Metro vehicle arrives incognito at Newton Aycliffe
A metro vehicle has been delivered to Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe facility, as the Japanese manufacturer looks to fill the void between orders at the site.
The company declined to confirm to RAIL any details regarding the vehicle, which arrived by road on October 7.
However, sources have said it is from an order of 12 metro trains destined for Milan’s Azienda Trasporti Milanesi (ATM) system, following a contract for 60 trains signed in 2012. This latest fleet will be used on the Italian city’s Lines 1 and 2.
A Hitachi Italy press release from July 2018 states that the trains would be built in Reggio Calabria and Naples (southern Italy), with deliveries to start in autumn 2019. Both facilities form part of the Hitachi business.
There have been concerns regarding the future of the County Durham facility, with current orders nearing their end and no new deals on the horizon. Currently, a handful of LNER five-car Class 800/2s are left to be delivered, as are the final Class 801/2 Azumas (also for LNER), and one Class 385 (for ScotRail).
The final Azumas are due for delivery early in the second quarter of 2020, after which (as it stands) there are no new deals until Hitachi starts to build the majority of the 33-strong order for five-car bi-modes for East Midlands Railway. However, construction of these is unlikely to start before 2021.
Hitachi remains in the bidding for the Tyne & Wear Metro Nexus contract, but recent reports (denied by Nexus) suggest it will not be successful in winning that order, which is due to be announced early next year.
Hitachi is also bidding for the £2.75 billion HS2 classic-compatible trains, in a joint venture with Bombardier. But this contract is not due to be awarded until the first quarter of 2020.
The company has also declined to comment on speculation that it has clinched a deal with First Trenitalia to either build trains for the new West Coast Partnership franchise or to refurbish the Class 390 Pendolino fleet.