London Northwestern Railway (LNR) has revealed that it has reached a major milestone in the introduction of one of Britain’s newest train fleets.

Representatives of the operator were joined by Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, local representatives and members of the rail industry to officially announce that it had completed the redevelopment of Bletchley Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD).

The announcement was made at a special event on Frida,y 12 September.

The train operator carried out the works to the site so that it would have the capacity to stable and maintain its new fleet of class 730/2 electric trains. The new, five-car trains entered service on LNR’s routes to and from London Euston in June this year.

The fleet is made up of 36 trains, and their entry into service increased the operator’s capacity on the West Coast Main Line by an overall 20%. They will carry millions of passengers to and from the capital each year, operating on routes between Crewe and London and Northampton and London.

Facilities on the trains – which were built by Alstom in Derby – include open gangways, charging points at all seats and intelligent air conditioning.

In order to maintain the trains, Bletchley Depot’s main shed has been extended. The extension has enabled the introduction of new, modernised carriage servicing sidings, better facilities for inspecting rolling stock, and new equipment for lifting trains facilities. The redevelopment, which cost £80 million – has also involved replacing overhead electrified and installing a new overhead gantry which allows for access to the train’s roof along the full length of the train.

Workers at Bletchley Train Maintenance Depot also maintain and stable LNR’s Class 150 fleet, which operates between Bletchley and Bedford on the Marston Vale line. It also hosts the trains which will operate on the East West Rail route between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Rolling stock company Porterbrook provided most of the funding for the TMD’s upgrades. Extra financial support was provided by the Department for Transport. The work was carried out by construction contractor Taylor Woodrow.

The depot’s upgrade forms part of a billion-pound investment into new trains and infrastructure by LNR and West Midlands Railway. Separate upgrade work is being carried out at the operator’s depot in Tyseley in Birmingham.

“I’m delighted to see the transformation that has taken place at Bletchley depot, made possible by significant government support and a great collaborative effort between London Northwestern Railway and its delivery partners.

“The new trains entering service will provide a much better experience for passengers along the route, connecting millions of people to jobs, education, and leisure opportunities. I look forward to seeing their smooth introduction being completed and enjoying a journey myself in the coming months.”

Lord Peter Hendy, Minister of State for Rail