New electric train fleet promised to speed up journeys across northern England
The UK government and Alstom have agreed to build a new fleet of battery-electric trains to improve rail links across northern England, manufactured domestically as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
The UK's Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a new train fleet aimed at improving rail services across northern England. An official noted that many passengers had complained about trains failing to arrive, causing missed shifts, appointments and opportunities — a situation now set to change.
The new trains will support the Transpennine Route Upgrade's goal of increasing capacity by 30%, adding thousands of extra seats a day across the Pennines by the early to mid-2030s.
New routes and faster journeys
The trains will operate between major destinations including Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull. Journey times will be cut by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds, and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.
The trains will be purchased by Rock Rail and leased to operator TransPennine Express.
Manufacturer Alstom
The trains will be designed and built by Alstom, which operates the largest train manufacturing site outside China. In 2024, the company secured a £370m contract to build 10 new trains for London's Elizabeth line — less than three months after a redundancy consultation put 1,300 jobs at risk at its Litchurch Lane factory, which dates back to 1876.
Alstom UK managing director Rob Whyte called the new agreement a landmark moment for Britain's railway, saying the country's first main line battery-electric trains would be designed and built in Britain, showcasing British engineering and manufacturing capability.
