On 9th December, 2016 – Hitachi Rail Europe (HRE), a global rail specialist with over 100 years of industry expertise, celebrated the first Intercity Express (IEP) train to be built in the UK at its manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe. Hitachi was joined by the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, Minister for Northern Powerhouse, Andrew Percy, and Ambassador of Japan in the UK, Koji Tsuruoka.
HRE opened the state-of-theart £82m facility in Newton Aycliffe in September 2015 as part of its ambition to develop a hub of industry and innovation in the North East. By Spring 2017, Newton Aycliffe will employ approximately 900 people. By 2019, HRE will employ 2,000 people across 14 UK sites, including manufacturing and maintenance facilities. A host of British businesses will continue to supply parts for new trains, supporting thousands of additional jobs countrywide.
In addition to building new fleets, Hitachi will maintain the trains at newly built facilities. By 2020 Hitachi will become one of the largest maintainer of UK trains. In total Hitachi will have 281 trains running on the UK network, carrying millions of passengers along intercity and commuter routes. Today’s event at Newton Aycliffe will be an opportunity to view and board the first of the British-built new IEP trains and see trains being built at the facility.
Unveiling ceremony of the first IEP train built at Hitachi Rail Europe Newton Aycliffe plant, County Durham.
