British Rail Class 895

The British Rail Class 895 is a type of electric multiple unit train on order for the under-construction High Speed 2 (HS2) high-speed rail line in the United Kingdom.

British Rail Class 895
Proposed design of rolling stock as of 2021
Stock type	Electric multiple unit
Manufacturer	Hitachi–Alstom joint venture
Built at	Hitachi Newton Aycliffe and Alstom Derby and Crewe[1]
Family name	Zefiro
Constructed	Planned from 2027
Number under construction	54[2]
Fleet numbers	895 001–895 054
Capacity	504 seats[3]
Depots	Washwood Heath[4]
Lines served	High Speed 2, West Coast Main Line[5]
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium[6]
Train length	200 m (656 ft)[2]
Maximum speed	360 km/h (225 mph)
Electric system(s)	25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead line
Current collection	Pantograph
Safety system(s)	ETCS, AWS, TPWS
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The contract was awarded to a 50/50 joint venture between Hitachi Rail and Alstom, for 54 trains, which will be constructed in the United Kingdom.^[7] The trains will be based on an evolution of the Zefiro V300 platform and able to run at the top operational speed of 360 km/h (225 mph) on the HS2 line.^[8][9] The 200 m-long (656 ft) electric multiple units (EMUs) will have the option to couple two units together to create a 400 m (1,312 ft) train.^[10]

The trains are designed to be 'conventional compatible', capable of leaving the dedicated high-speed sections to continue onto existing lines,^[11] and will be gauge-compatible with its planned operational routes where the loading gauge would be more restricted.^[9]

History

A modelling of costs and risks in the project in 2012 estimated that captive trains may cost around £27 million per train and the conventional compatible trains, to be built for the United Kingdom loading gauge, could have cost around £40 million.^[12]

The order for rolling stock for HS2 was specified in the Train Technical Specification issued with the Invitation To Tender (ITT), which was initially published in July 2018, being revised in March 2019 following clarification questions from tendering companies.^[9]

Five bids were shortlisted for the first HS2 rolling stock contract:^[13]

• Alstom^[14]
• Bombardier Transportation and Hitachi Rail. This partnership built Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed trains in Italy.^[13] Bombardier was later acquired by Alstom, making the bid a partnership between Alstom and Hitachi.^[15]
• CAF - based on its Oaris platform.^[13]
• Talgo - based on the AVRIL platform.^[16]
• Siemens - based on the Velaro Novo.^[17]

In the previously planned phase 2b, a number of 'captive' trains (unable to use the existing rail network) may have been ordered to operate alongside the conventional compatible trains, with a similar loading gauge to existing European high speed trains.^[11]

On 9 December 2021, the contract was awarded to the Hitachi Rail-Alstom joint venture.^[18]

A legal challenge by Talgo was settled out of court.^[19] Siemens sought an injunction to stop the contract being awarded, claiming Hitachi and Alstom were only able to make the lowest offer because they had not kept to the tender conditions, and later sought damages.^[20] It has been reported that this is to help it secure contracts for other elements of the HS2 project.^[21] The case brought by Siemens was dismissed by the High Court, and judged it was "not entitled to any damages".^[22]

The contract was to be awarded in spring 2020, but was delayed due to delays to the start of HS2 construction.^[23] The contract was then scheduled for October 2021 but was not awarded until December 2021 as it awaited government approval.^[23]

Beginning in 2024, market research with 20 user groups involving more than 500 people was carried out using wooden mock-ups of the trains.^[24][25] In August 2025, these mock-ups were showcased at The Greatest Gathering, an event held at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works as part of the Railway 200 campaign celebrating “200 years of the modern railway”. HS2 Ltd announced that the new fleet would be designated Class 895 under the TOPS system.^[25] Production of the trains is scheduled to begin in 2027.^[24]

Design

Rendering of train at platform (prior to Alstom's acquisition of Bombardier Transportation)

An ETR1000 operated by Trenitalia, an example of the Zefiro series of trains

The contract to build the trains for the 54 conventional compatible trains is worth £1.97 billion, which includes an initial 12-year maintenance contract for the trains, with the option to extend this to the 35-year design life of the trains.^[26]

Vehicle body assembly and initial fitting out of the trains will take place at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe factory, the bogies will be manufactured at the Alstom Crewe Works, and final assembly and fit-out, including the interiors, electronics and bogies, will take place at Alstom's Derby Litchurch Lane Works.^[27][28]

The trains will feature regenerative braking and Hitachi Rail's low noise pantograph, whilst also being 15% lighter and feature 30% more seats than comparable high speed trains in Europe.^[29][23] The trains will also be the fastest trains in the United Kingdom and in Europe.^[30]

Standard class seats will have 87 cm (34 inches) of leg room, and seats will recline without encroaching on other passengers' space. Each seat will have a fold-down table, a shelf for small items, a reading light with three brightness levels, a coat hook, a USB-C and three-pin power socket. The glass used for overhead luggage racks will be frosted, unlike recent British trains.^[31] Trains will have slightly more headroom than on current British trains, with mechanical equipment taking up less space. Each train will have four bookable bicycle spaces.^[32]

The interior layout will be decided following a two and a half year design process involving HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport and the West Coast Partnership.^[33]

The trains became the first in the world to achieve the BSI's PAS 2080 global accreditation for meeting environmental targets to reduce carbon emissions, such as by improving aerodynamics, using energy-efficient traction systems and lightweight, recycled content.^[34] As part of efforts to reduce energy consumption by improving its aerodynamics, it has been designed with a smooth underside.^[24]