A £1 billion investment in 29 new battery-electric trains will bring faster services to northern England while supporting thousands of manufacturing and supply-chain jobs across Britain.
Britain is set to take a major step towards cleaner and more modern rail travel after the government backed a £1 billion programme to build 29 new battery-electric trains for TransPennine Express.
The trains will be manufactured at Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane plant in Derby, creating more than 350 highly skilled jobs at the site and supporting almost 6,000 additional positions across the British supply chain. The project is also expected to contribute around £360 million to the wider UK economy.
The government says the investment is intended to demonstrate how the emerging Great British Railways (GBR) structure can combine infrastructure and train operations to improve services while strengthening domestic manufacturing.
The new Adessia Stream trains will be the first battery-electric trains built for long-distance main line services in Britain. They are scheduled to begin construction in 2028, with passenger operations expected to start in winter 2034.
For passengers, the biggest changes will be felt on some of the North’s busiest intercity routes. Journey times between Manchester and Leeds could fall by as much as 10 minutes, while services between Manchester and York could become up to 14 minutes faster.
The new fleet will also support the wider Transpennine Route Upgrade, which aims to increase rail capacity across the Pennines by 30%. Thousands of additional seats are expected to become available each day as the programme is completed during the early to mid-2030s.
The battery technology will allow the trains to operate without diesel on sections of the network that have not yet been electrified, reducing emissions while avoiding the need for immediate full electrification of every route.
Passenger comfort and accessibility are also central to the design. The trains will offer quieter and smoother journeys, Wi-Fi, additional luggage capacity and step-free boarding. The elimination of significant gaps between trains and platforms is intended to make travel easier for wheelchair users, passengers with pushchairs and people carrying heavy luggage.
Each train will include three dedicated wheelchair spaces, two accessible toilets, family-friendly areas and storage for bicycles and buggies.
The fleet will serve a network linking major destinations including Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull.
The project is also being presented as part of a broader effort to revive Britain's industrial base. Alstom’s Derby facility, which has a railway manufacturing history stretching back to the 19th century, will play a central role in designing and producing the trains, while companies across the UK will contribute components, engineering, digital technology and other services.
The Transpennine Route Upgrade has already generated more than £1 billion in spending with local businesses and an estimated £2.6 billion in social value for northern communities. Its workforce currently stands at about 5,000, with up to 8,000 roles expected to be supported over the programme’s lifetime.
TransPennine Express Managing Director Chris Jackson described the deal as a long-term investment in both the railway and the regional economy, highlighting the additional capacity, accessibility improvements and new infrastructure it will bring.
Alstom said the project would place Britain at the forefront of the development of cleaner rail technology while showcasing domestic engineering and advanced manufacturing.
The trains will be owned by Rock Rail and leased to TransPennine Express under an arrangement designed to finance and deliver the new fleet without requiring the operator to purchase the rolling stock directly.
The government argues that the programme illustrates the wider ambitions of Great British Railways: improving reliability and capacity for passengers while using major infrastructure spending to support skilled employment and domestic industrial production.
If delivered on schedule, the new trains will eventually replace some of the older diesel stock operating across northern England, combining lower-emission travel with faster journeys and improved passenger facilities.
