Company on track for the launch of new £60m train fleet

Hull Trains has revealed an artist’s impression of the new trains set to hit the tracks in 2019 as part of a £60m investment.

The firm said that from December 2019 onwards, customers will benefit from more seating capacity, enhanced interiors and faster speeds as part of a major £60m investment.

Hull Trains will be replacing its current fleet with new hi-tech Hitachi trains, operating on both diesel and electric traction. Hitachi is making progress on the five new trains.

Phil Cameron, project director for new trains, explains progress made so far on the development of the new units: “We’ve reached the end of the engineering and design phase and have now completed final sign off for production.

“Decisions have now been made on the new interiors which will be brighter and much more spacious and streamlined.

“Our industry partners have also commented on how luxurious and aesthetically-appealing the interiors are and so we are very excited to show this to our customers in due course.

“The next phase is to focus on our people and commence the relevant training plans in readiness for the launch of the trains now that the engineering plans and processes have been finalised.”

Hull Trains’ investment in its new fleet comes during a great period of modernisation on Britain’s railways as the company looks to provide a service that ultimately gives more to customers, while operating in a more environmentally-friendly manner.

As well as the additional capacity on services, more first-class seats will be available. Since Hull Trains launched in 2000, it has seen continual growth in demand for first-class tickets.

The technology involved will also mean that Hull Trains can continue to run trains where overhead wires have been damaged and have affected services in the past.

Louise Cheeseman, director of service delivery, said: “The investment in these new trains highlights Hull Trains’ commitment to high levels of customer satisfaction – something which we focus on from the service our team provides, through to the facilities experienced by everyone who uses our services.”