Intercity Express Programme (IEP) Phase I PPP Project

project in operation

The IEP project involves the design, manufacturing, financing, delivery into daily service and maintenance of 57 new high speed intercity trains on the Great Western Main Line, which connects London to Bristol, in the south-west of the UK. The length of the PPP contract is 27.5 years.The Hitachi-made Class 800 bi-mode trains will replace the existing Intercity 125 High Speed Train fleet and serve as a daily operational fleet available to the Great Western Railway. The bi-mode trains, which have the ability to operate with either diesel or electric propulsion and hence operate across those parts of the Great Western network which are not electrified, will be provided in 5-car, 9-car and 10-car formations.The project owners will also deliver two new purpose built depot facilities in Bristol and Swansea and undertake a major refurbishment of an existing depot facility in West London.