James Howard, who has taken charge of Northern’s plan to buy hundreds of new trains, said they will transform travel for millions of customers, by providing more reliable and comfortable journeys.

Train operator Northern has recorded its strongest year for passenger demand since the pandemic, with nearly 100 million journeys made across its network in 2025.

Northern is launching a new TV advert as part of a major campaign designed to get more people out of their cars and back onto trains.