Hitachi Unveil Suburban and Metro Train Designs

[whhistle]

Hitachi released details of new suburbs and metro train models that it hopes to sell to the UK and European market.

Mockups of the AT100 and AT200 were unveiled at a special event in London on July 21.

The trains will be manufactured in Hitachi’s new train factory, which is currently under construction in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The AT200, which has been dubbed as the next generation commuter train, has been designed to tap into the huge market for electric-multiple units – a market currently dominated by Siemens and Bombardier in the UK.

Both the AT100 and AT200 will be available in three to 12-car configurations. The trains feature onboard diagnostic system that communicates back to the depot about performance, reducing the need for regular inspections.

The AT200 design is at the centre of Hitachi’s Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) rolling stock bid.

http://www.globalrailnews.com/2014/07/21/hitachi-unveils-suburban-and-metro-train-designs/


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I think it looks sexy!

Ruined with the door though:

 

[Marvin]

I think it looks better with the door! It may just be the way they've drawn it, but the no-door version looks very narrow at the front.

 

[cf111]

Looks snazzy. I've always assumed that they will go with a 380 or derivative for EGIP just to keep the fleet similar though.

 

[route:oxford]

Looks snazzy. I've always assumed that they will go with a 380 or derivative for EGIP just to keep the fleet similar though.

You think an independent Scotland would order a new train that was built in *England*?

More likely to go to a country that is sympathetic with their plan to join Europe...

 

[gordonthemoron]

didn't BREL use to have a factory in Glasgow?

 

[NotATrainspott]

Hitachi Rail Europe's website has had the AT100, AT200 and AT300 (generic 395 design) on it for quite some time, including these pictures.

 

[sprinterguy]

didn't BREL use to have a factory in Glasgow?

Yep, St Rollox works (Springburn) is still there, now under the care of Knorr Bremse following the demise of Railcare.

 

[Domh245]

With the AT100, I suspect that the front can be "customised" - You could order it with or without the gangway, much like the class 700s, why would you need a gangway if your train is 12 carriages long! I'd also hope that the designs are easily producible in a number of sizes, I doubt that any european country would want to get a train in our restricted loading gauge!

 

[rebmcr]

I'm just impressed that a gangway'd cab-end looks good. That's quite an accomplishment.

 

[jopsuk]

The trains will be manufactured in Hitachi’s new train factory, which is currently under construction in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

That's "WOULD be manufactured". Not going to be built anywhere if they don't land any orders!

 

[route:oxford]

That's "WOULD be manufactured". Not going to be built anywhere if they don't land any orders!

I've often wondered about this.

Given that there is a "shortage" of just about every type of stock on the network. What happens if a manufacturer undertakes a speculative build for their own leasing company.

Say 20 6-car EMUS with a fairly average specification?

Would other manufacturers cry foul if they were leased by TOCs without going through a standardised procurement process?

 

[ainsworth74]

I've often wondered about this.

Given that there is a "shortage" of just about every type of stock on the network. What happens if a manufacturer undertakes a speculative build for their own leasing company.

Say 20 6-car EMUS with a fairly average specification?

Would other manufacturers cry foul if they were leased by TOCs without going through a standardised procurement process?

Not quite the same but Porterbrook (I believe it was) ordered a small number of 170s around 2002ish without any operator in mind. They didn't sit idle for very long and were quickly leased to LM (or whatever it was back then).

 

[fgwrich]

What is odd though is how slimline those photoshopped pictures look. Even more so seeing that the designers must have been looking at the PEPs, given the rather odd shape of the prototype Hitachi EMU shown to RE this week.

https://twitter.com/railexpress/sta...ampaign=wnxxuk&utm_content=491287571339964416

Cant say I'm impressed so far with Hitachi's offering, that part interior shot looks awful, those PEP like bodyshape looks rather awful and the AT200 looks rather like a Desiro with a Hitachi stylised Desiro City cab bolted on.

 

[edwin_m]

I've often wondered about this.

Given that there is a "shortage" of just about every type of stock on the network. What happens if a manufacturer undertakes a speculative build for their own leasing company.

Say 20 6-car EMUS with a fairly average specification?

Would other manufacturers cry foul if they were leased by TOCs without going through a standardised procurement process?

As mentioned, Porterbrook did this by buying up the output of the ADtranz (now Bombardier) Turbostar line and ended up leasing all its purchases out to a range of operators.

By doing that a supplier can potentially deliver much more quickly than other leasing companies who would have to get the train built first. So if early delivery is important they have an advantage, though the operator would probably have to specify early delivery in the procurement documents if they are to take account of it in the selection process.

The risk is that the leasing company is landed with units that can't be leased, or an operator tries to beat them down on price because they know or suspect the leasing company has no other operators interested. In practice this was a fairly low risk for Porterbrook at the time, because with the Alstom alternative being so unreliable Bombardier was the only credible player in the DMU market. With no second hand units available and Porterbrook buying up the production there wasn't any alternative means of operators getting hold of DMUs.

It would be much more difficult for a ROSCO to do the same thing with DMUs today, because DfT believes there is no need for any in the foreseeable future and will probably do what they can to stop any TOC that wants to buy some. With electrification the ROSCOs themselves are nervous of diesels because they may find they can only lease them out for a few years then be landed with an expensive train, far from life-expired, with nobody wanting to pay for it. In the EMU market there are three suppliers with recent success in the UK market and at least two more offering credible products, so no way a ROSCO can buy up a production line without the risk of the operator playing them off against another supplier.

 

[170401]

You think an independent Scotland would order a new train that was built in *England*?

More likely to go to a country that is sympathetic with their plan to join Europe...

Never heard so much tiny minded utter rubbish!

 

[Emyr]

Jealousy, probably.

 

[northwichcat]

Not quite the same but Porterbrook (I believe it was) ordered a small number of 170s around 2002ish without any operator in mind. They didn't sit idle for very long and were quickly leased to LM (or whatever it was back then).

Things seemed to work differently since then Central (managed by National Express) ordered 170s, as did MML (managed by National Express) when MML ordered new 222s, the MML 170s went to their sister company Central. Imagine if Southern had ordered new DMUs with the intention of sending the 171s to their sister company (LM), would it have been allowed?

 

[swt_passenger]

Things seemed to work differently since then Central (managed by National Express) ordered 170s, as did MML (managed by National Express) when MML ordered new 222s, the MML 170s went to their sister company Central...

How can anyone know at this distance in time who organised/approved the move though? If they'd gone off lease from MML back to the Rosco, and then the next day gone from the Rosco to Central as authorised in advance by DfT, would it have looked any different in practice?

Would it have been reported accurately in the rail press at the time, or not?

 

[northwichcat]

How can anyone know at this distance in time who organised/approved the move though? If they'd gone off lease from MML back to the Rosco, and then the next day gone from the Rosco to Central as authorised in advance by DfT, would it have looked any different in practice?

Would it have been reported accurately in the rail press at the time, or not?

There seemed to be a lot of things happening involving related companies at the time.

It was reported that the intention was for the first 180s to go to First North Western but with Virgin getting competition protection and the FNW London services going, they were diverted to parent company FGW.

While National Express had a pool of 350/1s which got used by both their Silverlink and Central franchises.

Then the First Hull Trains 170s transferred to First Scotrail.

These kind of things seem to stopped since the middle of the last decade.

 

[West Ruislip]

Pictures from the press preview:

http://railpicturelibrary.zenfolio.com/p793657826

 

[jon0844]

Not sure about the interior design of these. Looks very cheap. I dare to even say that Bombardier could do a better job!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What I would like would be a UK loading guage version of the Z50000 class ( Francilien ) units in Paris; I've been in a few and they are really good inside - a perfect seat / window - large windows too - match, a fully walk through interior, plenty of accessible space, clear information screens, wide doorways.

They are the only new trains I've ever been on anywhere which I actually like as much as, if not more than, the stuff they are replacing.

( Jon - they are made by Bombardier, by the way, so your statement is correct! )

 

[route:oxford]

Never heard so much tiny minded utter rubbish!

You should read the comments pages of "The Scotsman" or "The Herald" and you'll be staggered then.

Let's just say I'll never leave my Union Flag roof mini in a Stirling car park again... It stays safely in my Oxford home.

 

[Domh245]

Looking through some more photos of the launch, and I must admit - I was shocked!

You can make out the source of my shock in the above photo - something that I don't think anyone was expecting to see!

 

[Wavertreelad]

With 20m variants available perhaps the AT100 could be something that Merseyrail might go for?

Full details on the Hitachi website http://www.hitachirail-eu.com/at-100-commuter_45.html

 

[SpacePhoenix]

With 20m variants available perhaps the AT100 could be something that Merseyrail might go for?

Full details on the Hitachi website http://www.hitachirail-eu.com/at-100-commuter_45.html

Possibly could SWT and Southern go for them as replacements for the 455s and 456s?

 

[SkinnyDave]

Never heard so much tiny minded utter rubbish!

Seconded! Although it is getting amusing now.

Anyway it will be interesting to see what stock the new Scotrail franchise go for on EGIP and also what the plans are for long distance services as well as the West Higland line!

 

[Wavertreelad]

Seconded! Although it is getting amusing now.

Anyway it will be interesting to see what stock the new Scotrail franchise go for on EGIP and also what the plans are for long distance services as well as the West Higland line!

As long as Scotland don't vote yes in the referendum and Hitachi follow the lead of Toyota who on my Toyota Avensis etch into the windows Made in Britain...

 

[SkinnyDave]

As long as Scotland don't vote yes in the referendum and Hitachi follow the lead of Toyota who on my Toyota Avensis etch into the windows Made in Britain...

Eh? What does that even mean?

 

[ainsworth74]

This thread is about Hitachi's recent unveiling of their product line-up and I would ask discussion sticks to that area. If people wish to discuss Scottish independence and possible impact on rolling stock production I would ask this is conducted on a separate thread.