Inside the 29 new trains which 'will bring faster, more reliable travel to Yorkshire'
The government’s pledge to bring ‘faster, more reliable journeys to the North’ will be delivered by a new fleet of 29 battery-electric trains.
Prime minister Andy Burnham said the new trains will cut journey times by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York, and could boost capacity by 30% across the Pennines by the mid-2030s.
Now after being awarded the £1bn contract, manufacturers Alstom have released video showing what the trains will look like when finished.
The Adessia Stream trains, the first battery-electric models used for long-distance main line services in the UK, are due to be built from 2028.
They will run on Transpennine Express routes between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull.
Alstom say the 121m-long trains, which will be ‘specifically for the needs of long-distance regional travel’, will travel at up to 110mph and will each hold up to 300 passengers.
They added that the new carriages will have Wi-Fi, air conditioning, power and USB-C charging, dedicated cycle storage and quieter, more comfortable interiors.
The new trains, which will enter service from 2034, will run without emissions on sections of the railway that are not electrified.
Charing stations for the Adessia Stream trains will be installed by Alstom at Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn.
The contract will see the Government investing directly into Alstom.
The trains will be bought by rolling stock company Rock Rail and leased to TransPennine Express.