MPs attend launch of new London Northwestern Railway fleet.
Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central and Chris Curtis, MP for Milton Keynes North, this morning attended the launch of a brand new London Northwestern Railway (LNR) train fleet which will carry millions of passengers to and from London Euston every year, which has entered service today.
The electric Class 730/2 fleet is made up of 36 five-carriage trains – a total of 180 new carriages - bringing an overall 20% increase in capacity on routes to and from Euston. Featuring open gangways, charging points at every seat and intelligent air conditioning, these modern trains will significantly improve the passenger experience.
Designed and bult in the UK by Alstom at its Derby factory, the fleet will initially be rolled out between Northampton and London Euston, calling at busy stations including Milton Keynes Central, Tring and Watford Junction. Later this year the fleet will enter service on the Trent Valley line between Crewe and Euston, calling at stations including Lichfield Trent Valley, Nuneaton and Rugby.
Emily Darlington MP welcomed the new train fleet, saying “I’m so excited to see these new electric trains calling through Milton Keynes Central, with more than double the capacity of the old trains, making travel between our city and London even easier. Yet another fantastic investment in the greatest city in the UK!”
Chris Curtis MP said, “This investment will make an enormous difference to the many people commuting to and from Milton Keynes every day as well as those using the line for leisure and other purposes. I can't wait to see the new trains in service and to use them myself!"
Ian McConnell, LNR managing director, said:
“Our fantastic Class 730/2 fleet is the cornerstone of our £1billion investment into the railway. 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.
“We are excited to bring these new electric trains onto our network from today, with the whole fleet expected to be rolled out by the end of 2026. I am certain they will prove a hit with our customers.”
Dominic Booth, chief executive officer 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:
“We are all incredibly proud to see the Class 730/2 fleet – designed and built right here in the UK at our Derby facility – enter service. 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.
“This milestone reinforces Alstom’s commitment to delivering innovation that transforms the passenger experience and supports the future of British rail.”
The fleet’s entry into service follows a grand launch event at Euston on Friday 6 June. Other features of the fleet include tables, luggage racks and underfloor heating.
The trains will primarily be maintained at LNR’s traction maintenance depot in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, which has undergone £80million in upgrade work to accommodate them.
Today’s Class 730/2 launch follows the successful rollout of the three-carriage Class 730/0s in the West Midlands over the last 18 months. The trains, which have already carried millions of passengers, are in service on the busy Cross City Line in Birmingham, between Wolverhampton and Walsall and between Rugeley and Birmingham International.
