Class 801 Electric Multiple Units

Contemporary and Heritage-Preserved, Diesel, Diesel-Electric and Electric Locomotives (re-edit 01/10/2022)

Introduction

 British Rail Class 801 electric multiple units (EMUs) are manufactured by Hitachi and built at Hitachi Kasado (pre-production, Japan) and fitted out at Hitachi Newton Aycliffe (UK production). They are designed to replace InterCity 225 (Class 91) trains and operated by London North Eastern Railway serving stations on the East Coast Main Line. Class 801 units referred to by the family name A-Train, LNER will call them Azumas.

Specifications of Class 801 units

Class 801 Car body construction is aluminium

Class 801 Maximum speed is 125 mph (200 km/h) and (140 mph, 225 km/h with minor modifications)

Class 801 Electric system(s) 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines; Current collection method Pantograph; Safety system(s) AWS, TPWS, ETCS

The British Rail Class 801 is the electric multiple unit (EMU) variant of the Hitachi Super Express, based on the Hitachi A-train, high-speed trains to be used in the United Kingdom. They were built by Hitachi from 2017 at Hitachi's purpose built facility at Newton Aycliffe, alongside the related electro-diesel Class 800. The Class 801's are planned for introduction on the London-Leeds route from 2019.

The train is part of the Hitachi AT300 product family. Just like their Class 800s, and Class 802s London North Eastern Railway have branded their Class 801s as Azumas.

As part of the UK Government's Intercity Express Programme, the Class 801 units were to be replacements for the InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 trains which should have finished operating services on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and the East Coast Main Line (ECML) by the end of 2019. The Class 801 units were designed as electric multiple units, with one diesel engine fitted to each set for emergency use. In the 5-car sets, the single diesel engine is located in car 4. In the 9-car sets, the diesel engine is located in car 8. According to LNER, the Azuma fleet will not only increase capacity but also improve reliability and resilience, especially at times of disruption, since even the Class 801 EMUs are fitted with a single diesel powerpack.

Class 801 EMU units featured

Class 801 (sub-class 801/1) 5 coach sets featured: 801101 801103

Class 801 (sub-class 801/2) 9 coach sets featured: 801204 801205 801207 801209 801210 801212 801214 801217 801220 801222 801223 801225 801229 801230

Class 801 express EMU 9-car unit set 801222 speeds north through Northallerton station with an LNER-AZUMA service from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley station (July 2023)

Class 801 EMU unit 801207 leaving Newcastle station with an LNER Azuma service from London to Edinburgh (April 2023)

Class 801 express EMU unit 801326 arriving at Newcastle station with an LNER AZUMA service from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross (20/05/2022)

Class 801 EMU 801209 at Platform 5 York Station, with an LNER AZUMA service from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh (23/04/2022)

Class 801 EMU 801212 departing York Station with an LNER AZUMA service from Newcastle to London Kings Cross (23/04/2022)

Class 801 EMU 801210 leaving York for Kings Cross London

Class 801 EMU 801229 departing from York station platform 5 with an AZUMA LNER service to Edinburgh Waverley.

Class 801/1 EMU Class 801 9-car unit 801229 leaving York Station Platform 5 with an LNER AZUMA Edinburgh to London Kings Cross service (August 2021)

Class 801 EMU power unit of 801205 at York station with an LNER AZUMA service from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley Station (March 2022)

Class 801/1 EMU Class 801 9-car unit 801214 entering York Station with an LNER AZUMA Edinburgh to London Kings Cross service (August 2021)

Class 801/1 9 car unit 801204 at York Station with and Edinburgh to London Kings Cross LNER AZUMA service.

EMU Class 800 (sub-class 800/2) 801225 passing Northallerton station at high speed with an Azuma LNER Edinburgh - Kings Cross  Service Dec 17th 2020

EMU Class 800 (9-car sub-class 800/2) 801230 stopping at Northallerton station with an Azuma LNER Kings Cross to Edinburgh Service Dec 17th 2020

Class 801 EMU 801216 with the 0648 LNER Azuma service from Glasgow Central to London Kings Cross, Colton Junction footbridge (July 11th, 2020)

Class 801 EMU 801223 with the 1009 LNER Azuma service from York to London Kings Cross, Colton Junction footbridge (July 11th, 2020)

Unidentified Class 801/2 EMU on the 1000 LNER Azuma service from Edinburgh to Kings Cross, Colton Lane bridge, south of Colton Junction (July 11th, 2020)

Class 801 EMU 801220 with the 0830 LNER Azuma service from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh, Colton Junction footbridge (July 11th, 2020)

Class 801 EMU sub-class 801/2 9 coach unit 801217 leaving Peterborough station with an LNER Azuma service from Leeds to London Kings Cross (Jan 2020)

Entering Peterborough Station, Class 801 EMU 801217 train returning from Kings Cross with an LNER AZUMA service to Leeds.

LNER AZUMA Class 800 (sub-class 801/1) 5-car 801101, test run through York station (August 2019)

LNER AZUMA Class 800 (sub-class 801/1) 5-car 801103 Test run, York station (August 2019)

The pantograph current collection system on Class 801 EMUs

More information on Class 801

Class 801 fleet details

My Archive Steam Photos from the 1960s

docspics images photos photographs pictures © Dr Phil Brown * Treyn Railway Holidays to France, Italy and Spain from Class 801 EMU trains Booking tickets for Great Railway Journey luxury Rail Trip holidays Train travel in Europe Rail holidays from Class 801 EMU trains to the USA & Canada luxury train through the Rocky Mountain Canadian rail railway holidays through the Rockies US Cities by train from Class 801 EMU trains  Continental rail holidays to France Germany Italy Austria Switzerland Glacier Express Treyn Holidays from Class 801 EMU trains from Eurostar to Paris Brussels Avignon Turin Turino Rome Roma Florence Firenze TGV fast trains Railway travel holidays special steam excursions from Class 801 EMU trains great steam heritage line and offers luxury Pullman coach dining trains Class 801 EMU trains Travelling by train always seems a pleasure, especially if through wonderful scenery  to Class 801 EMU trains in England, Scotland, Wales or on holiday in the rest of Europe! The railway trip from Class 801 EMU trains involves seeing or travelling behind a 'real' steam locomotive in action and there is nothing like the sight and sounds of a steam train to invoke feelings of nostalgia in some of us to Class 801 EMU trains even more luxury by having a special trip out on a steam dining train! England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland top class hotels in Class 801 EMU trains dining out travel tours top tourist destinations tourist information on Class 801 EMU trains weekend breaks mini-breaks family holidays restaurants touring coach trips from Class 801 EMU trains continental tours cruise ships pleasure cruises summer breaks spring breaks continental winter breaks European winter holidays spring holidays summer holidays European Rail tours Railway travel holidays special steam excursions from Class 801 EMU trains A great steam heritage line and offers luxury Pullman coach dining trains European Rail tours US and Canadian Railway travel holidays special steam excursions to Class 801 EMU trains A great steam heritage line and offers luxury Pullman coach dining trains Travelling by train from Class 801 EMU trains always seems a pleasure, especially if through wonderful scenery either in England, Scotland, Wales or on holiday in the rest of the railways of Europe! The railway trip involves seeing or travelling behind a 'real' steam locomotive or heritage diesel in action on a special trip from Class 801 EMU trains Booking Eurostar Continental Rail Travel Tour Tickets Stuttgart Brussels Eurostar Brussels from Class 801 EMU trains by TGV to Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International Stratford International, St Pancras International Paris Gare du Nord Paris Gare de Lyon Paris Gare de L'est Paris Gare Montparnasse by Eurostar from Class 801 EMU trains London to Paris, Eurostar London - Brussels Eurostar London to Lille deals bargain city breaks Great Railway Journey holidays in Italy, Spain and France by TGV booking from Class 801 EMU trains

Good trainspotting 'TRAINSPOTS' Good trainspotting and photographic locations  Barnetby Station, North Lincolnshire  *  Carlisle Station  *  Clapham Junction Station, London  *  Colton Junction, south of York  * Coventry *  Crewe Station  *  Doncaster Station, South Yorkshire  * Grantham * Hellifield station - Carlisle to Settle line * Lancaster station  * Leicester station * Newcastle Station  *  Northallerton Station  *  Nuneaton Station  * Peterborough *  Sheffield Station  *  Stratford Station, East London * Tamworth * Warrington Bank Quay station * Wigan North Western - WCML *  York Station

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