Geograph - photograph every grid square

The Scotrail variant of the Class 385 has accordian-like connecting doors at the end of each set (similar to the Scotrail Class 380). As a result, they won't win any prizes in the beauty stakes, but the new train promises to be faster, cleaner and more efficient than any of its predecessors. Some drivers are not happy with the very restricted view to the right.

Seventy sets have been ordered, most will be assembled by Hitachi Rail Europe at Newton Aycliffe Link , from parts which are made at the Kasado Works Link in Japan. The first three units were assembled entirely in Japan, one is featured here and the others are at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic Link .

Dubbed T2, this set is being used as a test train, which explains the blacked-out windows. There are no seats inside apart from a few at computers where engineers can monitor the test equipment. Several hundred bags of sand and gravel are used to simulate passenger load.

Overnight testing took place on the Inverclyde Line during January 2017 and will continue into the spring, at which time testing on passenger lines (during normal working hours) out of Edinburgh will commence.

The seventy sets will eventually enter service from September 2017 and will serve the routes between Edinburgh and Glasgow and elsewhere in Central Scotland.