Avanti Class 805 testing plans

NETWORK Rail’s Melton Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) is hosting initial testing of the Avanti West Coast Class 805 five-car bimode units, which are being built by Hitachi at its Newton Aycliffe plant.

Initial tests will be focused on noise as the trains have different engines to the previous variants of Class 800-series.

The first set, No. 805001 is due to be joined at Melton by a second unit during November for trials as a 10-car train.