Agility Trains has been established to work in partnership with the Department for Transport in developing the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) to replace Britain’s ageing fleet of Intercity trains. The IEP will provide a new generation of highly reliable and efficient trains for the Great Western and East Coast Main Lines, setting new standards for train performance and passenger satisfaction in the UK.

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In July 2012 Agility Trains entered into a contract for the first phase of the IEP to provide 57 new trains to replace the Intercity 125 stock on the Great Western Main Line, running from London to Reading, Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea. In addition to providing the trains, Agility Trains has funded the construction of two new purpose-built train maintenance centres at Swansea and Bristol and extensively refurbished a third facility in West London. The first new IEP trains went into passenger service on the Great Western Main Line in 2017 and Agility Trains, in partnership with Hitachi Rail, will provide full maintenance services for the next 27.5 years. 

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At the same time Agility Trains also entered into a contract for the second phase of the IEP to provide 65 new trains on the East Coast Main Line from London to Doncaster, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Inverness. This contract required Agility Trains to seek to finance the second phase of IEP and this was achieved in April 2014. Agility Trains will fund the construction of a new purpose built train maintenance facility in Doncaster and will also refurbish, and manage, three further facilities, one in Edinburgh and two in North London. The new trains will be brought into passenger service from 2019 and Agility Trains, in partnership with Hitachi Rail, will again provide whole life train maintenance services for 27.5 years.

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The fleet provides increased capacity and significantly improved reliability, deliver faster journey times, and enhance the passenger experience with more modern trains, better interiors and better seating arrangements.

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• The Agility Trains West shareholder group comprises Apple BidCo 2 Limited, Hitachi Rail Limited, InfraEquity UK Holdings (ATW) Limited and JLIF Holdings (ATW) Limited. 
   

• The Agility Trains East shareholder group comprises AIP ATE Holdings K/S, Equitix Orange Bidco Limited, GLIL Blue Comet Holdings Limited and Hitachi Rail Limited.