British Rail Class 895

Hitachi Rail-Alstom joint venture

Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Rail transport manufacturing
Founder	Hitachi Rail, Alstom
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Products	High-speed trains (Class 895 for HS2)

The British Rail Class 895 represents a high-speed electric multiple unit (EMU) currently on order for the forthcoming High Speed 2 (HS2) railway project in the United Kingdom.

A joint venture equally owned by Hitachi Rail and Alstom secured a £2 billion agreement to produce 54 trainsets. Manufacturing will take place at multiple UK sites, including Newton Aycliffe, Derby, and Crewe. These trains are developed from an advanced iteration of the Zefiro V300 platform and are designed to reach speeds of up to on HS2. The units can be coupled together to form longer trains, thereby increasing capacity and operational versatility.

The Class 895 has been engineered for 'conventional compatibility,' enabling it to transition seamlessly from dedicated high-speed tracks onto existing rail lines. This design ensures adherence to stricter loading gauge restrictions encountered along its routes, facilitating broader network integration and maximizing route accessibility.

History

In 2012, a cost and risk analysis estimated that captive trains would cost approximately £27 million each, whereas conventional compatible trains built to UK loading gauge standards were projected at around £40 million apiece.

The specification for HS2 rolling stock was outlined in the Train Technical Specification accompanying the Invitation To Tender (ITT), initially released in July 2018 and subsequently updated in March 2019 following clarifications.

Five contenders were shortlisted for the initial HS2 rolling stock contract:

• Alstom
• Bombardier Transportation partnered with Hitachi Rail, known for manufacturing Italy’s Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed trains; after Bombardier’s acquisition by Alstom, this became an Alstom-Hitachi collaboration
• CAF, proposing its Oaris platform
• Talgo, based on the AVRIL platform
• Siemens, offering the Velaro Novo design

Earlier plans for phase 2b included 'captive' trains incompatible with existing infrastructure alongside conventional compatible models similar to European high-speed trains.

On 9 December 2021, the contract was awarded to the Hitachi Rail-Alstom consortium. Talgo resolved a legal dispute through an out-of-court agreement. Siemens pursued an injunction and damages over alleged tender irregularities but later withdrew its claim, reportedly aiming to secure other HS2-related contracts. The High Court dismissed Siemens’ case, ruling no entitlement to damages existed.

The awarding of the contract was postponed from spring 2020 due to delays in HS2 construction and awaited government approval until December 2021.

Beginning in 2024, extensive market research engaged over 500 participants across 20 user groups utilizing wooden train mock-ups. In August 2025, these mock-ups were exhibited during The Greatest Gathering event at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works as part of the Railway 200 campaign commemorating two centuries of modern railways. HS2 Ltd confirmed that the new fleet would be classified as Class 895 under the TOPS system. Production is planned to commence in 2027.

Design

The £1.97 billion contract covers the supply of 54 conventional compatible trainsets along with a maintenance agreement spanning 12 years, extendable up to their full design lifespan of 35 years.

Vehicle body assembly and initial outfitting will occur at Hitachi's Newton Aycliffe facility, while bogie production is assigned to Alstom's Crewe Works. Final assembly—including interior fit-out and installation of electronic systems—will be conducted at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works.

These trains incorporate regenerative braking technology and Hitachi Rail’s low-noise pantograph design. They are approximately 15% lighter than comparable models and provide a seating capacity increase of around 30% compared to similar European high-speed trains. Upon entering service, they will rank as the fastest trains operating in both the UK and Europe.

Standard class seats offer 87 cm of legroom with reclining features that do not compromise passenger space. Each seat is equipped with a foldable table, storage shelf, adjustable reading light, coat hook, USB-C charging port, and a three-pin power outlet. Overhead luggage racks utilize frosted glass panels. The interior design includes enhanced headroom achieved through compact mechanical components and provides four reservable bicycle spaces per train.

The interior configuration was finalized following a comprehensive 2.5-year design collaboration involving HS2 Ltd, the Department for Transport, and the West Coast Partnership.

These units are pioneers globally in achieving BSI’s PAS 2080 certification for carbon emission reduction, accomplished through aerodynamic shaping, energy-efficient traction systems, use of lightweight recycled materials, and a streamlined underbody to minimize energy consumption.