Our trains

Grand Central have traditionally operated an all-Adelante fleet, with our Class 180 trains receiving extensive refurbishment and updates to improve passenger comfort in 2018. Due to issues with our 180s in 2023, we have introduced one Voyager 221 units to our fleet, in order to ensure we could fulfil our timetable for our customers.

To ensure accessibility information about our trains is readily available and up-to-date, we publish a summary of general accessibility information for our different train types, and the routes they're normally scheduled to run on. From staff assistance and boarding ramps to wheelchair accessible toilets and priority seating, you can find out more about the accessibility of our trains here (PDF). Should you require assistance when travelling with Grand Central, you can find out how you can arrange this by viewing our accessible travel information.

Our Adelante Class 180 trains

We have 10 Adelante units, each consisting of five carriages and 256 seats, including one first class carriage at the rear of the train. Luggage racks and toilets are available in every carriage. Occasionally these will be run as a 10-carriage train.

The seating plan for the Class 180 trains can be found here.

Our Voyager 221 trains

We have two Voyager 221 units, each consisting of five carriages and 276 seats, including our first class carriage at the front of the train. Luggage racks and toilets are available in every carriage. Occasionally these will be run as a 10-carriage train.

The seating plan for the Class 221 trains can be found here.

Note:

Due to requirements for extra units to support our timetable, we have also leased two additional 180 trains from East Midland Railway. These won't bear our distinctive black and orange style, but will be purple in colour, with some Grand Central branding that will be visible. These may be operating on the network at any given time and have a slightly different seating layout to the Adelante fleet.

To avoid confusion, the seating plan for these 180 trains will be available soon.

Named trains

We like to celebrate the beautiful regions our trains travel between, whether it's the wilds of Bronte Country, the stunning North East coast or the rolling hills of James Herriot country.

Find out about our named trains below.

Ashley Jackson - The Yorkshire Artist
Hart of the North
James Herriot
William Shakespeare
Kirkgate Calling

Ashley Jackson - The Yorkshire Artist

Train type - Class 180, number 180105
Named - 20 October 2011 at Bradford Interchange Railway Station by Ashley Jackson. His works and influence can be found at ashley-jackson.co.uk

The Ashley Jackson is named after Ashley Jackson - The Yorkshire Artist. Our partnership with Ashley Jackson demonstrates our commitment and passion to promoting Yorkshire and all the county has to offer.

The Yorkshire Artist train, with Ashley’s watercolours in the carriages and toilets, aims to bring the beauty of Yorkshire to the people who travel on our trains every day. It has been Ashley Jackson’s life’s goal to make art accessible to everyone, so bringing his evocative and dramatic paintings to our passengers is in keeping with his philosophy.

Hart of the North

Train type - Class 180, number 180107
Named - 24 October 2010 at London Kings Cross Railway Station by Jack Sharp and his family as part of a competition by the Hartlepool Mail.

The Hart of the North train was named following Grand Central’s ‘Name Our Train’ competition in the Hartlepool Mail. Jack Sharp, 15, from Hartlepool came up with the name which he said “showed the warmth of the people in Hartlepool."

Plan your visit to Hartlepool and the North East coast.

James Herriot

Train type - Class 180, number 180112
Named - 29 July 2009 at London Kings Cross Railway Station. To find out more, plan your visit or buy the books, visit worldofjamesherriot.org.

The James Herriot train is named after the famous North Yorkshire vet and author. The special train was officially named by Jim Wight and Rosie Page, son and daughter of Alf Wight, the vet and author who created James Herriot. Herriot country and the towns of Thirsk and Northallerton are so important to Grand Central and the passengers who use our trains to visit the area.

The naming builds on the partnership between Grand Central Railway and the World of James Herriot and the Herriot Country Attractions Group, who bring many thousands of visitors into the beautiful parts of Yorkshire around Thirsk.

Get 2 for 1 tickets when you visit The World of James Herriot, Thirsk.

William Shakespeare

Train type - Class 180, number 180108
Named - May 3 2018 at London Kings Cross Railway Station

The William Shakespeare is the first of Grand Central's refurbished Adelante trains, and was named for The Bard as part of Grand Central's partnership with Shakespeare's Rose Theatre in York.

Get 2 for 1 tickets when you visit The World of James Herriot, Thirsk.

Kirkgate Calling

Train type - Class 180, number 180114
Named - summer 2018

Kirkgate Calling was appointed it's name in the summer of 2018 to celebrate the rejuvenation of Wakefield Kirkgate station following some major improvements that had been made to the local station we feature on our West Riding route.

Standalone QTT

Page Title