RAIL passengers in Devon will benefit from the introduction of new trains by Great Western Railway to improve its fleet.

GWR will be 26 Class 175 trains in service by later this year, some of which will run from Exeter St David to Penzance through Newton Abbot.

The new trains will help improve punctuality and reliability for customers, replacing older diesel trains that are more expensive and less environmentally friendly to run.

The move marks the first stage of the train operator’s plans to rejuvenate its regional and suburban services while preparing the way for decarbonisation.

Ten two-car trains and 16 three-car trains are expected to start to enter service in Devon and Cornwall later this year, with the entire fleet expected to be operational from the end of next year.

Able to be connected in four, five and six-car formations, the trains will operate predominantly on the line between Exeter St Davids and Penzance.

The Class 175s will release trains to improve performance in other areas of the network.

This boost to the fleet will lead to the removal of some of its oldest and least efficient diesel trains, which have become more expensive to maintain as spare parts become more difficult to find.

GWR Managing Director, Mark Hopwood, said: ‘The benefits of these trains will be felt by customers across the whole of the GWR network.

‘With more trains we will have more scope to increase resilience, delivering reliability our communities deserve and need.

‘They are a fantastic addition to our fleet and will provide a welcome boost as we seek to rejuvenate regional and suburban services.’

Rail Minister Peter, Lord Hendy said: ‘The introduction of these trains is great news for passengers.

‘Replacing ageing rolling stock is crucial to the sustainability and growth of our network by encouraging more people to travel by rail.’