THE first locomotive of a futuristic new fleet made its debut appearance in the UK at the port of Southampton.

The new train, part of TransPennine Express’s Nova 1 fleet, built by Hitachi, arrived from Japan this week.

It will be among 19 new five carriage units, harnessing Japanese bullet train technology, which are due to enter service in 2019.

The train’s journey included crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as passing through the Panama Canal.

From 2019 this fleet will connect major cities in the North of England and Scotland, running from Manchester and Liverpool, across the Pennines to cities such as Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

The trains will provide 161 additional seats compared to the existing ones on the busy intercity route. Customers will benefit from spacious carriages, providing extra legroom and additional luggage space and the experience on-board will be completely transformed.

The investment in these new trains is supporting thousands of jobs across the UK through Hitachi’s decision to choose over 30 UK firms to supply key components. Businesses chosen include Lucchini Unipart Rail (LUR), whose Manchester factory will build wheel sets for the trains.

The fleet will also support long-term jobs at depots along the route, including Hitachi’s newly built £80 million depot in Doncaster.

The trains will all be hybrid, meaning they can switch mid-journey between electric and diesel power.

The trains, will be able to run in either five or ten carriage formation, capable of speeds of up to 140mph in electric mode and 125mph using diesel engines.

By using modern MTU engines from Rolls-Royce, the trains will cut harmful emissions under diesel power by up to 90 per cent.

Director at Port of Southampton Alastair Welch said: “We are delighted to welcome these five carriages into the Port of Southampton. While more familiar with the imports and exports of automotive and bulk we were pleased to assist these high speed locomotives with the next stage in their journey.”