[UK] Aubergine skin: The first Class 180 EMR Intercity design

New in the continuously growing fleet of aubergine-colored trains of East Midlands Railway (EMR) are the Class 180 DMUs. 

EMR, part of the family of Abellio brands of the Dutch railways, is about to replace the ex-Grand Central HST units on its Intercity Midland Main Line by Alstom Coradia 1000 units (Class 180). This is scheduled for December 2020.

The Class 180 trains will operated until 2022 – when the new bi-mode Hitachi AT300 units (Class 810) will be delivered.

The East Midlands franchise was awarded to Abellio in April 2019 and was set to run for eight years.

Purple reskin for Alstom Coradia 1000 DMUs

Four of these 5-car units, reaching 200 km/h, will be deployed – 180 111 is the first one that has now received the aubergine livery of EMR Intercity. The other three are 180 109, 110, and 113. 

Of Class 180, fourteen units have been in the operation since 2001. They were made by the Washwood Heath factory of Alstom. 

Photo credit: East Midlands Railways