McLoughlin praises IEP as Class 800 carries its first passengers
Prior to travelling on the first passenger-carrying journey made by an Intercity Express Programme Class 800 in the UK, Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said that the modernisation of the Great Western Main Line shows “the age of the train is well and truly back”.
McLoughlin was speaking at Reading station on June 30, before boarding the 1342 to London Paddington, formed of five-car bi-mode 800004. This was the first IEP to carry passengers, and will be in the first tranche of Class 800s to enter traffic with Great Western Railway in July 2017 ( RAIL 804).
“It is an historic day for the Great Western,” he said. “It is a chance to pay a bit of respect to the engineering icons of the Victorian age in a station that is looking to the future.
“The modernisation of the Great Western is the biggest since it was built. We are doing electrification, building new stations and new rolling stock.”
Also at the launch, Network Rail Chairman Sir Peter Hendy said: “The route modernisation has had a difficult birth and some turbulent early years, But now, if you come from Bristol, there is real visible progress.”
The train is the first of 36 fivecar trains that will enter traffic with GWR initially. Eventually the operator will have a minimum of 86 bi-mode Class 800/802 trains built by Hitachi, in five-, seven- and nine-car formations.
There are options for up to 30 more, while GWR is thought to be close to ordering more nine-car trains, although this has not been confirmed.
The launch of the ‘800’ also marked the 175th anniversary of the opening of the GWML to Bristol. It is part of the Government’s £5.7 billion IEP scheme.
McLoughlin added: “The new trains will be manufactured in Britain and will include more seats, greater legroom, free WiFi, power sockets at each seat, seat reservation indicators and increased space in overhead luggage racks.”
Of the 122 trains ordered in the IEP deal (which was confirmed in 2012, three years after preferred bidders were first selected), 110 will be assembled at Newton Aycliffe. The first 12 trains, including 800004, are being built in Kasado, Japan.