Hull Trains have welcomed the arrival of the first of the brand-new Hitachi Rail Paragon trains.
It comes as part of a £60m investment into five state-of-the-art, bi-mode intercity trains, known as Class 802s, bringing a transformed service from Hull to London.
Hull trains, which currently operates 92 services and employs 127 people, recently appointed a new customer experience director.
Built using Japanese bullet train technology, the new fleet will provide more space and seating from longer carriages, a sleek, modern design and faster acceleration.
The trains will offer 5,500 additional seats per week, a quieter and smoother rise and better reliability for passengers.
The full roll out will be staggered, with the full fleet expected to be in service by early 2020.
Managing director, Louise Cheeseman, said:
“We have made a significant investment in these hi-tech trains which will completely overhaul the current service as our customers know it”
“Not only will these trains give a smoother ride, they will be a lot more reliable than our existing trains, they will include complimentary Wi-Fi, plug and USB sockets throughout, a brand new at-seat trolley service and an even greater choice and improved quality of hot and cold food. We are increasing capacity on our trains by 22% which means more people are able to travel too.”
The Paragon fleet have the ability to switch between electric and diesel power, with more than two thirds of the journey from Hull to the capital using electric power, providing a more environmentally friendly service.
In the part of the journey that uses diesel power, the modern engines reduce harmful emissions (PM10 and NOx) by up to 90% compared to existing trains.
Andy Barr, Group CEO, Hitachi Rail said:
“These new trains designed using advanced bullet train technology have proven extremely popular, becoming the intercity train of choice on Britain’s rail network. The trains' many benefits include no more diesel emissions when running on electric power, fast and free Wi-Fi, and greater comfort for passengers. With over 25,000 smart sensors on board each train allowing real-time monitoring, our maintenance team can ensure a reliable and efficient service for people travelling to and from Hull and beyond.”