London Northwestern Railway passengers given sneak peek of brand new electric train fleet for West Coast Main Line

Wednesday, 9 September 2020

Passengers on the West Coast Main Line between Liverpool and London via the West Midlands have been given a sneak peek of the new commuter trains which will revolutionise journeys on the route.

London Northwestern Railway (LNR) is introducing dozens of new state-of-the-art electric trains to cater for the millions of passengers journeys taken on the line every year.

LNR managing director Julian Edwards was joined by senior officials from manufacturer Bombardier to inspect the new Class 730 fleet on the production line in Derby yesterday (Tue).

The trains offer intelligent air conditioning systems, free WiFi, at-seat power and USB sockets as well as dedicated wheelchair spaces and bicycle storage.

Construction of the first train of the new fleet has been completed and the unit is currently undergoing testing in Europe ahead of its expected introduction into passenger service next year.

LNR has ordered 45 new trains – a total of 225 carriages - for the West Coast Main Line, with sister company West Midlands Railway taking a further 108 carriages for its Birmingham services.

Julian Edwards, managing director of London Northwestern Railway, said:

“These superb new electric trains will enhance the travelling experience for our customers and I am delighted to see for myself that progress has been continuing apace despite the challenge of coronavirus.

“This is one of two new fleets we are introducing as we increase our capacity by 25% as we continue to welcome passengers back to the railway.

“Now more than ever our £700m investment into our new train projects will play a vital role in the future of train travel right across our network.”

Matt Byrne, President UK & Ireland Bombardier Transportation said:

“These cutting-edge AVENTRA trains will transform journeys for LNR's passengers all along the West Coast Main Line. Designed and built here in the UK, they represent the future of rail travel for the LNR network.”

The £700m investment in new trains by West Midlands Trains includes a new diesel fleet for West Midlands Railway, which will introduce 26 new Class 196 diesel trains onto its Birmingham-Hereford and Birmingham-Shrewsbury routes.

For more images from the production line, see 'related content'.

About West Midlands Trains

For further information on this release, call our press office on 03300 955150 or email [email protected]

West Midlands Trains operates both West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services.

• London Northwestern Railway services operate between Liverpool and Birmingham, and on the West Coast Main Line to and from London Euston.

• West Midlands Railway services operate to destinations across the West Midlands via Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Snow Hill.

For more information on these services visit westmidlandsrailway.co.uk or londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

The West Midlands Trains franchise started on 10 December 2017 and will run until 2025/26. Over the course of the franchise, West Midlands Trains will be investing £1 billion into the rail network to deliver new trains, improved routes and station upgrades.

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