A new fleet of 26 trains fitted with a host of creature comforts aimed at improving the passenger experience are being brought into service as part of a £690 million investment by West Midlands Railway.
The first of the trains, known as Class 196s, will enter service on the line between Shrewsbury and Birmingham in the coming weeks, serving stops including New Street, Wolverhampton and Telford. The diesel fleet, consisting of 80 carriages in total, has been constructed by manufacturer CAF at its factories in South Wales and Spain.
Among the new features are more seats and tables with improved under-seat storage, improved accessibility, including at least one accessible toilet per train, and space for up to three bikes to be carried.
There are also new digital screens featuring live journey information, plug and USB sockets at every seat, free wi-fi and air-conditioning which reacts to the carriage environment.
It is said to be the first new fleet to be introduced to the West Midlands franchise in more than a decade and from next year will also serve the Hereford Line, connecting Birmingham with destinations including Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Worcester.
The first train in the fleet will be named Charles Darwin in honour of the famous naturalist who was born and spent his childhood years in Shrewsbury.
West Midlands Railway, and its sister firm London Northwestern Railway, operates a host of local services across Birmingham and the wider region as well as direct routes to London and the North West.
Managing director Ian McConnell said: “These brand new trains will provide a much-improved travelling experience for our customers with smart air conditioning and power points at every seat.
“We have had to wait a little while to introduce these trains due to the pandemic but I am delighted our customers will soon be able to experience the trains for themselves."
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street added: “I want to see a golden era for rail travel in our region and this £690 million investment from West Midlands Railway is a vital and very welcome element in realising that overall vision.
"These fantastic new trains will make a real difference for passengers - improving the travel experience, connecting communities and providing extra capacity - which is much needed as public transport usage continues to climb post pandemic.”
Dominic Booth, managing director of Abellio UK which owns West Midlands Railway, said: “The new Class 196 trains will provide more capacity at a time of steadily increasing passenger numbers as the rail industry continues to recover from the pandemic.
"We look forward to these trains providing an improved daily journey experience to customers in the Midlands."
