The next train arriving at Leighton Buzzard in 2021 will look something like this...

Passengers get a sneak peek at London Northwestern Railway's new £700m fleet being built in Derby
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Leighton Buzzard's long-suffering commuters have been given a sneak peak at what they will be riding the rails on next year.

Passengers sent social media into meltdown with complaints about the state of some of the rolling stock inherited by operator London Northwestern Railway.

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But the company pledged a £700million investment in its trains after landing a nine-year deal to run commuter services into and out of London Euston in 2017.

One of the new Class 730 trains on the production line in Derby. Photos: London Northwestern RailwayOne of the new Class 730 trains on the production line in Derby. Photos: London Northwestern Railway
One of the new Class 730 trains on the production line in Derby. Photos: London Northwestern Railway

Pictures from train-builder Bombardier's factory in Derby give a hint of what's to come.

The Class 730 may not look much different from the outside and there is clearly work to be done on the interiors. But LNR promises more comfy seats, intelligent air conditioning systems, free wi-fi and power sockets.

LNR managing director Julian Edwards said: “These superb new electric trains will enhance the travelling experience for our customers and I am delighted to see for myself that progress has been continuing apace despite the challenge of coronavirus.

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“This is one of two new fleets we are introducing as we increase our capacity by 25 per cent as we continue to welcome passengers back to the railway.

Standing room only at the moment but LNR promises more comfy seats on the new trainsStanding room only at the moment but LNR promises more comfy seats on the new trains
Standing room only at the moment but LNR promises more comfy seats on the new trains

“Now more than ever our £700m investment into our new train projects will play a vital role in the future of train travel right across our network.”

The first of the brand new trains is already in testing in Europe and with the fleet expected to enter service in the second half of next year.

LNR has ordered 45 new five-car trains to run alongside some of the newer units in its fleet, significantly increasing capacity on the West Coast mainline from 2021.

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They will replace 12 refurbished sets originally built in the 1980s which London Northwestern 'borrowed' to bolster its fleet after taking over the franchise from London Midland.

An artists' impression of what the new train interiors will look likeAn artists' impression of what the new train interiors will look like
An artists' impression of what the new train interiors will look like

London Northwestern have also posted a video of their rigorous cleaning regime on trains — including a a powerful tool in the fight against the spread of coronavirus.

The operator rolled out new state-of-the-art ‘fogging’ machines to its cleaning teams earlier this summer, creating a mist which kills bacteria but is harmless to people.

The hand-held ‘foggers’ can sanitise an entire train carriage in just a few minutes, including hard-to-reach corners.