The Department for Transport announced plans for a new fleet of battery-electric trains designed to serve northern England routes. The 29 Adessia Stream trains will be manufactured by Alstom at its Litchurch Lane facility in Derby, with production scheduled to commence in 2028 and operational deployment targeted for 2034.
The government investment of nearly £1 billion is projected to sustain over 350 positions at Alstom’s Derby manufacturing plant while supporting approximately 6,000 additional jobs across the broader UK supply chain. The initiative includes provisions for 40 new apprenticeships at the facility. Rolling stock company Rock Rail will purchase the trains, which will subsequently be leased to TransPennine Express for operation.
The new fleet is intended to enhance capacity on the TransPennine Route Upgrade by 30 percent, contributing to expanded service across northern routes. The trains will operate on various key regional corridors, including services between Liverpool Lime Street and Scarborough, Manchester Airport and Saltburn, and Manchester Piccadilly and Hull. Journey times are expected to decrease by up to 10 minutes between Manchester and Leeds, and up to 14 minutes between Manchester and York.
The battery-electric design enables operation on non-electrified rail sections without emissions, replacing diesel-powered services currently in use. Passenger amenities on the new vehicles will include step-free boarding, three wheelchair spaces, accessible restrooms, family zones, cycle and buggy storage, improved legroom, enhanced luggage capacity, onboard wi-fi connectivity, and reduced noise levels compared to existing services.
Alstom previously secured a £370 million contract to manufacture 10 London Elizabeth line trains. The company operates the largest rolling stock manufacturing facility outside China at its Derby location, which has industrial heritage dating to 1876.
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