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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.
The contract was awarded to Hitachi–Alstom High-Speed (HAH-S), a 50/50 joint venture between Hitachi Rail and Alstom, for 54 trains, which will be constructed in the United Kingdom. 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. 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.
The trains are designed to be 'conventional compatible', capable of leaving the dedicated high-speed sections to continue onto existing lines, and will be gauge-compatible with its planned operational routes where the loading gauge would be more restricted.
In March 2026, the UK government opened discussions with the joint venture to revise the contract after the cancellation of HS2 beyond Birmingham raised questions about the number and length of trains required for the network.
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.
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.
Five bids were shortlisted for the first HS2 rolling stock contract:
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.
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British Rail Class 895 AI simulator
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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.
The contract was awarded to Hitachi–Alstom High-Speed (HAH-S), a 50/50 joint venture between Hitachi Rail and Alstom, for 54 trains, which will be constructed in the United Kingdom. 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. 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.
The trains are designed to be 'conventional compatible', capable of leaving the dedicated high-speed sections to continue onto existing lines, and will be gauge-compatible with its planned operational routes where the loading gauge would be more restricted.
In March 2026, the UK government opened discussions with the joint venture to revise the contract after the cancellation of HS2 beyond Birmingham raised questions about the number and length of trains required for the network.
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.
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.
Five bids were shortlisted for the first HS2 rolling stock contract:
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.