LNER announce CAF fleet (Class 897)

[Trainman40083]

Hitachi's maintenance quality seems to be dropping like a stone.

Thought there was an industrial dispute at Hitachi.

 

[Snow1964]

Thought there was an industrial dispute at Hitachi.

That doesn't really explain how other parts eg maintaining toilets or checking brakes etc manage to get done, but not service the engines, if the maintenance staff are on strike.

Similarly doesn't really explain how they manage to have have spare parts for bits of the train, but not other parts. Sort of implies rather more to this than meets the eye (eg lack of repaired swappable spare modules), so if insufficient this year, will there be insufficient next year and year after that etc.

 

[800001]

Thought there was an industrial dispute at Hitachi.

All disputes now settled.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Mar 2024 ==

That doesn't really explain how other parts eg maintaining toilets or checking brakes etc manage to get done, but not service the engines, if the maintenance staff are on strike.

Similarly doesn't really explain how they manage to have have spare parts for bits of the train, but not other parts. Sort of implies rather more to this than meets the eye (eg lack of repaired swappable spare modules), so if insufficient this year, will there be insufficient next year and year after that etc.

Engines are I believe maintained/serviced by MTU staff who attend the depot.

 

[dk1]

Same in a Class 180 with shut down engine underneath.

Gosh aren’t they noisy in the vestibule area?

 

[Mag_seven]

We appear to be drifting off the topic of this thread which is the LNER CAF Fleet. Can we get back to discussing that please. If anyone wants to discuss anything else then they are welcome to start a new thread elsewhere.

thanks

 

[danbarjon]

LNER have revealed mock up pictures of their new Class 897s and their new name.

Photos Credit: LNER

Photo 1: Shows red LNER seats onboard a new train, with improved headrests. Photo 2: Show's upgraded First Class. Photo 3: Show's a Passenger Information Screen stating "This train is for London Kings Cross" Photo 4: Show's a Cafe Bar on the train. Photo 5: Shows a luggage storage area and bicycle area.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Where have they revealed them please?

 

[danbarjon]

Where have they revealed them please?

Through an instagram post.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Here is a link to said post:

London North Eastern Railway on Instagram: "We’re proud to reveal images of our new fleet – ‘Serenza’ The 10 state-of-the-art Class 897 trains will be the first new fleet introduced as part of GBR, and will join our existing Azuma trains in the co

257 likes, 13 comments - lner on February 2, 2026: "We’re proud to reveal images of our new fleet – ‘Serenza’ The 10 state-of-the-art Class 897 trains will be the first new fleet introduced as part of GBR, and will join our existing Azuma trains in the coming years. Customers will benefit...

www.instagram.com

We’re proud to reveal images of our new fleet – ‘Serenza’

The 10 state-of-the-art Class 897 trains will be the first new fleet introduced as part of GBR, and will join our existing Azuma trains in the coming years.

Customers will benefit from improved seating comfort in both Standard and First Class, with the ability to recline in First Class.

New digital screens in each carriage will keep customers up to date with the latest live journey and safety information. Customers will also be able to stay hydrated on the move with the introduction of five water bottle refill stations throughout the train.

Customer and stakeholder feedback has led to redesigns of our onboard bike storage as well as softer lighting in First Class. Tables have been redesigned following feedback to give more room for wheelchair users.

 

[stadler]

Where is the name "Serenza" coming from? Does it actually have a meaning behind it like in another language? I recall that "Azuma" means something in the Japanese language? Or is this just a word made up by some marketing agency?

 

[NER1621]

For those that don’t do Instagram the press release is also on the LNER website here

Yes, “Serenza” is meaningless marketing drivel.

 

[stadler]

Interesting that they appear to have a water refill machine on these new trains. There is an image of it at the bottom of the press release. That is the first time i have seen one of those on a train.

 

[nctd2306]

Interesting that they appear to have a water refill machine on these new trains. There is an image of it at the bottom of the press release. That is the first time i have seen one of those on a train.

Avanti's IET derived trains have them, and their Pendolinos had water refill fountains retro-fitted upon refurbishment.

 

[hexagon789]

Interesting that they appear to have a water refill machine on these new trains. There is an image of it at the bottom of the press release. That is the first time i have seen one of those on a train.

Avanti's Everos and refurbished Pendolinos have water refill points in the coach with the onboard shop.

 

[vuzzeho]

LNER have revealed mock up pictures of their new Class 897s and their new name.

Photos Credit: LNER

It looks very nice. Seats look comfy (though it's a photo so how would we know?). Notable that it's LNER branded when they won't even get the chance to operate them.

Also - it's low floor?

Worth noting that it might not be a mockup - if you look out of the window of the first class image, you can see another train actually under construction with the same interior.

 

[ainsworth74]

Aaaaand once again we've got a new train with a nicer interior than the IETs and Azumas. What wonderful trains the DfT and Treasury saddled us with for the next twenty years...

Hopefully these 897s will be regulars through Darlington so I can target my journeys accordingly (though I imagine they'll be concentrated on something like Leeds for simplicity)! Certainly the pictures make them look pretty good though I'd be a little worried about the light intensity. Hopefully in the flesh it's a little more diffused.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'd be a little worried about the light intensity. Hopefully in the flesh it's a little more diffused.

In Standard it looks the same as the 397, which is bright but OK in my view.

 

[Trainbike46]

Aaaaand once again we've got a new train with a nicer interior than the IETs and Azumas. What wonderful trains the DfT and Treasury saddled us with for the next twenty years...

I'm glad about that tbh, new trains should improve over what came before, so good to see that is happening here.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Also - it's low floor?

It does appear there's a ramp down into the wheelchair area, but it doesn't look far enough down for it to be 960mm floor. But if it's a mockup it may not be a full length mockup - having the wheelchair area in the middle is a bit odd - so it might actually be the ramp is the other way round in the real units, i.e. up in the middle of the vehicle to accommodate an underfloor engine.

The vehicle (seems to be a single one) visible through the window is intriguing, but could be a Class 397 vehicle as the vestibules look the same. Or just a picture! I don't think they've built any yet? If they had there'd surely be external pics too?

Edit: having zoomed right in on that image on the press release, it looks like it might be a set of three half-length mockups, one first class, one standard and one buffet, parked next to each other in some sort of tin shed, not a constructed unit.


== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Feb 2026 ==

I'm glad about that tbh, new trains should improve over what came before, so good to see that is happening here.

The seats are still Sophias, though (presumably for commonality of parts?). Will be interesting to see if the cushion design is such that the metal bar can't be felt, TfW seem to have achieved this but we don't know how it will go over time, and these cushions look thinner than the TfW one.

 

[rattyben]

It looks very nice. Seats look comfy (though it's a photo so how would we know?). Notable that it's LNER branded when they won't even get the chance to operate them.

Also - it's low floor?

Worth noting that it might not be a mockup - if you look out of the window of the first class image, you can see another train actually under construction with the same interior

Yeah it appears to be real, whilst in LNER interior colour scheme there is no sign of the LNER logo anywhere.

Aaaaand once again we've got a new train with a nicer interior than the IETs and Azumas. What wonderful trains the DfT and Treasury saddled us with for the next twenty years...

Hopefully these 897s will be regulars through Darlington so I can target my journeys accordingly (though I imagine they'll be concentrated on something like Leeds for simplicity)! Certainly the pictures make them look pretty good though I'd be a little worried about the light intensity. Hopefully in the flesh it's a little more diffused.

why would you order tri mode though and run them just to Leeds?

 

[hwl]

Hopefully these 897s will be regulars through Darlington so I can target my journeys accordingly (though I imagine they'll be concentrated on something like Leeds for simplicity)!

Next to zero chance in reality as the target market is the non-electrified more southerly branches with very low non-electric line speeds.

 

[Bletchleyite]

why would you order tri mode though and run them just to Leeds?

Because some Leeds trains run beyond Leeds to non-electrified destinations?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Will the 897s (at 125mph) ride better on the ECML than the 397s (at 110mph) on the WCML?
Still no date for introduction, I see.
LNER branding may or may not last into the GBR era, but I guess they had to choose something.

 

[YorksLad12]

Where is the name "Serenza" coming from? Does it actually have a meaning behind it like in another language? I recall that "Azuma" means something in the Japanese language? Or is this just a word made up by some marketing agency?

It's a Latin term meaning "seats still all won't match up with the windows" (judging by those images).

 

[rattyben]

Because some Leeds trains run beyond Leeds to non-electrified destinations?

Fair point, I suppose they are 10 cars so what makes most sense for that capacity.

 

[GuyGibsonVC]

It looks like the harsh lighting is getting looked at as this quote is in the press release.

'New, softer lighting, including mood and table lighting in First Class, has been designed to provide customers with a more comfortable journey, especially when travelling during early mornings and evenings'

 

[gingerheid]

Even smaller fleet than the Adelantes. *Raises eyebrow*

 

[ainsworth74]

Next to zero chance in reality as the target market is the non-electrified more southerly branches with very low non-electric line speeds.

A man can dream!

Even smaller fleet than the Adelantes. *Raises eyebrow*

I believe that Hitachi quoted a price for additional units that was seen as being something of a mickey-take hence the frustrating micro-fleet from CAF instead...

 

[dorsetdesiro]

Yup, the name is just lazy marketing dross - they just combined "Serene" with "Azuma".

They could have gone with "Kita", Japanese for North, matching the Azumas, as these trains would head that direction from KGX and Leeds being a northern city. Or "Norte" as these are CAF trains.

The press release mentions GBR, depending when the 897s actually enter service, by the time these could be in the GBR livery with blue interiors as the press release images are only computer generated?

 

[Bletchleyite]

The press release mentions GBR, depending when the 897s actually enter service, by the time these could be in the GBR livery with blue interiors as the press release images are only computer generated?

They look like a mockup to me. If you were CGIing it you'd not put a picture of another vehicle in a tin shed outside the windows, you'd put some pretty scenery.

I don't think the GBR interior has been determined yet.