Grand Central to receive new £300 million battery hybrid fleet

Grand Central is set to introduce a brand-new fleet of battery hybrid trains following a £300 million investment from its parent company, Arriva Group. This marks a major milestone in Grand Central's journey to deliver more sustainable, comfortable and high-capacity rail services across the North East, Yorkshire and London.

The new fleet will consist of nine state-of-the-art tri-mode trains powered by electricity, battery and diesel. These will increase seating capacity by 20% - adding approximately 400,000 extra seats per year for passengers travelling on Grand Central's popular East Coast services.

Manufacturing will take place at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe facility - supporting skilled jobs in the region and unlocking new opportunities in advanced rail technology. The trains will be delivered in 2028 under a 10-year leasing agreement in partnership and financed by Angel Trains.

Greener, smarter travel

The tri-mode technology is expected to reduce emissions and fuel consumption by around 30%. Passengers can also look forward to enhnced comfort, more luggage space, in-seat power and an electronic reservation system.

Long-term commitment to rail

This investment follows the recent approval of extended track access rights for Grand Central services through to 2038 - reinforcing Grand Central's long-term commitment to connecting communities and improving regional connectivity.

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said:

“I made it one of my first priorities as Mayor to secure the future of Hitachi in Country Durham, and with that the jobs of hundreds of people who work at the Newton Aycliffe plant. Today’s announcement confirming a new £300m order by Arriva for state-of-the-art trains is just the latest sign we are succeeding.  This is great news for Hitachi and its highly skilled workforce, showing there’s real confidence in advanced manufacturing in North East England.

 

“I’m so proud to say that in the very near future, the entire Grand Central fleet which links Sunderland to York and London will have been proudly built in our region.”

Jim Brewin, Hitachi Rail Chief Director of UK & Ireland, said: 

“As we celebrate 200 years since the birth of the modern railway in the North East, it's symbolic that innovative battery trains are being developed in Newton Aycliffe”.

 

“Battery trains’ ability to deliver cheaper, greener, and more reliable journeys means we are unlocking a new advanced manufacturing opportunity for rail today.

 

“Following the successful trial of this pioneering battery technology last year, Arriva and Angel Trains are transforming Hitachi's £17 million R&D investment into the first battery train order to be built in the UK."