Loading
Search
▼ Hitachi Train Launch in Britain Marked by Delays
- Category:Event
LONDON (Jiji Press) — New high-speed train cars manufactured by Hitachi Ltd. made an embarrassing debut in Britain on Monday, hit by delays and broken air conditioning.
The first service, which had Transport Secretary Chris Grayling on board, departed 25 minutes later than scheduled and arrived 41 minutes late due to technical problems, according to BBC and other media reports.
Some passengers had to dodge drips inside the carriage as water leaked from air-conditioning equipment, the reports also said.
The new Hitachi train cars were introduced on an intercity line connecting London with southwestern Britain. The first service was scheduled to leave Bristol Temple Meads at 6 a.m. for Paddington in London.
BBC said the problems “have overshadowed” the launch of the new fleet of Hitachi trains. The public broadcaster cited complaints from passengers found on social media.
Hitachi apologized, saying that it is conducting investigations.
In 2005, Hitachi became the first Japanese company to win an order to build train cars in Britain, the birthplace of railways.
The company in 2012 received an order for the high-speed train cars that began services on Monday. Hitachi built at a new plant in Britain to make the cars.
The same type of train cars will be introduced on a railway line reaching northeastern Britain in 2018.
Aluminum supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd., which is at the center of a data fabrication scandal, is used in the high-speed train cars. But no problem has been found so far, with the product meeting strength criteria, according to Hitachi.
The first service, which had Transport Secretary Chris Grayling on board, departed 25 minutes later than scheduled and arrived 41 minutes late due to technical problems, according to BBC and other media reports.
Some passengers had to dodge drips inside the carriage as water leaked from air-conditioning equipment, the reports also said.
The new Hitachi train cars were introduced on an intercity line connecting London with southwestern Britain. The first service was scheduled to leave Bristol Temple Meads at 6 a.m. for Paddington in London.
BBC said the problems “have overshadowed” the launch of the new fleet of Hitachi trains. The public broadcaster cited complaints from passengers found on social media.
Hitachi apologized, saying that it is conducting investigations.
In 2005, Hitachi became the first Japanese company to win an order to build train cars in Britain, the birthplace of railways.
The company in 2012 received an order for the high-speed train cars that began services on Monday. Hitachi built at a new plant in Britain to make the cars.
The same type of train cars will be introduced on a railway line reaching northeastern Britain in 2018.
Aluminum supplied by Kobe Steel Ltd., which is at the center of a data fabrication scandal, is used in the high-speed train cars. But no problem has been found so far, with the product meeting strength criteria, according to Hitachi.
- October 18, 2017
- Comment (0)
- Trackback(0)