Chiltern Railways today unveiled its new Mark 5A cars, manufactured by CAF, which will replace the veteran Mark 3 and, from December 2026, will add 10,000 more seats each working day.
The series consists of 13 5-car push-pull trains, manufactured by CAF Beasain between 2016 and 2018 for ROSCO Beacon Rail. Similar to the Caledonian Sleeper Mark 5s, they served on Transpennine Express between August 2019 and December 2023. Due to failures such as cracks in some cars, they were withdrawn with less than 4 years of service.
After being repaired, Beacon Rail put them back on lease. In August, they were chosen by Chiltern to renew its rolling stock. The trains include class 68 locomotives, also manufactured in Spain, but by Stadler Valencia.
They will debut on routes between London Marylebone station and the West Midlands from early 2026, replacing the mk3 cars, which are almost 50 years old.
The Mark 5A series will offer service improvements such as reinforced wifi, power sockets and USB ports at each seat, air conditioning and more space for luggage and bicycles. Accessibility has also been optimised for all types of people.
The arrival of these trains marks a key stage in the modernisation and decarbonisation of Chiltern Railways, which plans to replace its diesel trains with battery electric models within the next decade. The official launch took place at London Marylebone station in the presence of Transport Minister Lord Peter Hendy.