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British Rail Class 801

British Rail Class 801 Azuma
LNER Class 801 unit passing Spittal, outside Berwick-upon-Tweed
LNER Class 801 standard-class saloon
Stock typeElectric multiple unit
In service16 September 2019–present
ManufacturerHitachi Rail
Built at
Family nameA-train
ReplacedInterCity 225
Constructed2017–2020
Number built42
(12 × 801/1, 30 × 801/2)
Number in service42
Formation
  • 5 cars per 801/1 unit:
  • DPTS-MS-MS-MC-DPTF
  • 9 cars per 801/2 unit:
  • DPTS-MS-MS-TS-MS-TS-MC-MF-DPTF
Fleet numbers
  • 801/1: 801101–801112
  • 801/2: 801201–801230
Capacity
  • 801/1: 302 seats
    (48 first class, 254 standard)
  • 801/2: 611 seats
    (101 first class, 510 standard)
OwnersAgility Trains
OperatorsLondon North Eastern Railway
Depots
Lines servedEast Coast Main Line
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium
Train length
  • 801/1: 129.7 m (425 ft 6 in)
  • 801/2: 233.7 m (766 ft 9 in)
Car length
  • Driving vehicles:
    25.850 m (84 ft 9.7 in)
  • Intermediate vehicles:
    26.000 m (85 ft 3.6 in)
Width2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Doors
  • Single-leaf pocket sliding
  • (2 per side per car)
Maximum speed125 mph (200 km/h)
Weight
  • 5-car units: 243 tonnes (239 long tons; 268 short tons)
  • 9-car units: 438 tonnes (431 long tons; 483 short tons)
Traction systemHitachi IGBT
Prime mover(s)1 × MTU 12V 1600 R80L
(emergency use only)
Engine typeV12 four-stroke turbo-diesel with SCR
Displacement21 L (1,284 cu in)
Power output
  • Engine: 560 kW (750 hp)
  • Electric: 226 kW (303 hp) per motor
Acceleration0.7 m/s (1.6 mph/s)
Deceleration
  • Service:
  • 1.0 m/s (2.2 mph/s)
  • Emergency:
  • 1.2 m/s (2.7 mph/s)
Electric system(s)25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
Current collector(s)Pantograph
UIC classification
  • 5-car units: 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
  • 9-car units: 2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Wheels driven
  • 5-car unit: 12
  • 9-car unit: 20
Braking system(s)Electro-pneumatic (disc) and regenerative
Safety system(s)
Coupling systemDellner 10
Multiple workingWithin class and classes 800 and 802
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge


The British Rail Class 801 Azuma is a class of electric multiple unit (EMU) built by Hitachi Rail for London North Eastern Railway. The units have been built since 2017 at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe Manufacturing Facility and have been used on services on the East Coast Main Line since 16 September 2019. As part of its production, the Class 801 units were ordered as part of the Intercity Express Programme and are in the Hitachi AT300 product family, alongside the closely related Class 800 units. LNER have branded the units as the Azuma, just like on their Class 800 units.

Background and design

As part of the UK Government's Intercity Express Programme, the Class 801 units were to be built as replacements for the InterCity 125 and InterCity 225 sets which were the main trains used for services on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and the East Coast Main Line (ECML) at the time. Differing from the Class 800 units, which they were built alongside, the Class 801 units were designed as purely electric multiple units, but with one diesel engine fitted to a single coach of each unit for emergency use. The Class 801 units were to enter service for both Great Western Railway and London North Eastern Railway but due to delays in the electrification of the GWML, it was announced in June 2016 that 21 nine-car (801/0) sets that were going to enter service with GWR would instead be converted to bi-modal operation. As a consequence, all of these sets were re-classified as 800/3 units and the Class 801 units only see operation on the ECML. However, GWR do have the option to convert all of their Class 800 units to electric-only operation by removal of the diesel engines should it be exercised, in which case they would be re-classified as a Class 801 unit.

Operations

Class 801 at London King's Cross in February 2020

The first service to be operated with Class 801 units ran on 16 September 2019, with a pair of 801/1 five-car units operating several services between Leeds and London King's Cross, as well as one return trip between King's Cross and Newark Northgate. Three further pairs of five-car units entered service through the rest of September.

The nine-car Class 801/2 units were introduced on 18 November 2019, between King's Cross and Edinburgh. This allowed a cascade of Class 800/1 units onto services between King's Cross and Aberdeen, which in turn allowed LNER to withdraw its InterCity 125 sets from that route.

Fleet details

Subclass Operator Qty. Year built Cars per unit Unit nos.
801/1
Azuma 		London North Eastern Railway 12 2017–2020 5 801101–801112
801/2
Azuma 		30 9 801201–801230

Illustrations

Illustration of a LNER Class 801/1 Azuma
Illustration of a LNER Class 801/2 Azuma

Named units

Unit number Date Name Notes Ref.
801204 22 September 2024 Our Planet Named after the company's commitment to more sustainable transport. Livery has been applied with a partially biologically-based material, the first of its kind in the UK.
801207 14 January 2025 Darlington Unveiled to mark 200 years since the first passenger journey on the world-famous Stockton and Darlington Railway.
801224 19 May 2025 Bradford 2025 - UK City of Culture Unveiled to mark the official opening of Platform 0 at Bradford Forster Square and to celebrate Bradford becoming the UK City of Culture.
801225 13 February 2024 Eleanor Named after the company's new mascot as part of an advertising campaign.
801226 1 June 2023 Together Pride livery
801228 15 May 2023 Century Unveiled to mark 100 years since the creation of the London and North Eastern Railway

Last updated 24 June 2025. All information and images sourced from the relevant Wikipedia article(s) unless stated otherwise. If any information is incorrect, please let us know by emailing us: [email protected]. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms apply.