HRE Class 385s set to make ScotRail debut

Hitachi Rail Europe Class 385s should finally enter traffic with ScotRail in the second half of July.

ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Alex Hynes told RAIL on June 20 that the first EMUs were awaiting approval from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), and that following modifications to windscreens, they will enter traffic.

ORR’s Chief Inspector of Railways and Director of Railway Safety, Ian Prosser, told RAIL the following day that he expected to approve the EMUs for passenger operations once an HMRI inspector had visited the trains.

The trains have been delayed by a number of issues, the most severe of which was the design of the windscreen. This issue lead drivers’ union ASLEF to state that their members would not drive the EMUs unless the windscreens were modified.

Three-car 385004 was fitted with two designs at Newton Aycliffe and released for testing in mid-May ( RAIL 854).

Once approval is received, ‘385s’ will move to Springburn Works, where Knorr-Bremse Rail Services will fit the new windscreens.

The ‘385s’ already in Scotland for mileage accumulation (385003006/014-016, 385103/104/122124) will be the first to be treated and to enter service, while those already being tested at Newton Aycliffe (385007-013/031/033, 385105-108) will also visit KBRS to be fitted with the new screens. The four in Pistoia (385001/002, 385101/102) will also benefit from the same modification.