New Hitachi-built trains have entered service with Avanti West Coast, where they are replacing the diesel Voyagers which were built by Bombardier around the start of this century.
The new fleet of 23 trains, costing £350 million, has been dubbed Evero. It will eventually consist of 13 five-car bi-mode sets, known as Class 805, and 10 seven-car electric trains known as Class 807.
The first Evero train to London Euston was the 10.37 from Crewe yesterday morning, which departed without publicity and was formed by one Class 805 set. It left at the same time as two Class 805 units working in multiple departed for Holyhead.
The new trains appeared on the same day that summer timetables came into force, which also include two extra daily return journeys on Avanti West Coast between London and Birmingham on weekdays and one extra return journey on Saturdays.
Avanti said the name Evero was ‘created as part of a collaborative process with our people and stakeholders, with a Trackathon in March 2022 where suggestions were made. It was important to us that the name should stand for something bigger. A title that gives the world a glimpse of what we aim to achieve, which goes beyond getting people from A to B. The EV in Evero nods to the fact these trains are more environmentally friendly.’
The 805s and 807s will initially run on routes from London to the Midlands, Chester, North Wales and then to the North West. For the time being, they will continue to run alongside Class 221 Voyagers.
The bi-mode 805 has 299 seats, 16 per cent more than the Voyagers it is replacing. The 805s will mainly operate on the London to North Wales route while the Class 807 electric trains will run between London, the West Midlands and Liverpool.
A total of six 805s will be used on each weekday at first, and the remainder of the fleet will be introduced in due course. It will be maintained at Alstom’s Oxley depot in the West Midlands.
Avanti West Coast managing director Andy Mellors said: ‘The introduction of our new timetable and the Evero fleet marks an exciting new chapter for our people and customers.’