Arriva Group has placed a £300 million order for a new fleet of battery hybrid trains to replace its entire Grand Central fleet. The investment includes 45 state-of-the-art tri-mode rail cars, capable of running on electricity, battery, or diesel power.

The new trains will be manufactured at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe facility in County Durham and financed by Angel Trains. The deal supports skilled jobs in the North East and introduces advanced battery technology to the region’s rail manufacturing sector.

The fleet is expected to increase seating by 20 per cent, providing an additional 400,000 seats annually on routes connecting the North East, Yorkshire, and London. Delivery is scheduled for 2028 under a 10-year maintenance and leasing agreement.

Amanda Furlong, Managing Director of Arriva UK Trains, said: “These best-in-class, greener trains will deliver more comfortable journeys and a step-change in capacity on our popular Grand Central services.”

The new tri-mode trains are expected to cut emissions and fuel consumption by around 30 per cent, supporting the UK Government’s transport decarbonisation goals. They will also improve air quality in stations by operating in battery mode when entering and exiting.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander MP said: “This new £300m investment marks yet another step forward in securing the future of rail manufacturing in the North East.”

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “This is great news for Hitachi and its highly skilled workforce, showing there’s real confidence in advanced manufacturing in North East England.”

The trains include modern passenger features such as more luggage space, in-seat power and an electronic reservation system.

The investment follows the Office of Rail and Road’s decision to extend Grand Central’s track access rights until 2038. Arriva has further applications pending to expand services across the UK.