reducing the need for regular inspections.

The AT200 design is at the centre of Hitachi’s Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) rolling stock bid.

Andy Barr, chief operating officer at Hitachi Rail Europe, said: “Our team of engineers and designers have gone to great lengths to take passenger needs, operator requirements and our wealth of experience in train manufacture and maintenance into account.

“The AT200 is our new, exciting offering to the commuter rail market, a highly standardised yet flexible design that improves the travelling experience for tomorrow’s commuters.”

8 COMMENTS

  1. If Hitachi’s new facility is completed in County Durham then they would start building the AT-100 Metro trains for Arriva Trains Wales (Class 336), Northern Rail Class 338) and First Scotrail (Class 330) and also to build the AT-200 Commuter Trains for First Hull Trains (Class 352), Abellio Greater Anglia (Class 328), First Transpennine Express (Class 340), First Great Western Rural and Local services (Class 337) and Chiltern Railways (Class 353).

    Abellio Greater Anglia would see Hitachi building the AT-200 (x120 Class 328) trains to replace the 94x Class 321’s which would benefit better reliable faster services to/from London Liverpool Street, Essex, Ipswich and Chelmsford. With the AT-300 High Speed trains would also be built for Abellio Greater Anglia London-Norwich Intercity service and East Coast Trains to replace the MK2/3 Class 90/91 fleets with better trains built by Hitachi.

  2. Seriously Andrew where in the 7 hells do you pluck your information from ?

    Made up class numbers, made up order numbers and so on, if your going to post how about posting actual facts that have even the remotest basis in reality.

    Numerous posts from you with completely imaginary “gen” class 378/3s anyone ?

  3. export oriented manufacturing and domestic market expanstion reflects in hitachi endeavour in UK.
    Global CEO Alistar dormer can kick out the well placed presence of deutsch rail giants. this step will introduce the shinakensen arrival in EU. Power consumption gear less,rotor&nonmechanical brakes will decide the fate of hitachi in Eu race. rotor traction bogies introduction will create storm in EU. Every end user aspire for centra(rotor elctric brake) traction. if hitachi can do.

  4. The AT200 commuter trains that Abellio ScotRail are ordering will be the first to see then Hitachi could build more AT200 trains to be used on other lines such as replacing the Class 321’s used on the Great Eastern Main Line between London Liverpool St-Ipswich, Manningtree, Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich Town, Walton-on-the-Naze, Southend Victoria, Southminster, Braintree, Colchester, Colchester Town & Norwich and also between Liverpool Street-Cambridge, King’s Linn & Hertford East.
    AT100 Metro train could replace the Class 313, Class 455 and Class 456 used on suburban routes in South London & Southwest London operated by Southern and South West Trains and on the West Coastway and East Coastway lines to/from Brighton and London Overground Romford-Upminster line.

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