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Thu, 10 Sep 2026

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 Alstom to build new battery-electric train fleet

The government says the work will support thousands of jobs across the UK.

* 29 new battery-electric TransPennine Express trains will enter service in 2034
* Work on building the trains will begin in 2028 at Alstom's Litchurch Lane factory in Derby
* The £1bn investment is expected to support over 350 jobs at Alstom and 6,000 jobs across the UK supply chain
* Journey times between Manchester and Leeds will be cut by up to 10 minutes, while journey times between Manchester and York will be cut by up to 14 minutes
* The trains will have features such as step-free boarding, improved accessibility, more luggage space, and onboard Wi-Fi
* Rock Rail will buy the trains and lease them to TransPennine Express