The contract, which is worth £1.97bn, involves the design, building and maintenance of the rolling stock over a 12-year period.
The trains will be the fastest in Europe, capable of operating at speeds up to 360km/h and reducing journey times between London and the Midlands. The 200m-long, eight-carriage trains will run on the new HS2 track and on the existing rail network.
The fleet will be all-electric and, according to a statement from the manufacturers, one of the world’s most energy efficient very high-speed trains on account of low train mass per passenger, aerodynamic design, regenerative power and the latest energy efficient traction technology.
The joint venture will manufacture 54 trains at updated facilities in County Durham (welding), Derby (production line), and Crewe (new bogie manufacturing facility). The manufacturers say this will create “thousands of green jobs” and add £157m for every year of the building phase. The trains will be built...