The ‘Nova 1’ fleet of trains will be maintained by Hitachi Rail for the next eight years after Transpennine Trains and Angel Trains awarded the company the £240 million contract.
The ‘Nova 1’ fleet which consists of 19 intercity Class 802 trains runs between Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh has accumulated 7.5 million miles since its inception into service in 2019. It has also been proven to be over 70% more reliable than the industry average.
The news of the contract renewal will also help maintain 550 jobs in Hitachi Rail depots across the North of England including the key depots of Doncaster and Edinburgh.
Jim Brewin, Chief Director UK & Ireland at Hitachi Rail said: “This contract is recognition of Hitachi Rail’s incredible maintenance team, and positive collaboration between TransPennine Express, Angel Trains and Hitachi Rail.
We will continue to invest and work tirelessly so the Nova 1 fleet goes from strength to strength.”
Paul Staples, fleet, safety and service delivery director for TransPennine Express, said: “We have had a long and productive relationship with Hitachi and we are delighted to continue working together with the award of this eight-year contract extension.
“We rely on Hitachi as a strategic partner to help us put customers at the heart of everything that we do and ensure that our Nova 1 trains offer the best journey experience when people choose to travel with us.”
The Nova 1 is a hybrid engine, and capable of speeds of up to 140mph in electric mode and 125mph when using diesel engines. It also uses Rolls-Royce MTU engines which are designed to cut harmful emissions under diesel power by up to 90%. The news on the contract comes after Hitachi Rail revealed that independent analysis showed that its UK Service and Maintenance division delivers an annual £462 million GVA for the economy.
Transpennine Express was taken into an Ownership of Last Resort agreement in May with its successor, Transpennine Trains taking over its supplier contracts.
Photo Credit: Transpennine Express/Hitachi Rail
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