About Intercity Express Programme GWML ECML Latest News Contact LATEST NEWS Barbara Moorhouse appointed as Chair of Agility Trains West and Agility Trains East The Agility Trains companies have appointed Barbara Moorhouse as Independent Chair with effect from 5 November 2021. Barbara was a director of the Agility Trains West and Agility Trains East groups of companies in the period September 2015 to June 2021. In recent months, she has supported the Agility Trains shareholder groups in conducting a review of the Agility organisation. Barbara is an experienced chair and non-executive director. Her current portfolio appointments are: Chair, Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), Senior Independent Director and Chair of Remuneration Committee at Aptitude Software Group plc, Non-Executive Director of Balfour Beatty plc, Senior Independent Director and Chair of Audit Committee at Medica plc. She will be stepping down as Chair of RSSB when her successor has been appointed. Barbara has extensive senior experience in operating and financial roles across the public and private sectors. Her most recent executive roles were as Chief Operating Officer at Westminster City Council, and Director General at Ministry of Justice and Department for Transport. Earlier in her career, she was CFO at two international listed software companies: Kewill Systems plc and Scala Business Solutions NV. James Le Couilliard Chief Executive Officer LNER announces date for new Azuma trains entering service London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is pleased to announce new Azuma trains will enter into service on 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 sets for outstanding customer service. READ MORE... British train builders start work on LNER’s Azuma at Hitachi’s North East factory Hitachi has designed the trains using their Japanese bullet train technology, with the front of the train using a sleek aerodynamic design. With much faster acceleration passengers can expect their journey times to be cut once the fleet is fully introduced. The name Azuma means “east” in Japanese, an acknowledgement of Hitachi’s roots and Japan’s advanced railways. READ MORE... Azuma trains for LNER arrive in the North East for the Great Exhibition of the North The front carriage of a new Azuma train has arrived at Newcastle’s Discovery Museum as part of the Great Exhibition of the North (22 June – 9 September). The new train, set to carry passengers later this year on the East Coast Main Line, will be parked outside on the museum’s Plaza until 2nd July. The new fleet is being built at Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe factory in County Durham, which currently employs over 2,000 people. READ MORE... New Azuma trains arrive at UK port ahead of passenger services starting later this year Virgin Azuma trains will transform travel and customer experiences when they arrive on the East Coast Main Line from December this year. The fleet of 65 trains will provide an extra 12,200 seats, offer the potential to enable faster journeys and support a big increase in through services from London to places such as Bradford, Harrogate and Lincoln. READ MORE... New Intercity Express trains arrives in Inverness A new Intercity Express train has arrived in Inverness depot for the first time today, ahead of improving passenger journeys when they enter service later this year. The Hitachi-built train, which will offer customers more seats, space and improved on-board technology, is doing test runs in Scotland and giving depot staff the chance to familiarise themselves with the train. READ MORE... New intercity train carries out first Edinburgh test journey for Virgin Trains East Coast A new intercity train bound for passengers next year reached a major test milestone today as it reached Edinburgh station for the first time. Hitachi carried out the test journey between Doncaster and Edinburgh Waverley station, where passers-by were able to catch a glimpse of the new train on platform 2. READ MORE... Hitachi begins work on Virgin Trains’ Azuma fleet Virgin Trains’ customers are a step closer to new trains as work begins on the Azuma (Class 800) fleet, due to enter service on the east coast in 2018. Work on the bodyshells is taking place in Kasado, Japan, before the trains arrive in the UK to be built by Hitachi’s manufacturing team at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, home to over 900 employees and 50 apprentices. READ MORE... Hitachi donates cab of new generation high speed train to National Railway Museum Set to inspire the next generation of rail workers, enthusiasts and the public on the latest innovations in high speed rail, Hitachi Rail Europe has donated a driver’s cab of the new Intercity train to the National Railway Museum in York. The donation means visitors to the museum will have an opportunity to get up close and see the latest innovations in the rail industry. READ MORE... 150 new jobs created in Bristol area by Hitachi Rail Europe and Agility Trains The newly built £80m facility is located near to Bristol Parkway station and offers a clean, light and modern environment to work in. Recruitment for the 150 jobs will ensure the facility is ready ahead of the new trains, connecting London to Wales and the South West of England, entering service in 2017. Work carried out at the depot will include readying trains for passenger services. READ MORE... Hitachi unveils first UK built Intercity Express Train in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham Hitachi Rail Europe celebrated the first Intercity Express Programme train to be built in the UK at its manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe. The state-of-the-art £82m facility opened in September 2015 as part of an ambition to develop a hub of innovation in the North East. Hitachi were joined by the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, Minister for Northern Powerhouse, Andrew Percy, and Ambassador for Japan in the UK, Koji Tsuruoka. READ MORE... Hitachi Intercity trains begin digital signalling tests to prepare for passenger service Hitachi’s Intercity trains, bound for passenger service on the Great Western route from 2017, have begun testing digital technology designed to create extra capacity and relieve overcrowding on the country’s rail network. Intercity trains fitted with digital signalling technology carried out tests at Network Rail’s state-of-the-art signalling facility in Hitchin. READ MORE... About Modern Slavery Act Latest News Agility Trains 4th floor 4 Copthall Avenue London EC2R 7DA