HS2 - here is how it will look, travelling at 225mph across Warwickshire
HS2 trains, which will travel at 225mph across Warwickshire, will be unveiled officially this weekend.
The all-electric trains will be designed to operate on both the HS2 network and the existing rail network – enabling HS2 trains to travel north towards Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow in the future.
"Capable of speeds of up to 225mph (360km/h), they will be amongst the quickest, quietest, and most energy efficient high-speed trains operating anywhere in the world,” says HS2.
Rail enthusiasts heading to The Greatest Gathering event in Derby this weekend (August 1 – 3) will have the opportunity to see the £2bn concept designs for HS2’s Class 895 trains.
HS2 is joining forces with rail industry representatives for what is touted as ‘The Greatest Gathering’ of historic and modern trains and rail-related exhibits.
The event takes place at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works, which will open its doors to the general public for the first time in almost 50 years.
The images released by the company are published in this article. They show a spartan interior with design features HS2 thinks will be a hit with passengers.
In its launch blurb HS2 says: “The design features include a generous seat pitch – with more leg room than any other standard class UK train; improved overhead and beneath the seat luggage storage, recognising that passengers prefer to have their possessions close by; baby changing tables, clothing/bag hooks and a pull-down child seat in toilet cubicles, reflecting feedback from families travelling with small children.
“Saloon seats (have) a spacious dropdown tray table and a separate shelf to stand phones on when viewing video content; (there will be) multiple power and charging options including 3-pin plugs and USB-C and redesigned horizontal bike storage which maximises space and makes it quicker and easier for cyclists to board and alight.”
Twenty dedicated user groups and a consumer focus group of over 500 people have helped to inform the passenger experience programme of work
As part of the rail exhibition visitors will be given the opportunity to book an exclusive tour of a life-size model carriage, which has been fitted out to illustrate the concept design for HS2’s Class 895 train.
The ‘show and tell’ opportunity showcases the ongoing intensive work between HS2 Ltd, the future high speed rail operator West Coast Partnership Development (WCPD), and the joint venture company building the fleet of high-speed trains, Hitachi-Alstom High Speed.
James Dawson, HS2 Ltd’s senior rolling stock engineer said: “We’ve dedicated time and energy into understanding what matters most to people when they travel by train and by listening and acting on feedback we can be confident that our interior designs will meet and exceed passengers’ needs.
“These trains will run across Britain on high-speed and conventional lines for decades to come, so it’s important we get the fundamental design right, not just for today but also for the future.”
HS2 Ltd awarded the contracts to build Britain’s next generation of high-speed trains to the Hitachi-Alstom High Speed joint venture in 2021. The contracts, worth around £2bn, will provide a major boost to the UK’s rail manufacturing and supply chain sectors, the company says.