British Rail Class 801 Azuma
Backgrounddarkred
InteriorimageClass 801 interior.jpg
InteriorcaptionLNER Class 801 standard-class saloon
StocktypeElectric multiple unit
Service16 September 2019–present
ManufacturerHitachi Rail
FamilyA-train
ReplacedInterCity 225
Yearconstruction2017–2020
Numberbuilt
  • 12 × 801/1
  • 30 × 801/2
Numberservice42
Fleetnumbers
  • 801/1: 801101–801112
  • 801/2: 801201–801230
Capacity
  • 801/1: 302 seats (48 first class, 254 standard)
  • 801/2: 596 seats (102 first class, 494 standard)

[1]

OwnerAgility Trains
OperatorLondon North Eastern Railway
Depots
LinesEast Coast Main Line
CarbodyAluminium
Trainlength
  • 801/1: 129.7 m (425 ft 6 in)
  • 801/2: 233.7 m (766 ft 9 in)[2]
Carlength
  • Driving vehicles:25.850 m (84 ft 10 in)
  • Intermediate vehicles: 26.000 m (85 ft 4 in)[2]
Width2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Doors
  • Single-leaf pocket sliding
  • (2 per side per car)
Maxspeed125 mph (200 km/h)[3]
Acceleration0.7 m/s2 (1.6 mph/s)[2]
Deceleration
  • Service:
  • 1.0 m/s2 (2.2 mph/s)
  • Emergency:
  • 1.2 m/s2 (2.7 mph/s)[2]
TractionHitachi IGBT[2]
Engine1 × MTU 12V1600R80L[4] (emergency use only)
EnginetypeV12 four-stroke turbo-diesel
Displacement21 L (1,284 cu in)[5]
Poweroutput
  • Engine: 560 kW (750 hp)[2]
  • Electric: 226 kW (303 hp) per motor
Electricsystemoverhead
CollectionmethodPantograph
Wheels driven
  • 5-car unit: 12
  • 9-car unit: 20
BrakesElectro-pneumatic (disc)
Safety
CouplingDellner 10[8]
MultipleworkingWithin class and classes 800 and 802

The British Rail Class 801 Azuma is a class of electric multiple unit (EMU) built by Hitachi Rail for London North Eastern Railway. The units have been built since 2017 at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe Manufacturing Facility and have been used on services on the East Coast Main Line since 16 September 2019. As part of its production, the Class 801 units were ordered as part of the Intercity Express Programme and are in the Hitachi AT300 product family, alongside the closely related Class 800 units.[9][10] LNER have branded the units as the Azuma, just like on their Class 800 units.[11]

Background and design

Main article: Intercity Express Programme

As part of the UK Government's Intercity Express Programme, the Class 801 units were to be built as replacements for the InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets which were the main trains used for services on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and the East Coast Main Line (ECML) at the time.[12] Differing from the Class 800 units, which they were built alongside, the Class 801 units were designed as purely electric multiple units, but with one diesel engine fitted to a single coach of each unit for emergency use. The Class 801 units were to enter service for both Great Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway but due to delays in the electrification of the GWML, it was announced in June 2016 that 21 nine-car (801/0) sets that were going to enter service with GWR would instead be converted to bi-modal operation.[13] As a consequence, all of these sets were re-classified as 800/3 units and the Class 801 units only see operation on the ECML. However, GWR do have the option to convert all of their Class 800 units to electric-only operation by removal of the diesel engines should it be exercised, in which case they would be re-classified as a Class 801 unit.[14]

Operations

The first service to be operated with Class 801 units ran on 16 September 2019, with a pair of 801/1 five-car units operating several services between Leeds and London King's Cross, as well as one return trip between King's Cross and Newark Northgate.[15] Three further pairs of five-car units entered service through the rest of September.[16]

The nine-car Class 801/2 units were introduced on 18 November 2019, between King's Cross and Edinburgh. This allowed a cascade of Class 800/1 units onto services between King's Cross and Aberdeen, which in turn allowed LNER to withdraw its InterCity 125 sets from that route.[17]

Fleet details

SubclassOperatorQty.Year builtCars per unitUnit nos.
801/1 Azuma[18]London North Eastern Railway122017–20205801101–801112
801/2 Azuma309801201–801230

Named units

Unit numberDateNameNotesRef.
80120422 September 2024Our PlanetNamed after the company's commitment to more sustainable transport. Livery has been applied with a partially biologically based material, the first of its kind in the UK.[19]
80120527 March 2025She's electric[20][21]
80120714 January 2025DarlingtonUnveiled to mark 200 years since the first passenger journey on the world-famous Stockton and Darlington Railway.[22]
80122419 May 2025Bradford 2025 - UK City of CultureUnveiled to mark the official opening of Platform 0 at Bradford Forster Square and to celebrate Bradford becoming the UK City of Culture.[23]
80122513 February 2024EleanorNamed after the company's new mascot as part of an advertising campaign.[24]
8012261 June 2023TogetherPride livery[25]
80122815 May 2023CenturyUnveiled to mark 100 years since the creation of the London and North Eastern Railway[26]

References

  1. ^ "Azuma Coach Layouts". LNER. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  2. ^ Rogers, Andrew; Robinson, Chris; Agatsuma, Koji; Iwasaki, Mitsuo; Inarida, Satoru; Yamamoto, Takahisa; Konishi, Kenta; Mochida, Toshihiko (2014). "Development of Class 800/801 High-speed Rolling Stock for UK Intercity Express Programme". Hitachi Review. 63 (10): 646.
  3. ^ "Speed limiters for Hitachi fleets". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 168, no. 1457. August 2022. p. 92.
  4. ^ MTU Rail Power for the UK & Ireland. MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH. September 2018. p. 2. Archived 3 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  5. ^ MTU Diesel Engine 12V 1600 for Railcar Applications (EU Stage IIIB). 01/19 ed. Friedrichshafen: Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. 17 December 2020. 32310481. Archived 14 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  6. ^ Barrow, Keith (15 January 2014). "Hitachi gains TSI certification for onboard ETCS". International Railway Journal. Simmons-Boardman Publishing. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  7. ^ Clinnick, Richard (27 February 2019). "EXCLUSIVE: ECML go-ahead for Azumas, but modifications still needed". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  8. ^ Pritchard, Robert (2021). British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2021. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. p. 390. ISBN 978-1-909431-86-7.
  9. ^ Department for Transport & McLoughlin, Patrick (18 July 2013). "Government gives green light for more state-of-the-art intercity trains". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  10. ^ "AT300 - Intercity High Speed". London: Hitachi Rail. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  11. ^ "September 16 launch for Class 801 Azumas on London-Leeds route". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  12. ^ "DfT Confirms Second Intercity Trains". Railnews. 18 July 2013.
  13. ^ "Hitachi converts GWR '801s' to bi-mode operation". Rail. 8 June 2016.
  14. ^ Preston-Ellis, Rom (18 July 2018). "GWR gives update on when we will get speedy new express trains". DevonLive. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  15. ^ London North Eastern Railway (16 September 2019). "Our first 10-car Azuma has entered service today". No. 1173498965360349184.
  16. ^ Clinnick, R. (1 August 2019). "September 16 launch for Class 801 Azumas on London-Leeds route". Rail Magazine. Peterborough: Bauer Consumer Media. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  17. ^ Butcher, S. (25 September 2020). "East Coast HST finale". The Railway Hub. Horncastle: Mortons Media Group. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ^ "New livery for Azuma". Modern Railways. Vol. 82, no. 918. Stamford: Key Publishing. March 2025. p. 18. ISSN 0026-8356
  19. ^ "LNER Introduces 'Our Planet':The Named Train Championing Sustainable Travel". London North Eastern Railway. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-24.
  20. ^ "LNER Rolls With It, Announcing Special Oasis Service To London". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  21. ^ "(What's The Story?) Oasis Fans Mad For Special LNER Service". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  22. ^ "LNER Unveils 'Darlington' Livery as it Celebrates 200 Years of the Railway". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Bradford Forster Square's Platform 0 officially opened as LNER ups London services". Rail Magazine. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  24. ^ "LNER's New V.I.P Eleanor Gets Her Very Own Train". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  25. ^ Aston, Jon (1 June 2023). "LNER Names Train 'Together' in celebration of PRIDE and Inclusivity.". RailAdvent. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  26. ^ "Journey of a Century: LNER Launches First Named Azuma Train Celebrating 100 Years". London North Eastern Railway. Retrieved 15 May 2023.