Vehicles arrive for final Newton Aycliffe bi-mode

Vehicles for the final Intercity Express Programme bi-mode to be assembled at Newton Aycliffe have arrived from Kasado (Japan).

Bi-mode 800210 will be completed at the County Durham site, joining 800203-800209 in the process. None of the trains, which are destined for LNER, have yet been released for testing at the site.

Work has recently focused on the five-car Class 801/1 electric multiple units, with 801104/106/ 108-110 undergoing tests at the site ahead of delivery, and 801111/112 in the final stages of assembly.

The most recent departure from the site (as this issue of RAIL went to press) was nine-car 800110. This was the final Azuma completely assembled at the site, and follows 800102/104/106/108. It ran to Eastleigh for post-production modifications, after which it will run to Doncaster Carr for testing and commissioning, where it will join 800104/106/108 as well as Kasadobuilt sets being used for training.

Still at Newton Aycliffe is 800101, which is being reformed with newly assembled vehicles following around two years of testing. Vehicles had been removed from this Azuma for insertion into Great Western Railway Class 800/3s.

Finally, the first vehicles for the first nine-car Class 801/2 EMU to be assembled at the County Durham site are now being delivered. These vehicles are for 801203.

With authorisation given for LNER to use Azumas, they are expected in traffic on the East Coast Main Line in the coming weeks, although no date has been confirmed.

Currently running tests on the national network are 800103/107/ 109/111-113, 800201/202, 01101/ 102, 801201, with 800105 to be released from Doncaster Carr soon.

LNER has 800101-800113, 800201-800210, 801101-801112 and 801201-801230 to be delivered.