British Rail Class 801


The British Rail Class 801 AT300 is a type of electric multiple unit built by Hitachi for London North Eastern Railway. They are closely related to the bi-mode units of classes 800 and 802, with all three classes being in the Hitachi A-train family. The trains have been built since 2017 at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe factory and have been used on services on the East Coast Main Line since 16 September 2019.
As part of its production, the train is part of the Intercity Express Programme and is in the Hitachi AT300 product family. Just like on their Class 800 trains, LNER have branded the units as Azuma.

Background and design

As part of the UK Government's Intercity Express Programme, the Class 801 units were intended as replacements for the InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets which were formerly the main trains used for services on the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast Main Line. The Class 801 units were designed as electric multiple units, with one diesel engine fitted to each set for emergency use. In the 5-car sets, the single diesel engine is located in car 4. In the 9-car sets, the diesel engine is located in car 8. However, owing to delays in the electrification of the GWML, in June 2016, the Government announced that the 21 nine-car units planned for use by Great Western Railway would instead be converted to bi-mode operation, and they were later reclassified as Class 800/3. As a consequence, Class 801 units will be used exclusively on the ECML.

Operation

The first two 5-car 801/1 sets entered service on 16 September 2019 with LNER, doubled up to make a 10-car train. This was announced by LNER as the first 10-car Azuma to enter service. 801109 and 801110 were the units, having started and finished their diagram at Leeds.
As more 801/1 sets have entered service gradually, the 9-car 801/2 sets have also been able to start being introduced alongside them too. The first two entered service on 18 November 2019, with 801205 working an Edinburgh service and 801207 working a York service both from Kings Cross.

Fleet details