In my previous report I noted the ageing fleet of trains that operate the Ribble Valley services and the resulting growing maintenance challenges affecting train availability and consequent shorter trains and affect on services.

At several previous annual conferences that RVR Committee members have attended we were told provision of new trains was being planned, on the last occasion not until 2030 at the soonest, but very little detail was provided other than these new trains are likely to be hybrid powered by battery and clean diesel for Ribble Valley services.

It is good to be able to now give an update in the form of a report in the press from the Warrington Guardian reporting a “Major Fleet Update on the horizon for rail passengers in the North.”, with plans to buy up to 450 new trains.

James Howard, newly-appointed Director of New Rolling Stock programmes at Northern Railway is reported as saying “It will be the largest investment in our fleet providing our customers with modern attend, reliable trains….”

The procurement will be delivered in three phases with around 130 trains included in the first tranche.

Final tenders are due in February from manufacturers. It is aimed to award contracts by early 2027 with the first trains due to be delivered in 2030. The upgrade will see around two-thirds of Northern’s fleet replaced over the next 10 years. Many of the existing trains date back to the 1980s and 1990s.

The new trains will be a mix of fully electric, battery-powered and multi-modal units. Currently only 25 per cent of Northern’s network is electrified, but further expansion is planned. Battery and hybrid trains will be convertible to electric as new routes are upgraded.

It is good to see that the procurement process is now active.