Class 810 for East Midlands Railway Construction/Introduction Updates

[Amos390]

Observations at the factory this week.

Currently 810020 sat undergoing testing outside in yard.

810017, 021, 022 and 023 all been sat outside undergoing various tests, currently 022 is outside having work undertaken on its doors, with scaffolding structures to allow access.

Unit 810026 seen in a complete state been shunted between test sheds.

Still no idea where 002 is.

Is that meaning 020 is the one testing at nights then?

 

[1D54]

005 and 007 still not been seen for many weeks as reported by 800001 last month? 002 probably not returned from Italy yet but i must say I'm intrigued by the secrecy that seems to be involved with this unit, that just leaves 001 last reported to be in a shell like condition and down the order for units to be released.

 

[800001]

005 and 007 still not been seen for many weeks as reported by 800001 last month? 002 probably not returned from Italy yet but i must say I'm intrigued by the secrecy that seems to be involved with this unit, that just leaves 001 last reported to be in a shell like condition and down the order for units to be released.

005/007 reported to be among the last to enter service, presume the rewiring on these two was extensive.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 May 2026 ==

Is that meaning 020 is the one testing at nights then?

022 was also out last week overnight.

 

[1D54]

Thanks for the above. Much appreciated.

 

[800001]

Been talking to a source from Hitachi, who has advised me that the coaches from 810002 that got sent to Italy, have severe weld issues and are going to or have been scrapped.

Replacement carriages to be built for this unit at Aycliffe.

Now how true/accurate this is I do not know, but could explain the secrecy around this unit.

Also unsure how many carriages went to Italy, I was lead to believe 3.

 

[720144]

Currently 810020 sat undergoing testing outside in yard.

810017, 021, 022 and 023 all been sat outside undergoing various tests, currently 022 is outside having work undertaken on its doors, with scaffolding structures to allow access.

Unit 810026 seen in a complete state been shunted between test sheds.

Still no idea where 002 is.

Many thanks for the update. Hopefully next week 020 will be delivered to Etches.

 

[Amos390]

Just had a flow released for Tuesday, Merchant Park to Etches Park Sdgs

 

[QSK19]

Been talking to a source from Hitachi, who has advised me that the coaches from 810002 that got sent to Italy, have severe weld issues and are going to or have been scrapped.

Replacement carriages to be built for this unit at Aycliffe.

Now how true/accurate this is I do not know, but could explain the secrecy around this unit.

Also unsure how many carriages went to Italy, I was lead to believe 3.

It reminds me of a tale I’ve heard that a Danish railways train being constructed in Italy ended up in Libya? Maybe 002 has ended up there .

But as you say, looks like replacement carriages have to be built.

 

[Amos390]

Have they finished up on driver training now, or are they just taking a break, as the driver training flows haven’t ran for the last few days recently. I’m presuming they’ll have to start up again once 10-car happens, to train up the drivers on longer units, and the coupling/uncoupling procedures, will this need new flows or will the current ones be fine?

 

[liamf656]

Have they finished up on driver training now, or are they just taking a break, as the driver training flows haven’t ran for the last few days recently. I’m presuming they’ll have to start up again once 10-car happens, to train up the drivers on longer units, and the coupling/uncoupling procedures, will this need new flows or will the current ones be fine?

No, training is still progressing for both drivers and train managers

 

[Amos390]

No, training is still progressing for both drivers and train managers

OK, just holding back over the holidays then? Also saw there are more 10-car flows on Sunday, 3Z12/13/14/15

 

[GilfachFargoed]

Been talking to a source from Hitachi, who has advised me that the coaches from 810002 that got sent to Italy, have severe weld issues and are going to or have been scrapped.

Replacement carriages to be built for this unit at Aycliffe.

Now how true/accurate this is I do not know, but could explain the secrecy around this unit.

Also unsure how many carriages went to Italy, I was lead to believe 3.

Is this a result of the Japanese 'Kaizen' manufacturing ethos that Hitachi trumpet? It seems that Hitachi Europe may be an exception to the rule, given the on going saga of this fleet...

 

[nigelsporne]

Is it more of a Japanese 'Kamikaze ethos?'

 

[WesternLancer]

Is it more of a Japanese 'Kamikaze ethos?'

Do you think maybe something got lost in translation when uk plant set up….

 

[AndrewP]

Do you think maybe something got lost in translation when uk plant set up….

Or too much Italian influence

 

[Bald Rick]

Or too much Italian influence

The reversing lights work just fine.

(with huge apologies to my many close Italian friends!)

 

[QSK19]

The reversing lights work just fine.

(with huge apologies to my many close Italian friends!)

My go-to line of teasing when I want to wind up my Italian in-laws

 

[AndrewP]

The reversing lights work just fine.

(with huge apologies to my many close Italian friends!)

I suppose the coffee will be excellent though!

Genuinely love Italy and it's people

 

[Amos390]

810010 + 810019 testing 10-car today

 

[apinnard]

810015 running as 1F24 packed up around Sharnbrook and has limped to Kettering and been terminated. Since witnessed it leave for Etches as 5Z24.

 

[DannyMich2018]

810015 running as 1F24 packed up around Sharnbrook and has limped to Kettering and been terminated. Since witnessed it leave for Etches as 5Z24.

810011 failed on Sat at Chesterfield. I'm hoping reliability will improve as looking at RTT not very often all sets make it a full day in service. I still hope to travel on an 810 so will wait a while longer till more are in service.

 

[duffield]

... I'm hoping reliability will improve as looking at RTT not very often all sets make it a full day in service. ...

The depressing thing is (from the impression I've got) that the very latest units to go into service seem to be suffering from the same faults as the early ones, so it's like they are not really making any progress.

 

[apinnard]

Is it possible that the ORR, or even the performance bods at NR might start to question the sustained poor performance of the new 810s and outgoing 222s in terms of timetable decimation and knock-on effects to other tocs and focs? Surely the industry needs to be taking this a little more seriously now?

 

[baz962]

OK, just holding back over the holidays then? Also saw there are more 10-car flows on Sunday, 3Z12/13/14/15

Doubtful. If no training unit available , then service trains are used .

 

[QSK19]

If these new units continue to be so unreliable then it must be approaching the point where EMR cancelles the order and goes with an alternative train.

If i purchased a car for example that had this manh issues i dould reject it. Better to cut their losses now if the manufacturer cannot deliver.

As other have said, will never happen.

Cancellation of electrification by Failing Grayling really messed things up in terms of MML rolling stock. EMUs should really have replaced the 222s; but the MML being successive governments’ plaything has left things in a sad state of affairs. EMU replacements were binned, so bi-modes were specified. Then the order with Hitachi was placed with delivery scheduled to be around 2022-23. Then delivery got pushed back, then again, then again, then again, etc. All this time, nothing was done to the 222s (new seat cloths aside) given that there was no point doing anything if they were to go back in several months’ time, then 810s delayed & consequently having to eek things out in terms of 222 maintenance. Then again, and again, and again. The icing on the cake is Alexander’s cancellation - ahem, “pause” - of MML electrification; and when the 810s did come into service, endless faults which should have been sorted by now. It’s been at least 5 years since construction started.

It’s been a very sorry state of affairs, but we’re way too far down the line for them to be handed back and new trains replace them. I just hope Hitachi continue to get fined for all these faults seeing as IC services are quite frankly not good enough for the fares paid.

 

[jthjth]

As other have said, will never happen.

Cancellation of electrification by Failing Grayling really messed things up in terms of MML rolling stock. EMUs should really have replaced the 222s; but the MML being successive governments’ plaything has left things in a sad state of affairs. EMU replacements were binned, so bi-modes were specified. Then the order with Hitachi was placed with delivery scheduled to be around 2022-23. Then delivery got pushed back, then again, then again, then again, etc. All this time, nothing was done to the 222s (new seat cloths aside) given that there was no point doing anything if they were to go back in several months’ time, then 810s delayed & consequently having to eek things out in terms of 222 maintenance. Then again, and again, and again. The icing on the cake is Alexander’s cancellation - ahem, “pause” - of MML electrification; and when the 810s did come into service, endless faults which should have been sorted by now. It’s been at least 5 years since construction started.

It’s been a very sorry state of affairs, but we’re way too far down the line for them to be handed back and new trains replace them. I just hope Hitachi continue to get fined for all these faults seeing as IC services are quite frankly not good enough for the fares paid.

Hitachi might be getting fined, but this somehow doesn’t find its way back to the travelling public in any accountable form.

 

[BorderCollie]

Previous precedents have been set - e.g. free extra 170 Turbostars and 334 Junipers as compensation for ScotRail due to late deliveries...

 

[Trainman40083]

It may be "obvious" but when you're spending several £million on refurbishment you need a contract signed guaranteeing a return on the investment. If you were Eversholt/Beacon's commercial director, would you sign that refurbishment contract without a lease signed up?

In many cases, heavy overhaul/refurbishment costs are met through increased lease charges, over the years after. No way EMR would pay, as it could be seen as wasted money, if it was not what ScotRail wanted. I'd imagine ScotRail would also want a train that looked new, rather than showing signs of wear.

 

[QSK19]

Previous precedents have been set - e.g. free extra 170 Turbostars and 334 Junipers as compensation for ScotRail due to late deliveries...

I seem to remember that the possibility of extra 810s as compensation was officially ruled out. A shame, but there would have been issues with contracts, financing, etc.

I remain optimistic that things will eventually sort themselves out (it was never going to be completely smooth sailing), but it just seems a long way away!

 

[Failed Unit]

I seem to remember that the possibility of extra 810s as compensation was officially ruled out. A shame, but there would have been issues with contracts, financing, etc.

I remain optimistic that things will eventually sort themselves out (it was never going to be completely smooth sailing), but it just seems a long way away!

It is as that would be a brilliant solution, enabling more 10 car trains (as there is a lot of speculation that there are not enough 10 car daigrams to meet demand)