TRAINS in Cumbria will be upgraded as part of the UK’s biggest ever train fleet upgrade this week.

The £117 million project investment to refurbish and transform the UK’s hardest working fleet.

The trains have clocked up more than 270 million miles since they were launched – enough to go to the moon and back more than 500 times.

The programme will transform all 56 of Avanti West Coast’s iconic Pendolinos — including those that travel through Carlisle multiple times a day.

The upgrade programme began yesterday and will continue until February, 2024.

Phil Whittingham, managing director for Avanti West Coast, said: “The Pendolino is a real workhorse which has helped to transform services on the West Coast Main Line.

“This investment will take them to the next level and they’ll feel like new trains with state of the art technology and new seats. I can’t wait to see the reaction from our customers and people.”

David Jordan, chief operating officer of Angel Trains, said: “Investing in the refurbishment of rolling stock is crucial for advancing the UK rail industry and supporting the wider supply chain,

“This project is a huge milestone, and we are proud to work with our customers Avanti West Coast to upgrade the Pendolino fleet, to create modern train interiors that are fit for future passengers’ needs.”

Customers can expect to see improvements such as refurbished toilets, greater use of technology for customers to enjoy and the replacement of more than 25,000.

The trains will be improved gradually to allow services to run.