LNER has launched its brand new Azuma fleet in 2019 on the east coast mainline, stretching the length of the country from Inverness, through Edinburgh, York and Leeds all the way down to London. The state of the art trains will create the ultimate experience for everyone who steps on board.
The brand, new, high specification trains have been specially designed to provide a superb travelling experience for all, being faster, smoother, quieter and more reliable.
Once fully launched, there will be more opportunities for passengers to journey to and from smaller stations across Yorkshire, including Skipton, Bradford, Harrogate and Hull. One service per day will be increased to six, significantly increasing the region’s interconnectivity.
Each train across the 65-strong fleet will have 20% more capacity which translates to about 100 more seats on each service. An increase in seating as well as more trains, means that better value fares will be available for costumers travelling to and from Yorkshire (and the rest of the east coast). Power sockets will be installed at every seat, with improved Wi-Fi allowing passengers to stay connected whilst on the move. There will be more legroom for added comfort, ergonomically designed seats, plus plenty of overhead and under seat storage space.
“Working from LNER’s Head Office in York, we’ve taken inspiration from our Azuma trains’ Japanese origins and worked with new materials and techniques to create a bespoke interior for our new trains”, explains Gareth Peate, Studio Designer. “Being in York means that we’re perfectly placed to work with many of the rail industry’s best and most innovative suppliers, many of which are based in Yorkshire!”.
As part of LNER’s approach to introducing the new fleet, they have involved colleagues from across the business by appointing 50 Azuma Pioneers. These pioneers contribute to the overall project and are able to influence decisions based on their specialist knowledge. The trains which are being built at Hitachi’s Newtown Aycliffe, Durham site will have their finishing touches made at the state of the art depot in Doncaster. Hitachi has drawn on its experience of cutting edge bullet train technology in the design and manufacturing of the new fleet.
“Azuma will bring a new era of style in long distance rail travel” enthuses David Horne, LNER Managing Director. “We’re excited to see preparations gather pace that will help transform services for passengers across Yorkshire.”
The distinctive and memorable 65-train Azuma fleet has now been introduced on the Leeds to London route this year.
LNER operate 30 trains every weekday from Leeds to London King’s Cross and 53 trains every weekend from Doncaster to London King’s Cross. London King’s Cross to York journey times from 1hr 48mins. To find out more about Azuma go to www.lner.co.uk/azuma
