Ten new Derby-built trains will help the UK’s single busiest railway service meet growth demand
Elizabeth line customers in London are closer to getting more brand-new trains, as construction has begun by Alstom on the first of an additional ten to be introduced to the network. The new trains are being built at Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane Works in Derby to support increasing demand for the hugely popular line.
Since opening in 2022, the Elizabeth line has had a transformational effect on travel in London and quickly become the UK’s single busiest railway service, with an average of 800,000 journeys now made on the service each day. The new trains, which were ordered with UK government funding, will allow Transport for London (TfL) to increase capacity on the existing line, further driving the economy by boosting connections and serving HS2’s new Old Oak Common station in the future.
Visiting Alstom’s Derby site on 27 October 2025, Heidi Alexander, secretary of state for transport, said: “Thanks to over £220m in government funding, TfL’s order for new Elizabeth line trains is a shining example of how public investment in our railways delivers for communities across the country, supporting more than 1,000 skilled jobs and ensuring London’s transport network keeps pace with growing demand.”
“This is a clear demonstration of our Plan for Change promise to build a modern, accessible and sustainable railway that drives economic growth, cuts journey times and brings countless opportunities to people both in the capital and beyond.”
The additional Class 345 Aventra trains are being built by Alstom at its Derby Litchurch Lane Works, one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, and the only UK facility that handles the end-to-end process of train manufacturing. Rob Whyte, managing director UK and Ireland at Alstom, said: “Our historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works are crucial to the country’s economic growth, being the only UK factory where you can design, engineer, build and test a train from scratch for both domestic and export markets.
“Not only will these new Aventra trains enable Transport for London to continue successfully operating the Elizabeth line as passenger demand grows, they continue to support high-value manufacturing and supply chain jobs in the East Midlands and across the UK. We look forward to our new Elizabeth line trains joining the existing fleet, which are maintained by us around-the-clock at our state-of-the-art depot at Old Oak Common.”
