ORR statement on Hitachi and rail industry agreement on service recovery plan to get trains back

13 May 2021

Hitachi Rail, train operators, and government have agreed, with oversight from the Office of Rail and Road, a service recovery plan to safely reintroduce more 800 Series and 385 Series trains to the network.

GWR train at Bristol Temple Meads station

The fleet of 800 series trains was removed from service as a precaution at the weekend when cracks were found on some trains.

After further rigorous safety checks involving ORR’s HM Railway Inspectorate, GWR and LNER will now begin reintroducing trains with a more regular service for passengers. Trains on some routes may be less frequent than usual and train availability could vary, for a number of reasons, so passengers should continue to check with the operators before they travel.

HM Chief Inspector of Railways at ORR, Ian Prosser CBE said:

"We've engaged with Hitachi and the train companies to oversee their development of a safe and suitable plan.

"We're also continuing to provide the rigorous oversight needed to make sure the right checks are being carried out so that the trains are able to re-enter passenger service safely."