The first of a new fleet of trains inspired by the famous high-speed “bullet” models used in Japan has made its maiden voyage between Aberdeen and London.
London North Eastern Railway (LNER) ran the first trip between the cities at 7.52am this morning.
The modern Azuma train, built by Hitachi in Japan and based on the famous bullet trains that are used in the country, made stops at Stonehaven, Montrose, Arbroath and Edinburgh en route to King’s Cross station in London.
The train, which is capable of reaching 125mph, completed the journey in just under seven hours.
LNER will replace all 45 trains in its existing diesel fleet, some of which have operated from Aberdeen for 40 years, with 65 new Azuma models by next summer.
David Horne, managing director of LNER, said: “As one of our most popular routes, and Aberdeen being Scotland’s third largest city, we’re proud to be introducing our new Azuma trains connecting Aberdeen with Edinburgh and London.
“We’re also pleased to be able to respond to customer feedback by increasing the space available for luggage on board our longer distance services – where customers typically travel with more luggage.”
The new trains will boast features such as ergonomically designed seats and extra legroom and plug sockets for each seat.
Aberdeen’s services will be painted in tartan as a homage to Scotland, and will incorporate colours that represent the east coast route.
The new models also feature the latest technology, meaning they are more resilient and better for the environment.
The Azuma trains are part of the UK government’s £5.7 billion Intercity Express programme.
The Scottish Government has previously said that the new fleet of trains would make train travel a more attractive option in the north and east of Scotland.
