Date: 18/01/2023

The Liverpool City Region's new fleet of publicly-owned trains could be in service as soon as Monday 23 January, Mayor Steve Rotheram has announced. This means that passengers travelling on the Kirkby line will be the first to enjoy the high-tech new trains, which are part of a £500m investment, complete with phone charging and plenty more room for bikes, prams and wheelchairs.

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One of Merseyrail's new Class 777s from Stadler sits in the sun on 8 June 2021. 777008 is one of five of these units seen on Kirkdale depot while others are stored at Old Walton's Jct near Warrington. Some test runs on the Merseyrail network have been reported but it was only around the depot that they moved during my time at the station. Of note these units are 4-car but they are around the same length as the 3-car Class 507s and 508s they will replace. They also feature articulated bogies.
Location: Kirkdale
Company: Liverpool and Walton Joint Railway (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and East Lancashire Railway)
08/06/2021 John McIntyre

Although expected to be introduced during 2022 there is no date yet for the first Class 777 services. This is view towards a driving cab in Southport station on 28 September 2021, after it had arrived on a test run from Sandhills. The driver's cab is behind the opaque glass on the left side of the carriage while the open door on the right (also with opaque glass) shows the view to the emergency door on the front of the unit. It is understood that it is possible to make the glass transparent by applying an electrical current however it is also believed that this is not likely to be the case when they enter service. Access by kind invitation of the Test Team.
Location: Southport
Company: Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Railway
28/09/2021 John McIntyre

Stadler 777s are not yet in passenger service, but are out on driver training runs on the Merseyrail network. 777003 made a quick run to Kirkby and back from Kirkdale Depot on 7th December 2022, seen here passing through Rice Lane on the return trip.
Location: Rice Lane
Company: Liverpool and Bury Railway (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway)
07/12/2022 Mark Bartlett

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