The UK government has announced the construction of a new fleet of battery-powered trains that will “bring faster, more reliable journeys to the north”. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

Where and when the new trains will be built

The 29 new trains, which will be run by TransPennine Express, are set to be built in Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby from 2028. The government says this will support 350 local jobs, as well as nearly 6,000 across the UK.

The new fleet will be made up of Adessia Stream trains, a battery-powered model that will be the first of its kind to be used for long-distance mainline journeys in the UK when it enters service in 2034.

Burnham: ‘I’ve lost count’

Prime minister Andy Burnham, who uses trains regularly to move between London and Manchester, highlighted the need for more reliable and efficient services. The new trains are pitched as making journeys between major northern cities shorter while increasing capacity on rail networks by 30% in the next decade.

Burnham said: “I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has stopped me to tell me about the train that never came. And when that happens, it means missed shifts, missed appointments and missed opportunities.

“Today that starts to change. These 29 new trains will bring faster, more reliable journeys to the north, and thousands of British jobs for the next generation.

“It’s exactly what Great British Railways is all about – taking back control of the basics and getting Britain believing again.”

Environmental and accessibility benefits

As well as speed and capacity, the new trains are set to run without emissions even on non-electrified stretches of the network, while also having more accessible step-free boarding and onboard wifi.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander also praised the announcement, calling it a sign of how Great British Railways “will deliver better journeys for people while backing British business” and allowing passengers to “wave goodbye to overcrowded, delayed diesel trains and step onboard faster electric trains which are fit for the future”.

Key facts

  • 01The 29 new trains will be run by TransPennine Express.
  • 02They will be built in Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby from 2028.
  • 03The project will support 350 local jobs and nearly 6,000 across the UK.
  • 04Adessia Stream is the first battery-powered model to be used for long-distance mainline journeys in the UK.
  • 05The trains will enter service in 2034.
  • 06Rail network capacity is expected to increase by 30% in the next decade.
  • 07The trains will run without emissions even on non-electrified stretches, with step-free boarding and onboard wifi.