FLEET FOCUS
CLASS 777
Merseyside’s long-awaited arrival
Graeme Pickering looks at how the Liverpool City Region-owned units, the first of which are now in service on the Kirkby line, form part of Mayor Steve Rotheram’s plans for a ‘travel revolution’ on Merseyside.
After its debut round trip in revenue-earning service, Merseyrail Class 777 No. 777049 – the first of the class to be introduced – stands at Liverpool Central on January 23.
GRAEME PICKERING
THE
first members of Merseyrail’s fleet of 53 new Stadler-built Class 777 trains are finally in service – more than six years after the deal was approved and two years later than originally expected.
Rolling almost silently into Liverpool Central to form the 10.50 to Kirkby on January 23, No. 777049 had the honour of working the class’s very first public service. A Merseyrail leaflet explaining the features of the new units proclaimed: “Your new trains are here!” The word ‘your’ is particularly important in this instance as, unlike the Class 507 and Class 508 electric multiple units they will replace (leased from Angel Trains), the Class 777s are publicly-owned. They were purchased from Stadler by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) as part of a £500 million investment, including associated preparations – such as the rebuilding of Kirkdale depot in Liverpool, upgrades to the third-rail traction power supply, and platform height changes to accommodate the train’s retractable steps (deployed when the doors open to allow level boarding).