Hull Trains has announced that they have welcomed the first of five state of the art Paragon trains today.
Hull Trains has invested £60 million into the Paragon fleet, which have been built by Hitachi Rail, which will transform train travel from Hull to London.
The fleet of new high-speed trains are being rolled into passenger service, with the full Paragon fleet expected to be operational by early 2020.
Hull Trains currently operates 92 services between Hull and London every week. The new trains operate on both diesel and electric traction.
ANNOUNCEMENT: We were very lucky to be invited to this launch – photos and some videos will be released tomorrow!
What did the officials say?
Louise Cheeseman, managing director said she was confident the Paragon trains would give the people of Hull a reason to be proud.
“We have made a significant investment in these hi-tech trains which will completely overhaul the current service as our customers know it,”
she explained.
“Not only will these trains give a smoother ride, they will be a lot more reliable than our existing trains, they will include complimentary Wi-Fi, plug and USB sockets throughout, a brand new at-seat trolley service and an even greater choice and improved quality of hot and cold food. More people will be able to travel, thanks to the 22% additional capacity.”
Councillor Daren Hale, Hull City Council's portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration and planning, land and property, said:
“This is a fantastic investment in the city and the new Hull Trains stock will be a travelling advertisement for the city of Hull.”
Andy Barr, Group CEO, Hitachi Rail said:
“These new trains designed using advanced bullet train technology have proven extremely popular, becoming the intercity train of choice on Britain's rail network. The trains' many benefits include no more diesel emissions when running on electric power, fast and free Wi-Fi, and greater comfort for passengers. With over 25,000 smart sensors on board each train allowing real-time monitoring, our maintenance team can ensure a reliable and efficient service for people travelling to and from Hull and beyond.”
Steve Montgomery, First Rail managing director, said:
“This investment in five brand new trains demonstrates FirstGroup's commitment to Hull and our Hull Trains service. We're proud to have supported the local community and East Yorkshire's economy by investing in Hull Trains and growing the service over the years.”
Kevin Tribley, CEO at Angel Trains, said:
“By investing in and developing new trains that reduce the environmental impact of rail travel we are even closer to creating a rail system that modern Britain deserves. We are incredibly proud of our team and would like to thank those at Hitachi and Hull Trains for their hard work in making this vision a reality.”
Louise added:
“The arrival of these trains marks a new era for Hull Trains. We are now on an exciting trajectory to build and grow this business into one our city can be really proud of. It's our mission to be the first choice when people are travelling to London, I want people to trust in the service we offer and the fantastic customer service our customers know and expect.
“I want to thank our loyal customers and committed staff who continue to support Hull Trains, I am genuinely excited about the future of Hull Trains, our new trains and new beginning.”
Where Next?
News Homepage
For the Latest Railway News
RailAdvent Online Shop
Framed Prints, DVD's / Blu-Ray's and more
LocoStop Community
Come and share your railway pictures
Mainline Steam Info
Upcoming mainline steam tours/loco movements
As the Hull line isn’t electrified. The Class 802 Paragon can operate on the ECML on electric mode and before it gets to Selby. It can switch power to Diesel mode before leaving the ECML onto the Non-electrified line at Temple Hirst Junction. To the north of Doncaster. Which is why the Class 802 are Bi-mode. But great news that Hull Trains will start using the Class 802 Paragon IETs today.