LNER is delighted to announce its brand-new Azuma trains will be ready for passenger journeys from London King’s Cross to Leeds from Wednesday 15 May 2019.
The trains have been through rigorous testing with engineers and technical staff from Hitachi Rail, Network Rail and the Department for Transport to ensure they will meet the high standards LNER set for outstanding customer service. The first Azuma train will run from London King’s Cross to Leeds, with more trains being phased into service to all other LNER Destinations over the coming months.
What is the first Azuma destination?
“The first Azuma train (will run) on the service between London and Leeds. This is what customers up and down the country have been waiting for and represents a monumental milestone for rail travel. We’ve worked very hard alongside our partners and suppliers to reach this point and I look forward to giving all our customers an excellent experience every time they travel with us.” said LNER Managing Director David Horne.
How many Azuma trains will there be?
LNER customers will see more seats and more trains as Azuma is rolled out across our route, with the total fleet increasing from 45 to 65 trains.
Where was Azuma built?
The Azuma trains are being manufactured in Britain by Hitachi Rail, at its purpose-built factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
“Passengers on the East Coast mainline will soon be able to enjoy a fleet built in the North East of England harnessing Japanese bullet train technology. Our British train factory has sourced parts from across the country to build the Azuma trains, which herald a new era for this famous route.” said Karen Boswell, Managing Director of Hitachi Rail.
Rob McIntosh, Route Managing Director for Network Rail, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that passengers will soon be able to travel on the new Azuma trains and we look forward to them reaping the benefits. A huge amount of work has gone into reaching this significant step and we have worked extremely closely with both LNER and Hitachi on this.”
