Lucchini’s Manchester factory is to supply the wheelsets for the Intercity Express Programme’s (IEP) new fleet of Class 800/1 trains.
Hitachi has awarded Lucchini a contract to manufacture 3,500 wheelsets under phase 1 of IEP, with similar contracts expected to be finalised for phase 2 in summer 2014. Production is due to start in 2015.
The wheelsets have been designed by Hitachi’s Kasado factory in partnership with Lucchini engineers in Italy.
“The IEP contract is fundamental to Lucchini UK,” said Chris Fawdry, managing director of Lucchini UK.
“It confirms our place at the forefront of high-speed wheelset technology and manufacture and is a recognition of the excellent service that we maintained when we supplied to Hitachi all the new wheelsets for the Javelin trains that are so successful on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link between St Pancras and the South Coast, a level of service that we continue to provide now for the maintenance of those same wheelsets and gearboxes.”
