GLIL Infrastructure LLP (GLIL) has agreed to acquire a 30% equity stake in Agility Trains East (ATE), a rolling stock fleet of 65 new intercity trains, from Hitachi Rail Limited. The transaction will support the long-term operation of the state-of-the-art trains on the UK’s East Coast Main Line.

ATE was established in partnership with the Department for Transport to develop the Intercity-Express Programme, an initiative to replace the country’s fleet of intercity-class trains with a new reliable and efficient fleet. The electric and bi-modal Hitachi Class 800/801 Intercity Express trains have been fully delivered and currently operate out of London Kings Cross and connect with cities across the North of England and Scotland, including Bradford, Leeds, Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen.

The fleet is supported by a long-term maintenance agreement with Hitachi and is backed by a 27.5-year guarantee period with the UK Department for Transport.

Upon completion, the Agility Trains East shareholder group will consist of Hitachi Rail Limited (40%), GLIL Infrastructure (30%) and AIP Management, the pension fund-backed investor (30%).