New trains to be rolled out on Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line as part of almost £700m investment

A total of 26 trains – known as Class 196s – will replace the 20-year-old fleet operated by West Midlands Railway with more room and more seats for passengers.

The first of these will enter service on the line between Birmingham and Shrewsbury, which calls at Wolverhampton, in the coming weeks as part of the roll-out.

The new trains boast around 15 per cent more seats, and 25 per cent more capacity also taking into account standing room, than the existing fleet of Class 170s.

A four-carriage train will have 311 seats compared with the current fleet which have 122 over two carriages and a total of 244 when two trains are coupled together.

The move comes despite wide-spread strike action affecting the network with union chiefs locked in a row with the Government over pay, with more action set to come.

Ian McConnell, managing director of West Midlands Trains which runs West Midlands Railway services, said the company has invested £690m in total with the new trains and related infrastructure.

He said: "We're going to be rolling out the new fleet over most of the network and we wanted to start somewhere in the centre to the region – and this route is really important to us.

"These (the new fleet) will be replacing the 20-year-old trains and you can imagine what that would be like, especially if it was a 20-year-old car. There's more space, it's more accessible for wheelchair passengers and it's got all the mod-cons you would expect.

"We've invested this sum not just in the trains but also in the infrastructure, so our depots and facilities and some operational changes behind-the-scenes."

Mr McConnell the move will provide a "much-improved travelling experience" with an order already being placed for more trains to revamp the fleet. The new trains will be introduced on the line ahead of a further roll-out on the Birmingham to Hereford line next year.

The diesel fleet, consisting of 80 carriages in total with 14 four-carriage and 12 two-carriage trains, has been constructed by manufacturer CAF at its factories in Spain and in Newport – with the size of the new trains leading to platforms at Albrighton, Oakengates and Bilbrook being extended.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: "It's a big day, we've been waiting for this since West Midlands Trains (which runs West Midlands Railway) took over the line. And this is an almost £700m investment which will give an improved customer service to people using the service.

"The whole point is that we want a better experience for customers which will give them confidence to travel on public transport, instead of using their cars. And another reason why this is beneficial is because of the extra seating, often on these trains it's standing only so this will really help."

There new fleet boasts improved under-seat storage, improved accessibility including at least one accessible toilet per train. And on top of this there is more bicycle storage enabling up to three bikes to be carried on, clear luggage racks so people don't forget about their items, a plug and USB sockets at every seat and "intelligent" air-condition which reacts to the environment in the carriages.

At a special unveiling event at Wolverhampton railway station, which included a trip to Shrewsbury and back, it was revealed the first train in the fleet has been named Charles Darwin – in honour of the Shrewsbury-born naturalist.

It comes after staff at the company were surveyed on what the name should be, with Mr Darwin coming out on top – something which was welcomed by High Sheriff of Shropshire Selina Graham.

She said: "The beating heart of any county is its people and communities. I've never compared myself to a train before, but like the role of High Sheriff that is what the railway is all about – connecting people and communities, and one man who knew the importance of connecting people was Charles Darwin.

"His theory of evolution has helped us to understand more about humans than anyone else in human history has. I was delighted to hear that it was the staff at West Midlands Trains who chose the name for this fantastic new train, it shows a real commitment to the communities the railway services and a recognition that trains are there to bring people together."

The royal representative for the county cited Mr Darwin's links to Shrewsbury, with his birthplace being around a 15-minute walk from the station and a statue taking pride of place outside Shrewsbury's library.

The introduction of the new trains represents a plan five years in the making – with the order being made for new trains when West Midlands Railway was established in winter 2017. Construction started by CAF in 2018, with the first train tested on the Velim test track in the Czech Republic in autumn 2019.

And the second phase of production started up in Newport, Wales, in spring 2020 and the units started arriving that summer when Covid-19 restrictions were temporarily eased. The first trains were tested on the UK rail network in the autumn, with the remaining trains being constructed and on-track testing last year despite the pandemic – with training starting for drivers and senior conductors ready for the first trains to enter service.