British Rail Class 805

The British Rail Class 805 Evero is a type of bi-mode multiple unit built by Hitachi Rail for Avanti West Coast. Based on the Hitachi A-train design, 13 five-car units were built to replace s on services between Euston, Birmingham New Street and stations on the North Wales Coast lines. Their introduction will allow the elimination of long-distance diesel working on electrified routes.

History
In December 2019, Avanti West Coast placed an order for 13 five-car bi-mode units to replace its fleet, along with 10  electric units, as part of £350million contract with Hitachi Rail. All were originally scheduled to be in service by 2023. The trains are financed by Rock Rail West Coast, a joint venture between Rock Rail and Standard Life Aberdeen. The trains will be maintained by a joint team of Alstom and Hitachi staff, alongside Class 807s, at Oxley depot near Wolverhampton.

Passenger facilities promised include free Wi-Fi, at-seat wireless inductive charging for electronic devices, 230V sockets and USB sockets, a catering offer and a real-time passenger information system that can advise of connecting rail services.

In June 2022, static testing commenced at Newton Aycliffe and dynamic testing followed in November. Main line testing began in February 2023, with introduction into service originally planned for later in 2023, before falling back to Summer 2024.

The Class 805 entered service on 2 June 2024.