/NEWS
Darren Cumner - told Aycliffe
Today that Hitachi’s factory
will be ready this Autmn.
HITACHI FACTORY
READY FOR AUTUMN
Hitachi Rail Europe’s historic train-building factory in Newton
Aycliffe is on course to be completed by the Autumn.
Site manager Darren Cumner told Aycliffe
positive impact.
”
Today he’s “delighted” with the progress
Hitachi has started shipment of the first
Shepherd Construction has made.
completed pre-series Class 800 train from
Meanwhile, Hitachi has started shipment
Tokyo to Aycliffe.
of the first completed pre-series Class 800
The train manufacturers unveiled the train
train from Tokyo to Newton Aycliffe.
that will soon be gracing the East Coast
Local family construction firm Finley
mainline last November at Kasado Works in
Structures started to fabricate and erect
Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
2,000 tonnes of steel on the huge site last
In the first half of 2015 the three trains –
April and a “topping out” ceremony was
each measuring five to 12 cars long – will be
held at the end of October to celebrate the
shipped to the Hitachi’s £82m train-building
completion of the building envelope.
factory on Aycliffe Business Park for test
Shepherd is now busy fitting out the
operations.
factory, which will be handed over to Hitachi
In total 122 trains have been ordered, 12 of
later this year.
which are being manufactured in Japan.
“I’m on the site every
The project is being
week so perhaps don’t
carried out through a
“We’re delighted with the Public Private Partnership
recognise the progress
progress made to date and (PPP) scheme led by the
that’s being made, Mr
”
Cumner told Aycliffe
British Department for
we’re on course for an
Today.
Autumn handover this year. Transport, with financial
” support provided by
“It’s pretty impressive
the progress that
the Japan Bank for
Shepherd Construction have made. There’s
International Cooperation (JBIC) and Nippon
still a lot of work to do, but they have a very
Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI),
good plan and they’re a very good company.
among other organisations.
“We’re delighted with the progress made
The train being shipped will arrive in the
to date and we’re on course for an Autumn
UK in March, after which it will be equipped
handover this year.
”
with various measurement devices for
Hitachi have so far employed 60 members
testing.
of staff, who are split between two sites –
The train shipped was expected to arrive
the Xcel Centre and South West Durham
at Kobe Port on 22nd January, and will be
Training (SWDT).
bound for the UK after being loaded on a
And Mr Cumner says the local community
large ship.
is already starting to feel the benefits of the
Alistair Dormer, global chief executive
“Hitachi effect”
.
officer of Hitachi Rail, said: “After unveiling
He added: “At the moment we have about
this train in November last year, I am
60 people and we’re already aware of some
immensely proud that we today see the first
of the affects we’re starting to have in the
shipment leave our factory in Kasado.
local shops, local restaurants, sports centres
“Our engineering teams in the UK and
for example, so when we reach the level of
Japan have been working exceptionally hard
730 it’s going to have a huge affect.
with all stakeholders to ensure that this train
“We’re always nervous of over
will be ready for testing in the UK from April
exaggerating or over predicting what that’s
this year onward.
”
going to be but we know it will have a
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