Kato have now officially announced they will be producing a 9-car variation of their very popular Class 800 in LNER Livery.
The Class 800, which was introduced as a replacement for the old HST (diesel high-speed train) under the Intercity Rapid Transit Plan (IEP) being promoted in the UK, is a train that has been electrified in sections based on the company's "A-train" series concept. It collects current from the pantograph as before, and in non-electrified sections, the engine and generator unit supply power to the motor, making it possible to operate directly between electrified and non-electrified sections. Manufactured at the Kasado Works in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Hitachi Rail's UK factory, it is currently being used on the LNER, the UK's main line, nicknamed "AZUMA".
Class 800/1 is a 9-car train that has features that traditional 5-car trains do not have, such as an inner frame bogie, a simple roof top, and an intermediate car with all first-class passenger cars. This model is being released in three variants - Analogue, DCC Fitted, and DCC Sound Fitted.
| K10-1675 | Class 800 113 LNER Azuma 9 Car Train |
| K10-1675D | Class 800 113 LNER Azuma 9 Car Train (DCC-Fitted) |
| K10-1675S | Class 800 113 LNER Azuma 9 Car Train (DCC-Sound) |
Also Available
This announcement complements the already available Class 800/2 which are 5-car trains equipped with a front coupling mechanism. This coupling is used to reproduce the 5+5 10-car formation seen in the actual vehicles.
| K10-1674 | Class 800 209 LNER Azuma 5 Car Train |
| K10-1674D | Class 800 209 LNER Azuma 5 Car Train (DCC-Fitted) |
| K10-1674S | Class 800 209 LNER Azuma 5 Car Train (DCC-Sound) |
Don't forget that the GWR 5-car unit featuring Paddington Bear is also due for release this year, so this comes as a very exciting time for GWR Modellers.
| K10-1673 | Class 800 010 Paddington Bear GWR 5 Car Train |
| K10-1673D | Class 800 010 Paddington Bear GWR 5 Car Train (DCC-Fitted) |
| K10-1673S | Class 800 010 Paddington Bear GWR 5 Car Train (DCC-Sound) |