Addleshaw Goddard has advised Hitachi Rail Europe on the sale of five AT300 Inter City trains capable of running on both electricity and diesel power to open access operator, Hull Trains.

The AT300s will be built in Newton Aycliffe and service the East Coast Mainline between Hull and Beverley to London King's Cross. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 140mph, and with 20% greater capacity than the current trains on this route, this deal brings further improvements to the connectivity of the North from London. The trains were financed by Angel Trains, for whom this is the second deal with Hitachi Rail. This is the first sale by any manufacturer to an open access operator in several years.

Karen Boswell, Managing Director of Hitachi Rail Europe said of the deal: "Customers travelling on Hull Trains services between Yorkshire and London will enjoy a host of benefits from new Hitachi Inter City trains, which are modernising rail travel on routes across the UK. These trains have been designed to increase the number of seats available whilst harnessing the latest in comfort design to boost passenger experiences.

"Using our innovative bi-mode power model, these trains can begin operation immediately on the UK rail network which means passengers won’t have to wait to enjoy the new benefits.

This is the start of a long-term relationship between Hitachi and Hull Trains and, following our recent train and maintenance order from FirstGroup’s TransPennine Express franchise, another sign of our strong commitment to the Northern Powerhouse."

Paul Hirst, Head of Transport at Addleshaw Goddard said: "We are proud to have advised Hitachi on a truly innovative deal to supply new trains to Hull Trains. The new Hitachi bi-mode units will bring economic, social and connectivity benefits to the Hull area as soon as possible and provide an ever better experience for customers."