Kato’s cucumber relish
WHEN politicians take a hand in railway operations, the results are usually controversial and so it proved to be, resulting in delays in the delivery of new IEP trains for the GWR and East Coast Main Line.
The process commenced in 2005 when the Department for Transport initiated the IEP programme, with tenders being issued for depot facilities and trains in 2007. It became a protracted affair with increased political involvement, particularly as some politicians were critical of the micro-management of the project.
The choice of the Hitachi-led Agility Trains consortium caused a deal of political controversy in its own right. Three years were to pass between the consortium being announced as the preferred bidder and the first orders being placed in 2012, due to final decisions on the scope of the GWR electrification; a financial review; political criticism of the aforementioned micro-management and to clear the 2010 General Election.
The train design itself is based on the Hitachi A-Train design (AT300 family), with the bodyshells manufactured in Japan and final assembly completed at a purpose-built facility at Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham.
The large number of bi-mode units in the GWR fleet
