Passengers commuting through the South Midlands region, from Northampton to London Euston are set to benefit from a major improvement in rail services as London Northwestern Railway introduces its brand-new fleet of Class 730/2 electric trains. The roll out of the new fleet will start from Monday, June 9th.
The new fleet, comprising 36 new trains (totalling 180 carriages), marks a positive change for regional rail travel. The rollout will continue throughout 2025, replacing the current Class 350/2 fleet, leading to a 20% capacity increase.
Each train has five carriages, with 406 seats in total. This means that a 10-carriage train will be able to provide up to 812 seats. In addition to more seats and space, commuters will benefit from a smart air conditioning feature, power points at every seat, and better accessibility. All these improvements are set to make journeys more comfortable.
John Doughty, Engineering Director at London Northwestern Railway, said:
“We are excited to begin introducing these brand-new electric trains onto our network from next month, including services at Northampton.
“The trains are part of our £1 billion investment in the rail network. With significantly increased capacity and modern features like smart air conditioning, I am certain they will prove popular with passengers travelling between Northampton and London Euston.”
Mike Reader, Member of Parliament for Northampton South, said:
“As a regular commuter between Northampton & London, I know the frustration passengers feel when trains are full and there are no seats available. These new trains are a big win for Northampton. With more seats, better accessibility, smart air conditioning & power points at every seat, this investment will make rail travel more comfortable for everyone. I'm pleased to see real improvements being delivered for our community.”
These changes are part of a wider effort to improve rail travel, reduce overcrowding, and make passenger experience better.