Story perspectives

Burnham Announces £1B for 29 Battery-Electric Trains North

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 2:17 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a £1 billion investment in 29 battery-electric trains for the north.
Alstom will build the trains at its Litchurch Lane works in Derby starting in 2028.
The scheme supports more than 350 local jobs and nearly 6,000 jobs across the UK supply chain.
Capacity on trans-Pennine routes could rise by 30 percent by the mid-2030s.

History

Historical Context

In 2005 the Department for Transport launched the Intercity Express Programme, awarding the £7.5 billion contract to Agility Trains (Hitachi) in February 2009 after a 2007 tender. The order, later cut to about 770 carriages and delivered from 2017, proved public funding could create jobs and raise capacity. Andy Burnham’s 2024 £1 billion pledge for 29 battery-electric Alstom trains in Derby follows that model.

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Story summary

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a £1 billion investment in 29 battery-electric trains for the north.
Alstom will build the trains at its Litchurch Lane works in Derby starting in 2028.
The scheme supports more than 350 local jobs and nearly 6,000 jobs across the UK supply chain.
Capacity on trans-Pennine routes could rise by 30 percent by the mid-2030s.

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