The train company that runs most services in and out of Euston station has unveiled a new fleet of trains with about 20 per cent more seats.
London Northwestern Railway says the new trains, which are part of a £1bn wider fleet upgrade, will make a “massive difference” to commuters to destinations such as Tring, Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central.
A total of 36 five-carriage trains will be introduced over the next 18 months, starting with the 16:19 departure on Monday from Euston to Northampton.
Ian McConnell, managing director of London Northwestern Railway, said the firm “often flies a bit below the radar” despite operating more services in and out of Euston than rival operator Avanti West Coast or the London Overground’s Lioness line.
“We have 75m customers every single year,” he said at a launch event at Euston on Friday. “Our trains are busy. These trains are needed.”
About 75 per cent of the firm’s passengers travel on its services on the West Coast Main Line.
Speaking to The Standard, Mr McConnell said: “Most of our customers travel on this part of the network, so it’s going to have a big, big impact.
“For the Euston main line – the West Coast Main Line – it will be a 20 per cent increase in seats, which is essentially 15,000 seats a day, when they are all in service.”
The new peak-hour trains are likely to be formed of two five-car electric units, meaning a total of 10 carriages.
These will replace outdated 12-carriage trains but, because the new carriages are longer and have more seats, the overall capacity on a peak train will increase from around 700 to 812.
The 110mph, air conditioned, walk-through trains have been designed and built by Alstom in Derby.
The roll-out between Euston and Northampton will be followed later this year with new trains entering service on the Trent Valley line between Crewe and Euston, calling at stations including Lichfield Trent Valley, Nuneaton and Rugby.
Mr McConnell said the upgrade was the “biggest and best” of the firm’s three improvements to rolling stock.
“I think there is quite a lot of negativity about our industry in the news at the moment, probably too much,” he said. “We all need a little bit of good news.
“These trains will make a real difference, bringing more capacity and modern features to the millions of commuters and leisure travellers who use our services to and from London each year.”
The new trains, known as Class 730/2, have 406 seats in their five-carriage formation – significantly more than the 233 seats on the four-carriage Class 350 trains that are being replaced.
Dominic Booth, chief executive of LNR’s parent company Transport UK, said: “We’re proud that as part of our £1billion transformation investment, London Northwestern Railway is introducing a whole new fleet of British-made Class 730 trains.
“These state-of-the-art electric trains will enhance our customers’ experience and significantly increase overall capacity, allowing us to serve more passengers across the West Coast Main Line and at London Euston.”
Rob Whyte, Alstom’s UK and Ireland managing director, said: “These state-of-the-art trains represent a major step forward in sustainable, high-capacity rail travel and are a testament to the dedication and expertise of our teams.”
