Passengers who travel on the Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline are another step closer to new electric trains, as the ScotRail Alliance successfully tested one of its new trains along the full route this morning.
One of the new Hitachi Class 385 electric trains travelled between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street at 00:30 hours on Wednesday 1 November.
This follows a successful trial of the infrastructure between Edinburgh and Linlithgow in the early hours of Wednesday 18 October 2017.
Full testing of the trains and the infrastructure along the route will continue for several weeks.
When the new trains enter passenger service they will deliver faster journeys, more seats and better services for customers travelling between Scotland’s two biggest cities, and will then be rolled out to other routes in the central belt.
ScotRail Alliance Programmes and Transformation Director Ian McConnell, said:
“This morning’s trial was a massive step towards the introduction of electric passenger trains on the newly electrified Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline. Having a train run successfully along the full route shows real progress.
“We are building the best railway that Scotland has ever had. When our brand new, state of the art, electric fleet enter service, customers will reap immense benefits. With more seats and faster journeys on cleaner, greener trains, the new trains will completely transform travel between our two biggest cities, and across the Central Belt.”
Hitachi Rail Europe Programme Manager Andy Radford, said:
“We are really pleased that our new trains can now be tested on the newly electrified Edinburgh to Glasgow routes. We will continue to work closely with the ScotRail Alliance to ensure the trains deliver the benefits to future passengers as soon as possible.”
NOTES
Electrification of Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route
The 46 miles of the newly electrified railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow went ‘live’ for testing and safety checks on 2 September 2017. More information on the project can be found at www.egip.info
Class 385s
Initially introduced on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route, Class 385s will run:
- Edinburgh – North Berwick
- South Glasgow suburban routes - Cathcart Circle / Neilston / Lanark
- Glasgow/ Edinburgh – Dunblane / Stirling / Alloa
- Glasgow – Falkirk Grahamston via Cumbernauld
- Glasgow Central – Edinburgh via Shotts
When eight-car trains are introduced on the Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk High route, this will improve capacity by up to 44% at peak times (compared to a current six-car trains being used).
There will also be more seats during peak periods on the Glasgow/Edinburgh - Stirling/Dunblane/Alloa lines, Edinburgh - North Berwick, and Glasgow Central – Edinburgh via Shotts.
Once in passenger service, customers will benefit from:
- Bright, modern, contemporary interiors
- Faster, quieter and more comfortable journeys
- Power sockets
- Free WiFi
- More luggage storage
- Accessible toilets in every train