Chiltern Railways Launches First Explorer Train on West Midlands Route

Chiltern Railways has begun rolling out its next generation of trains, with the first unit entering passenger service this week on routes linking London and the West Midlands. The introduction marks a significant investment for the operator and represents an early step towards providing an additional 10,000 seats for customers on weekdays from December 2026.

The new trains are now operating between London Marylebone and the West Midlands, serving communities across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. Chiltern Railways says the fleet will enhance capacity and improve journey quality along the corridor, helping to support economic growth while strengthening access to major employers and leisure destinations.

A total of 13 trains will form the new fleet, which has been branded “Chiltern Explorers” following a customer vote. The name was selected from a shortlist after focus group research, with the operator seeking a title that suggested movement and excitement while being easy for customers to recognise. The branding will be used consistently on trains, in station announcements and across the route so passengers can clearly identify the new units.

To mark the trains’ entry into service, celebratory events were held on Tuesday 27 January at Birmingham Moor Street and at stations along the line to London. Customers were welcomed with goody bags and live music, while regional leaders, businesses and passengers were invited to experience the new trains and learn more about how they will shape future services.

Chiltern says the Explorer trains bring a range of onboard upgrades, including plug sockets and USB ports at every seat, digital information screens, air conditioning, improved luggage and cycle storage, and First Class accommodation. Accessibility has been a major focus, with features such as fully accessible toilets, enhanced boarding arrangements and improved seating layouts designed to make journeys more comfortable for all passengers.

The new trains will replace four locomotive-hauled sets made up of British Rail-era coaches, which are expected to leave the fleet by the end of March. Those trains have been in service for almost five decades.

Richard Allan, Managing Director of Chiltern Railways, said:

"I am thrilled that following months of intensive preparation we are able to operate the first of our 13 newer trains on services between the West Midlands and London Marylebone, delivering a much better experience for customers. We will have all of the new trains available for service from December 2026, when all the necessary colleague training and train preparations have been completed. That will allow Chiltern to operate more services for customers, offering services every 30 minutes between the West Midlands and London every weekday. Some further internal changes to how current trains are used mean that in total there will be 10,000 more seats for customers across the entire Chiltern route every weekday from December. There will be more services at weekends, with further details to be announced nearer to December."

Laura Shoaf CBE, Chair of Shadow Great British Railways, said:

"The arrival of the first Chiltern Explorer is a major milestone in delivering a more modern, accessible and reliable railway. These new trains will transform journeys for customers from the West Midlands through to London, strengthening connections for work, leisure and the region’s growing economy. They also demonstrate the kind of long-term, customer-focused investment we are working to embed by building a simpler, more joined-up rail system that delivers for communities. Crucially, the fleet’s improved efficiency and design support our wider sustainability goals, helping create a greener railway for the future.”

The first Chiltern Explorer carried passengers for the first time on Monday 26 January, with the remainder of the fleet scheduled to enter service in phases throughout 2026.

Image: Chiltern Railways