Lumo‘s trains have been recognised as the UK’s most reliable train fleet.

The fleet of trains known as the 803 class comprises just five trains, numbered 803001 – 803005, with each train formed of five coaches.

Built at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe manufacturing facility, the trains started operation in October 2021.

Running on overhead power, the trains are fully electric and have been earning their keep by offering fast direct services on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh, along with serving northeast England’s major cities.

Lumo’s efforts have not gone unnoticed by the public or the railway industry, the Tyneside based train operator has won many awards in its 3 years of operation.

Lumo has won the Greenest Innovation Business of the Year, while their trains have helped them secure the Best Business at Reducing Carbon Emissions award.

The awards keep coming, Lumo received the ‘Best Overall Operator’ at the World Passenger Awards in 2023, and still has a high customer satisfaction rate of 96%.

Working collaboratively between them and Hitachi’s maintenance teams, Lumo has ensured that their trains have continued running on time and are in the right places when they are needed.

After all of this, the 803 fleet has won the reliability award at the Modern Railway’s Golden Spanner awards for their constant reliable service over the last year, with Hitachi Rail’s maintenance team winning the reliability award for the third consecutive year.

“This Golden Spanner award is a real reflection of the exceptional efforts of our team and those of our partners at Hitachi. It highlights the strides we’ve made in setting new standards for reliability while pioneering sustainability goals to make rail even cleaner, greener and truly customer focused.

“Our focus remains on providing a dependable, eco-friendly service that meets the evolving needs of customers, and this prestigious recognition reinforces the value of the Lumo approach.”

Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Lumo