A stakeholder event was held by Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) in York on October 11.
David Horne, Managing Director of VTEC, gave an update on the forthcoming introduction of the 65 new Azuma class trains (due late 2018), and on the changes to the infrastructure needed to operate them on the East Coast Main Line.
The new trains are currently undergoing testing, with the first train due to be fully completed internally in summer 2017.
Mr Horne said the refurbishment programme of the existing VTEC fleet was now past the halfway mark. ECMA has requested a guided tour when the trains are completed.