Tender and specifications The programme to procure a replacement for the Intercity 125 fleet was launched by the DfT in 2005. In March 2007, the DfT published an
OJEU notice (2007/S 48-059536, contract title:
Intercity Express Programme (IEP), previously referred to as HST2) Initial estimates were for an order of between 500 and 2,000 vehicles. Three versions of train were asked for: electrically powered via 25 kV AC 50 Hz
overhead line, a self-powered version, and a 'bi-mode' version. The maximum allowed train length was 312 m, the minimum ('half-length') approximately 130 m. Trainsets were to be available in half-length, full-length (260 m), or intermediate-length versions, with the ability to lengthen and shorten trains in a time which would minimise that spent out of service. Also specified was the ability for
multiple working within any vehicle of the class (two units), with the time taken to couple or uncouple being 180 seconds or better, and the ability to convert a bi-mode or self-powered train to an electrically powered version in the future. Bi-mode trains were required to be able to switch between power sources both whilst stationary and at speed. The tender contained proposals for trains to enter service at the beginning of 2013, with complete introduction in the first phase on the
East Coast Main Line (ECML) by late 2016 and on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) by 2017. The trains were to be used on the ECML and GWML, with possible use on the southern part of the
West Coast Main Line (WCML), the
Fen Line, and other long distance intercity services. Phase 1 of the tender specified an operational fleet of 24 full- and 13 half-length electric, and 10 full- and 12 half-length trains for the ECML, 24 full-length trains (self-powered), and 38 half-length bi-mode trains for the GWML. Additional trains were expected for Phase 2 of the order: around 15 full-, 14 half-, and 10 intermediate-length trains for the ECML, WCML, GWML and Cross Country routes, as well as the potential for orders of over 20 trains from
Transport Scotland. The minimum top speed was , with a minimum acceleration for all subtypes in both full- and half-length formations of over from starting to over . The specification required significant improvements in energy efficiency over InterCity 125 trainsets that were fitted with
MTU engines and electric Intercity 225 trainsets; regenerative braking on both self-powered and electric versions was expected to form part of the solution to increase efficiency. Mean distances between failure were expected to be better than 60,000 miles (electric power) and 30,000 miles (self-powered mode). In November 2007, a contract award was expected in late 2008 or early 2009, with service trials beginning in 2012, and the trains in service on the GWML and ECML by 2015. The first tranche was expected to be for approximately 850 vehicles, with a maximum of 1500 vehicles subject to further orders being given. and Hitachi Europe. After
Alstom withdrew from the bidding in February 2008, Barclays Private Equity re-entered the project on 26 June 2008, four days before the end of the bidding process, as a partner of Hitachi and
John Laing, in Agility Trains. On 12 February 2009, the Government announced that Agility Trains was the preferred bidder for the contract, with the Siemens-Bombardier consortia as reserve bidders – the value of the contract was then estimated at £7.5bn, including replacements for both Intercity 125 and 225 trains. The decision was criticised for not awarding the contract to the Bombardier/Siemens offer which was expected to have resulted in work for
Bombardier's Derby factory. The DfT was also accused of '
spin' in describing the Agility trains consortium as a 'British led consortium' with a new factory being established. Additionally new depots for train maintenance were to be constructed. The full- and half-length trains were to be approximately respectively – the 26 m carriages were to be of aluminium construction, with the power cars of steel. The train used
distributed traction; the end (driving) cars in a train would have contained either
transformer and
rectifier, or hybrid electrical generation apparatus and rectifier, depending on version, but would not have powered axles. The passenger carriages could be powered, with a traction converter supplied by the train's power bus, or unpowered, trailer vehicles. In ten-car trains the formation was (2'2')(Bo'Bo')(2'2')(Bo'Bo')(2'2')(Bo'Bo')(2'2')(Bo'Bo')(Bo'Bo')(2'2'), in five-car trains (2'2')(Bo'Bo')(Bo'Bo')(Bo'Bo')(2'2'). By 2010, reduced expectation of usage due to the economic downturn, as well as the expectation of electrification of much of the GWML had changed the composition of the order: the size of the order had been reduced to around 770 carriages; diesel-only trains were no longer required; some longer bi-mode trains would have a second transformer to avoid running under bi-mode power in electrified sections; and a wider variety of train lengths was required, including trains with five, seven, eight, nine and ten carriages. By the end of 2010, Hitachi's original design had been modified to use under-floor diesel engines for self-power propulsion instead of engines in end-cars; the under-floor diesel engines can be removed, which allows the train to be converted to run only on electric power. The engines selected were MTU 1600 Series V12 (MTU 12V 1600 R80L) powered
engine-generator sets, conforming to EU IIIB emissions requirements, fitted with
SCR exhaust gas treatment system; bi-mode trains were fitted with three engines (five-car) or five engines (nine-car), with electric-only trains having one engine per train for emergency power. Capital costs for the vehicles (2012 price) were approximately £2.8 million per carriage for bi-mode versions and £2.4million per carriage for electric versions.
Electrification The proportions of traction types ordered would depend on decisions regarding further electrification. In late 2007,
Network Rail suggested that the DfT should abandon the diesel version of the IEP as emissions regulations and the minimal demand for diesel-powered high-speed trains abroad made it cheaper to electrify lines and operate electric trains than to buy new diesel trains. In January 2009, the then
Secretary of State for Transport,
Geoff Hoon, stated that before finalising procurement plans he would need to consider electrification proposals from Network Rail in terms of cost, financing and benefit. In June 2009, Network Rail published a draft Electrification Strategy recommending electrification of the
Midland Main Line and Great Western Main Line through to
Oxford and
Swansea, followed by some cross-country routes and the
Reading to Plymouth Line. On 23 July 2009, the DfT presented plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line from London to Bristol and from Swindon to Swansea. Following the
Comprehensive Spending Review in October 2010, it was announced the lines from London to Didcot, Oxford and Newbury would be electrified in the following six years.
Network Rail's commitment to electrify the main line between London and Bristol meant that the original assumptions used when formulating the procurement plan had changed; furthermore, passenger transport figure increases had not met expectations. Lord Adonis also blamed lack of financial support from the
City. Additionally, a planned second phase, to introduce new trains to the specifications in the plan on the
West Coast Main Line, was cancelled.
Opposition politicians, industry commentators and the
Association of Train Operating Companies were critical of aspects of the scheme, particularly the micromanagement of the proposed trains' specifications, and lack of input from potential operators. Also, the Department for Transport's targets for energy consumption were reported to have been considered impracticable. Other options examined in the report included combinations of: using existing carriages propelled by high-powered electric locomotives,
Class 377, or re-engineered
Class 319 or
Class 365 commuter trains on some sections to compensate for demand, the use of
Class 180 diesel trains on some non-electrified routes, or refurbished Intercity 125s, as well as infill electrification. On 25 November 2010, the
Secretary of State for Transport,
Philip Hammond, announced that a final decision on the Intercity Express Programme would be deferred to 2011 along with decisions on further electrification of the rail system. In his report Foster had been critical of the bi-mode concept as untried and untested; two options for the non-electrified sections were being considered: coupling of an all-electric train to a diesel locomotive, or Agility Trains' proposal of bi-mode trains – electric trains with additional underfloor engines. On 1 March 2011, the government announced it was to continue with the programme with Agility Trains as the preferred bidder together with plans to electrify the Great Western Main Line as far as Cardiff; the order, reduced to £4.5bn in value was for approximately 500 carriages. a financing loan for trains for the Great Western Main Line (GWML) of £2.2bn was agreed by July 2012 including £1bn from the
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), with the remainder to come from lenders including HSBC, Lloyds-TSB, Mizuho,
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ,
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation,
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank,
Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation and the
European Investment Bank (EIB). The project was the first mainline rail project in the UK to be financed through a
Public Private Partnership. JBIC loans provided £1bn of the funding, EIB £235M, and £1bn was through loans from the commercial banks - the loan period was 29.5 years. A further £280M was raised by share issues and share backed loans. The finalised £4.5bn contract for trains for the GWML and ECML was announced in July 2012. A £1.2bn option for further 30 nine-car electric trains (270 carriages) to replace the Intercity 225 on the ECML was taken up on 18 July 2013. Financial closure on the second phase of the contract (total 65 ECML trains, 497 carriages) was reached in April 2014; the value of the contract was £2.7bn over a 27.5 year lease, including design, manufacture, and maintenance; financing was through a number of Japanese, British, and French financial institutions, and the EIB. Agility Trains is to build and maintain the trainsets and receive payment from the
train operator based on train
availability. The Government is guaranteeing usage for years. The NAO also gave its opinion that the DfT had handled communications with bidders poorly, increasing the likelihood of a legal challenge to their decisions. In October 2015,
ITV News Meridian speculated that, because of the late delivery of the
Great Western electrification project, an increased number of trains might have to be diesel-equipped; in May 2016, it was confirmed by the DfT that 21 "Class 801" trains would be converted to bi-mode operation. Subsequently, these were reclassified as Class 800/3.
Manufacture In late 2012,
MTU was announced as the preferred supplier of diesel engines; bi-mode trains are to be fitted with between three and five
engine generators powered by the 12-cylinder MTU 12V 1600 R80L. Electrically powered trains are also to be fitted with a single powerpack of the same design to be used for auxiliary and emergency power, and for shunting in depots. Other component suppliers included
Knorr-Bremse (braking system),
Brecknell Willis (pantograph)
Televic Rail (
passenger information systems),
Dellner (gangway, coupler),
Voith (SE-369 gear unit.),
NSK (bearings), and
Lucchini (wheelset). the design mockups were revealed in April 2014. Signalling systems are to be supplied by Signalling Solutions Ltd. (
ATP), and
Siemens (
GSM-R), Hitachi is to use its own
ETCS signalling system on the trains. Three pre-main production series trains were manufactured in Hitachi's Kasado plant; the first, a five-car class 800 unit was unveiled on 13 November 2014; ten further production series trains were to be manufactured in Japan before final assembly production switched to Newton Aycliffe.
Hitachi factory, Newton Aycliffe During 2011, Hitachi chose the site of the UK factory at developer Merchant Place Developments'
Amazon Park (later renamed
Merchant Park mid 2013.) site in
Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, close to
Heighington railway station and adjacent to the
Tees Valley Line. Hitachi announced its intention to proceed with construction of the facility in July 2012, after financial closure was achieved for the part of the train order that concerned the GWML. Construction of the factory was scheduled to start in 2013, with train production beginning in 2015, Erection of the frame of the factory was complete by June 2014, with an official
topping out ceremony held in October 2014. On 3 September 2015, the factory was officially opened in the presence of
Hiroaki Nakanishi (Hitachi),
Patrick McLoughlin (MP),
Claire Perry (MP),
George Osborne (MP),
David Cameron (PM) and 500 guests.
Testing and introduction The first train left the Kasado factory on 7 January 2015 for shipping via
Kobe, and arrived at Southampton, England, on 11 March 2015. At a speech given to the welcoming committee, rail transport minister
Claire Perry requested that a new name be found for the trains. After-delivery testing was arranged to take place at
Old Dalby Test Track; testing of a Class 800 train (number 001) at Old Dalby commenced in early 2015. During mid-2015, the
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
trade union voted for a 48-hour strike on
First Great Western due to a dispute over plans by FGW to operate the IEP sets without guards or buffet cars. In March 2016, the first unit for
Virgin Trains East Coast was formally unveiled at
King's Cross railway station, and named
Virgin Azuma. In October 2017, the first train went into service on the Great Western Mainline. In May 2019, the first train entered service on the East Coast Mainline between London King's Cross and Leeds.
Depots In addition to existing service facilities on the GWML and ECML, four new depots were required with other depots upgraded for the trains. On the ECML, initially the
Clayhills depot in Aberdeen, and
Bounds Green depot in London were planned to be upgraded, with a new depot at Doncaster. (see
Doncaster IEP depot.)
Agility Trains East ultimately required a new depot at Doncaster; and minor upgrades to the Bounds Green depot and
Ferme Park depot in London and the
Craigentinny depot in Edinburgh. and required minor modifications or additions - these included
Neville Hill depot,
Heaton depot in Newcastle, and depots at
Inverness and
Aberdeen. ==Related orders==