Good news for Scotland – Next week the first Class 385 EMUs will enter service between Edinburgh and Glasgow-Queen Street via Falkirk. In the coming weeks and months the new Hitachi trains will be introduced to other lines as well, once driver training will be completed.
Over the past months Scotrail operator Abellio and Hitachi Rail have been working eagerly to solve the windscreen design issue, which kept the trains from entering service. The original front window design was rejected after drivers said they could not see signals clearly through the curved windscreens.
A new design of the double-curved front windows have been developed, installed and tested over the past months. And is now approved by all stakeholders.
The original plan was to have the first Class 385 EMUs available for revenue services in the Autumn of 2017.
Hitachi Rail is building 70 class 385 trains for ScotRail (24x 4-car and 46x 3-car) that will be used on the following lines:
- Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen Street via Falkirk High
- Edinburgh – North Berwick
- South Glasgow suburban routes – Cathcart Circle/Lanark
- Glasgow/Edinburgh – Dunblane/Stirling/Alloa
- Glasgow – Falkirk Grahamston via Cumbernauld
- Glasgow Central – Edinburgh via Shotts
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