JR Kyushu 883 series Sonic 883

Data (as of 12 Oct 2024)

History

The 883 series is a type of limited express train for Nippo Main Line in Oita area. JR Kyushu named them Sonic 883 or Wonderland Express, but these nicknames are not used in these days. It won many design competitions, including the Brunel Award in 1996.

The then-president of the company was looking for a tilting train that allows running faster at tight curves, as a motorway was about to open. The designer (Eiji Mitooka) considered that the futuristic design would be necessary to modernise the railway business in Oita area. That is why the 883 series looks like a robot, and the front end of each unit was painted differently (sky blue, black, yellow and white) so that passengers enjoyed the journey.

The introduction of the 883 series has been successful, and they have been used on Limited Express Sonic Nichirin (Hakata - Oita, later renamed Sonic). There were five and seven-carriage units, but two coaches were inserted in 2008 to make all units formed of seven.

Current Operations & Future Prospects

The 883 series is now used for Limited Express Sonic (Hakata - Oita) along with 885 series.

Photo

The left coach was built in the 90s, while the right one was introduced in 2008.