Grand Central has agreed to lease four additional Class 180 trains as it advances plans for a direct rail service between Newcastle and Brighton.
The Arriva-owned open access operator’s fleet would increase from 10 to 14 trains under the agreement with Angel Trains. The proposed route remains subject to approval by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), following Grand Central’s application in December 2025.
Proposed service would run up to five times a day
If approved, the service would offer up to five trains a day in each direction and provide more than 1,000 seats daily each way. It would connect communities in the North East with destinations including York, Darlington, London Gatwick, Reading and Brighton.
Grand Central said the route would be the first direct rail connection between the North East and the Sussex coast. The operator also said it would provide an alternative to car travel and add capacity alongside existing services without additional cost to taxpayers.
Trains to be refurbished at Eastleigh
The four five-car Class 180 Adelante trains have been out of service for almost three years. Subject to the route receiving approval, they will be refurbished at Arriva TrainCare’s Eastleigh depot before entering service with Grand Central.
The work is expected to support rail engineering roles at Eastleigh and activity across the wider rail supply chain.
Chris Brandon, director at Grand Central, said passengers in York, Darlington and Durham had historically had limited choice for journeys south.
“People deserve the option to travel directly by rail, and Grand Central has a proud track record of offering underserved communities direct links to other towns and cities, and to areas of opportunity. Our agreement to lease four new trains means we’re one step closer to this route becoming a reality, and we look forward to the ORR’s response.”
Craig Nicolson, business development director at Arriva, said the proposal would make journeys between the North East, the South Coast and London Gatwick simpler and more attractive, subject to ORR approval.
The lease follows Arriva’s announcement last year of a £300m investment in nine new Hitachi Rail tri-mode battery-hybrid trains for Grand Central’s existing routes.