WIREDGOV

Each year ORR publishes statistics on the average age of rolling stock for each passenger operator in Great Britain.

The passenger train fleet in Great Britain

Did you know there are more than 15,000 vehicles in the national railway fleet? The oldest rolling stock were built in the 1970s and are now operated by ScotRail. Newer examples include East Midlands Railway’s Class 810, and South Western Railway’s Class 701. 

Rolling stock in the last 8 years

The average age of rolling stock has changed over time. Eight years ago (year ending March 2018), the average age for the public service operators’ stock in Great Britain was 19.7 years, however, as of 31 March 2026, this decreased to 16.4 years. This reflects the introduction of newer rolling stock and the removal of older vehicles. Over this time period, some older fleets have been refurbished to increase capacity, and also to meet new accessibility standards, so this average age doesn’t necessarily reflect the comfort or accessibility of this stock.

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