London rail company invests more than £21m in train refurbishments

A London-based transport company has announced that it is investing more than £21m in trains.

Grand Central, which runs trains across the country, is refurbishing trains and coaches to run new direct services between London and Blackpool.

Four sets of MK4 coaches in six-car formation have been leased from Eversholt Rail until December 2026.

The coaches are currently undergoing a £1.5m refurbishment at Alstom in Widnes, which will include Grand Central livery and a full interior refresh.

Grand Central has also hired a pool of five locomotives from DB Cargo UK.

Paul Batty, fleet project manager for Grand Central, said: “We are incredibly proud of the work that has been done to bring our new fleet of rolling stock to fruition, starting with our first locomotive ready to begin driver training in a couple of weeks’ time.

“It’s taken a lot of planning and a considerable team effort to get to this stage and it’s fantastic that our customers will soon be able to see our refurbished Grand Central trains in operation.”

Dave Hatfield, Grand Central’s fleet director, added: “We’re delighted to reveal our rolling stock for our new North West to London route.

“These trains have been chosen because of their proven track record and suitability for the service that we will be operating.”