First glimpse of new trains that will connect Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton with London

The first two Class 805 trains, which will be used on services between the West Midlands and London, successfully completed a 560-mile test run from Oxley depot in Wolverhampton, to Glasgow and back on Monday.

Trains number 805001 and 805003 are the first of a new £350 million fleet of 23 trains due to go into service later this year. They will provide express services between Shrewsbury, Telford, Wellington, Wolverhampton, Sandwell & Dudley and London.

Their ability to run on both diesel and electric power means they will be able to provide a seamless service between Shrewsbury and the capital, using the diesel engine for the Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury stretch of the line where there are no electric cables.

Their arrival at Oxley depot, where they will be maintained once they enter service, follows two months of testing at the Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) at Melton Mowbray.

The two trains will now be put through their paces over the coming months, running for thousands of miles at speeds of up to 125mph.

It will also provide an opportunity to test a number of new features, including passenger information services, the seat reservation system, and selective door opening, which will allow them to stop at stations with shorter platforms.

Steve Whitewick of Avanti West Coast, which runs express services in the West Midlands, said the new trains had attracted a lot of interest.

“The new trains have certainly turned heads and the anticipation is building," he said.

“It’s great to have the first two sets on the West Coast Main Line and we look forward to working with our partners to deliver a new fleet that will help deliver a step change in the travelling experience of our customers and colleagues.”

The British-built Hitachi trains will replace the diesel-only Class 221 Super Voyager trains which have been operating routes from the West Midlands to London, North Wales and the north-west for the past 22 years.

Avanti says they will reduce carbon emissions by 61 per cent, and provide a quieter, roomier service, with a more reliable internet connection, wireless charging for electric devices and a real-time customer information system.

Jim Brewin, Hitachi Rail's chief director of UK and Ireland said seeing the trains running on the West Coast Main Line was a massive step towards their entry into passenger service.

The trains were built at Hitachi's factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

A spokesman for Avanti said the company was also spending £117 million refurbishing its Pendolino electric trains, many of which were now returning to service once the upgrades were complete.