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HS2 rolling stock
Proposed design of rolling stock by Hitachi and Alstom joint venture
In service2029-2033[1]
ManufacturerHitachi-Alstom joint venture
Built atHitachi Newton Aycliffe and Alstom Derby and Crewe[2]
Number under construction54[3]
CapacityUp to 528[4]
DepotsWashwood Heath[5]
Lines servedHigh Speed 2, West Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line, East Coast Main Line, Northern Powerhouse Rail[6]
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium[7]
Train length200 m (656 ft 2 in)[3]
Maximum speed360 km/h (225 mph)
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line
Current collector(s)Pantograph
Safety system(s)ETCS, AWS, TPWS
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The HS2 rolling stock are trains for the under-construction High Speed 2 (HS2) high-speed rail line in the United Kingdom.

The contract was awarded to a 50/50 joint venture between Hitachi Rail and Alstom, for 54 trains, which will be constructed in the United Kingdom.[8] The trains will be based on an evolution of the Zefiro V300 platform and able to run at the top operational speed of 360 km/h (225 mph) on the HS2 line.[9][10] The electric multiple units (EMU) will be 200-metre (656 ft 2 in) long with the option to couple two units together to create a 400-metre (1,312 ft 4 in) train.[11]

The trains are designed to be 'conventional compatible', capable of leaving the dedicated high-speed sections to continue onto existing lines,[12] and will be gauge-compatible with its planned operational routes where the loading gauge would be more restricted.[10]

History

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A modelling of costs and risks in the project in 2012 estimated that captive trains may cost around £27 million per train and the conventional compatible trains, which will be built for the United Kingdom loading gauge, could have cost around £40 million.[13]

The order for rolling stock for HS2 is specified in the Train Technical Specification issued with the Invitation To Tender (ITT), which was initially published in July 2018, being revised in March 2019 following clarification questions from tendering companies.[10]

Five bids were shortlisted for the first HS2 rolling stock contract:[14]

  • Alstom, a French company, bid for the HS2 trains with its United Kingdom managing director Nick Crossfield stating “Alstom’s vision is to make HS2 trains a timeless design classic, with a passenger experience that is as smooth, calm and spacious as it is high-speed.”[14]
  • Bombardier Transportation, comprises a Canadian company, and Hitachi Rail, a Japanese company. This partnership built Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed trains in Italy.[14] Bombardier was later acquired by Alstom, making the bid a partnership between Alstom and Hitachi.[15]
  • Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), a Spanish company, these trains would be based on its Oaris platform. The director of CAF Rail UK Richard Garner said “The Oaris platform uses the latest technology to offer high-speed travel and has demonstrated its capacity to operate at speeds over 360 km/h – combined with the advantages of proven reliability, comfort and safety.”[14]
  • Talgo, a Spanish company. These trains would be based on its AVRIL platform. Talgo UK's Jon Veitch stated “HS2 will be crucial as the UK economy grows. We humbly believe that Talgo’s combination of experience and adaptivity is the best option for both train operating companies and taxpayers.”[14]
  • Siemens, a German company. William Wilson, CEO of Siemens Mobility has said “Our team has worked tirelessly to develop an offer that transforms how passengers experience high-speed trains and set the standard for other global high-speed rail systems to follow."[14]

In the previously planned phase 2b, a number of 'captive' trains (unable to use the existing rail network) may have been ordered to operate alongside the conventional compatible trains, with a similar loading gauge to existing European high speed trains.[12]

On 9 December 2021, the contract was awarded to the Hitachi Rail-Alstom joint venture.[16]

A legal challenge by Talgo was settled out of court.[17] Siemens sought an injunction to stop the contract being awarded and later sought damages.[18] It has been reported that this is to help it secure contracts for other elements of the HS2 project.[19] The case brought by Siemens was dismissed by the High Court, and judged it was "not entitled to any damages".[20]

The contract was to be awarded in spring 2020, but was delayed due to delays to the start of HS2 construction.[21] The contract was then scheduled for October 2021 but was not awarded until December 2021 as it awaited government approval.[21]

Design

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An ETR1000 operated by Trenitalia, an example of the Zefiro series of trains

The contract to build the trains for the 54 conventional compatible trains is worth £1.97 billion, which includes an initial 12-year maintenance contract for the trains, with the option to extend this to the design life of the trains (of 35 years).[22]

Vehicle body assembly and initial fitting out of the trains will take place at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe factory, the bogies will be manufactured at the Alstom factory in Crewe, and final assembly and fit-out, including the interiors, electronics and bogies, will take place at Alstom's factory in Derby.[23][24]

The trains will start production in 2025, and start testing in 2028.[16][25] They will enter service when phase 1 and 2a of HS2 opens between 2029 and 2033.[1][needs update]

The trains will feature regenerative braking and Hitachi Rail's low noise pantograph, whilst also being 15% lighter and feature 30% more seats than comparable high speed trains in Europe.[26][21] The trains will also be the fastest trains in the United Kingdom and Europe.[8]

The interior layout will be decided following a two and a half year design process involving HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport and the West Coast Partnership.

The trains became the first in the world to achieve the BSI's PAS 2080 global accreditation for meeting environmental targets to reduce carbon emissions, such as by improving aerodynamics, using energy-efficient traction systems and lightweight, recycled content.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Phase One: London to West Midlands". hs2.org. Archived from the original on 24 February 2022.
  2. ^ Roberts, Matt (9 December 2021). "HS2 Ltd awards Hitachi-Alstom JV landmark rolling stock contracts". Rail Technology Magazine. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b "HS2 agrees £2bn deal to build UK's fastest trains". BBC News. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  4. ^ "High Speed 2 Line: Rolling Stock. Question for Department for Transport. UIN HL7194, tabled on 18 April 2023". UK Parliament - Written questions, answers and statements. 8 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Washwood Heath train depot and control centre". hs2.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021.
  6. ^ "Integrated Rail Plan". gov.uk. 18 November 2021. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022.
  7. ^ "New HS2 fleet details set out". Modern Railways. No. April 2022. p. 12.
  8. ^ a b "HS2 agrees £2bn deal to build UK's fastest trains". BBC News. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Case M.9779 - ALSTOM / BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION" (PDF). ec.europa.eu. 31 July 2020. pp. 61, 237, 276. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. To the contrary, the technicalities of the platform presented by the consortium in the context of the HS2 tender differs significantly and its related assets, IP rights and documentation do not fully exist yet.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ a b c "HS2 Train Technical Specification" (PDF). gov.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2021.
  11. ^ Wilkinson, Tom (9 December 2021). "HS2 signs £2bn deal for UK's fastest trains". The independent. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b Smale, Katherine (23 April 2017). "Classic compatible fleet for first round of HS2". New Civil Engineer. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  13. ^ "HS2 Cost and Risk Model Report" (PDF). gov.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d e f RailEngineer (11 June 2019). "The 5 bidders for HS2 train order reveal their designs – Rail Engineer". Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  15. ^ "Alstom completes acquisition of Bombardier Transportation". www.railway-technology.com. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  16. ^ a b "HS2 Ltd awards landmark rolling stock contracts to Hitachi-Alstom joint venture". hs2.org. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  17. ^ Kennedy, Catherine (28 June 2021). "HS2 reaches out of court settlement with Talgo in train procurement dispute". New Civil Engineer. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Siemens scraps legal challenge to British train order". Reuters. 10 December 2021. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  19. ^ Gill, Oliver (9 December 2021). "Germany's Siemens abandons HS2 contract battle". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Siemens Mobility Ltd v High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd [2023] EWHC 2768 (TCC)" (PDF). BAILII. 6 November 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Kennedy, Catherine (9 December 2021). "HS2's £2bn train contracts finally awarded after Covid delays and legal wrangling". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Hitachi and Alstom win order to build and maintain High Speed Two trains in Britain". Alstom. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  23. ^ "Hitachi and Alstom win order to build and maintain High Speed Two trains in Britain". Mynewsdesk. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  24. ^ "HS2 trains to be built in County Durham bringing jobs to the region". ITV News. 9 December 2021. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  25. ^ Simmons, Mark (10 May 2024). "HS2 starting to become a reality". International Railway Journal. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024.
  26. ^ Sapién, Josephine Cordero (9 December 2021). "BREAKING: Alstom and Hitachi Win HS2 Rolling Stock Contract". Railway-News. Archived from the original on 9 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  27. ^ "HS2 trains gain global recognition for reduced carbon impacts". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
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