A TRAINBUILDER has secured a new deal to provide rolling stock.

Hitachi Rail Europe says Great Western Railway (GWR) has ordered seven intercity express trains.

The agreement, described by bosses as a multi-million pound contract, follows a previous deal to make 29 trains for the west of England.

Bosses told The Northern Echo the rolling stock will be made at Hitachi’s Pistoia plant, in Italy, as its flagship Newton Aycliffe factory ramps up work on scores of trains for English and Scottish lines.

The business is making 57 trains at its £82m County Durham plant for GWR under the Government’s Intercity Express Programme (IEP), which are due to enter service next year.

The company is also making IEP trains for the East Coast route at Newton Aycliffe, which are expected to start running in 2018.

It has a further manufacturing agreement to supply a Scottish fleet from the region, which will run on electrified lines between Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as routes covering Stirling, Alloa and Dunblane, from late 2017.

Referring to its GWR contract, Karen Boswell, Hitachi Rail Europe managing director, said: “This is further endorsement of our work to deliver modern, high-speed trains that connect people and communities.

“The iconic image of this new fleet operating on a railway rich in heritage will be another landmark moment for us.”

Hitachi will also make 125mph stock at Newton Aycliffe to connect the North-East with Manchester and Scotland on FirstGroup’s TransPennine Express franchise.