First Electric Train Runs Between Edinburgh and Glasgow

Passengers who travel on the Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline are another step closer to new electric trains, as the ScotRail Alliance successfully tested one of its new trains along the full route last week.

One of the new Hitachi Class 385 electric trains travelled between Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street at 00:30 hours on Wednesday 1 November.

Edinburgh to Glasgow Electrification

The milestone follows a successful trial of the infrastructure between Edinburgh and Linlithgow in the early hours of Wednesday 18 October 2017.

Full testing of the trains and the infrastructure along the route will continue for several weeks.

When the new trains enter passenger service they will deliver faster journeys, more seats and better services for customers travelling between Scotland’s two biggest cities, and will then be rolled out to other routes in the central belt.

ScotRail Alliance Programmes and Transformation Director Ian McConnell, said:

“This morning’s trial was a massive step towards the introduction of electric passenger trains on the newly electrified Edinburgh to Glasgow mainline. Having a train run successfully along the full route shows real progress.

“We are building the best railway that Scotland has ever had. When our brand new, state of the art, electric fleet enter service, customers will reap immense benefits. With more seats and faster journeys on cleaner, greener trains, the new trains will completely transform travel between our two biggest cities, and across the Central Belt.”

Hitachi Rail Europe Programme Manager Andy Radford, said:

“We are really pleased that our new trains can now be tested on the newly electrified Edinburgh to Glasgow routes. We will continue to work closely with the ScotRail Alliance to ensure the trains deliver the benefits to future passengers as soon as possible.”

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