Merseyrail’s new class 777 trains: a first look

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On 23 January 2023, Merseyrail (who operate rail services across Liverpool and the Wirral) introduced their first class 777 electric multiple unit into service. These new trains, built by Stadler, include some great new innovations which I will outline in this article.

A step extends from the class 777 train to meet with the edge of the station platform, providing level access.

The first innovation is one which we first saw on Greater Anglia’s new FLIRT trains back in 2020. All doors on these trains feature a step which extends out when the doors open to meet more closely with the platform edge. The advantage of this is that level boarding can be provided, meaning that wheelchair users can usually board the train without a ramp, but because the step is retracted between stations the train remains streamlined and within the railway’s loading gauge.

Of course whether this is useful or not also depends whether the stations a customer wishes to board and alight at are also step-free, and whilst Merseyrail has made considerable investment in this their full network isn’t yet accessible. I was therefore pleased to see that the customer information screens on board the train showed whether or not each calling point was step-free, enabling customers to make informed choices about where to alight.

The passenger information screen on a class 777 train, showing the calling points between Kirkby and Liverpool Central. Every stop shown except Rice Land has a green wheelchair and buggy symbol underneath, indicating that the station is fully accessible.
The wheelchair space on a class 777 train. It is marked on the floor with a yellow box and a black wheelchair symbol. Adjacent to the space is a handrail, plug socket (with USBs), a small table and a call for aid alarm.

I thought the wheelchair space was good too. There was a handrail, a small table, a plug socket (including two USB sockets and a 3-pin), and a call for aid alarm. The information screen above was provided at a lower height than the others so that it could be more easily read from this position. There are also two companion seats, which can be folded away to create more space too. The wheelchair space was clearly marked by a yellow box on the floor which I hope will help reenforce that this isn’t a space for luggage, buggies, prams or bicycles.

The bicycle space on a class 777 train, indicated by a yellow box on the floor and a black bicycle symbol. Next to the bike stands, there are also three perch seats.

Cyclists are well catered for too with a bicycle space labelled on the floor in a similar way to the wheelchair one. Unlike the new Hitachi fleets with bike hooks (which have been a source of complaints due to the difficulty storing bikes in them can cause), the stands in this space are simple to use and don’t require a bike to be lifted onto its end. There are also three perch seats which can be used by standees when there are no bikes in the space.

The multi-use space on a class 777 train. There are four seats, two of which have been folded up to create more space.
The signage for the class 777's multi-use space, which indicates that the space can be used for buggies and luggage.
The multi-use space on a class 777 train. There are four seats - they can be founded to create more space, but in this photo they are all lowered.

My favourite innovation on this new fleet is the multi-use space. In the past, trains haven’t catered very well for luggage and people with prams and push chairs, but this area goes some way to addressing this. Its a surprisingly simple solution; a bay of four seats, but all four can be folded away. This means you could use the space for all sorts of combinations; A pushchair and two seated passengers, a pram, a suitcase and a seated passenger, there are so many options. A space like this also means that the wheelchair space is more likely to be kept vacant for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.

The walkthrough corridor of a class 777 train.

Although not a particularly new innovation, its also worth noting that these trains have walkthrough carriages and no inter-connecting doors. This means that wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and customers with prams, pushchairs and luggage, can move through the train easily – particularly useful if someone mistakenly boards through the wrong door and finds themselves not near the space they were looking for. It would also be helpful during an emergency.

Overall, I thought these new trains were fantastic, and I’m already looking forward to another ride on one. I hope that lessons are learned from the effective use of space and new technologies on this fleet so that we can see some of the benefits of the class 777 start to appear with other train operating companies in the future. If I had to pick one downside, for me it would be the seats which I didn’t find particularly comfortable. But for a small network like Merseyrail’s where people are generally making short-hop journeys, I think they’re acceptable – and I like the seat pattern too!