A train operator running services through Huddersfield has announced the purchase of 125 brand new carriages.

TransPennine Express (TPE), which links Huddersfield with major cities including Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and Hull, is spending £230m on 25 brand new five-carriage trains which will be in service across the network by 2019.

TPE launched its new franchise period on April 1 with a commitment to invest more than £500m in the rail network.

This latest announcement follows an earlier agreement to buy 19 new five-carriage trains capable of operating by diesel and electric power from manufacturer Hitachi Rail Europe.

The new train fleets will provide an extra 13m seats a year – enough to fill the Old Trafford stadium more than 150 times.

The agreement will see the introduction of two new fleets – 12 five-carriage Civity UK InterCity electric trains and 13 sets of five-car InterCity carriages.

TPE will deliver an investment of more than £230m in 25 brand new five-carriage trains which will be in service across the network by 2019.

The Civity UK InterCity electric trains will operate between Manchester and Liverpool to Glasgow and Edinburgh whilst the InterCity carriages will operate initially between Liverpool and Newcastle, calling at Huddersfield.

In total, the 44 brand new trains will supplement TPE’s current fleet and will more than double capacity on all intercity routes across the North and into Scotland by 2019. The vast majority of services will operate with at least five carriages as opposed to the current three.

Leo Goodwin

TPE managing director Leo Goodwin said: “This is great news for our customers and we are delighted to have concluded the deals that will bring much needed and much wanted extra carriages across our network.

“This will enable us to transform the customer experience over the life of our franchise and our three new train fleets will form a key part of this improvement.”