A £250 million investment is finally about to bear fruit. STEVE CARROLL travelled to Wildenrath in Germany to take a seat on the new First TransPennine Express train, the Desiro.

LIKE a Christmas present, the new Class 185 DMU (known as the Desiro) was unwrapped from a massive red bow and unveiled to the world.

Hundreds of invited guests huddled for warmth in the chilly Siemens test depot at Wildenrath, near Mnchengladbach, to greet the arrival of the train.

TransPennine Express hopes it will revolutionise travel on the York to Manchester line.

By the end of January 2007, 51 Desiro trains will be using the Pennine route linking York passengers with Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool.

At £250 million, it is a massive investment in rail in the north of England, with the aim of providing a high-speed train standard of comfort and reliability for the company's passengers.

Few would argue the current Class 158 fleet is in desperate need of replacement. They have served gamely for 15 years, but are worn out, a little uncomfortable and an ordeal when busy.

Stepping aboard the Desiro is a very different experience. The dcor is light and bright, the trains are roomy, the seats have more leg room.

For a diesel train, it is also remarkably quiet, as I experienced during a run around the Siemens track, and on a short journey to Munchen Gladbach Rheydt station.

Inside the train are style changes all round. First class in the 158 class is merely standard class with different coloured seating, but in the Desiro it mirrors its rival's efficient business areas, a market TransPennine Express is certain to want to increase.

In standard class, the seats are firm, but comfortable, there is disabled access, and more space at the end of carriages just in case you are forced to stand.

The train has a top speed of 100mph and the deal to bring them to Britain has been done in partnership with rolling stock leasing company HSBC. Moir Lockhead, chief executive of First Group, says the Desiro will mean a new dawn for rail travel. "Our success with TransPennine Express, now almost two years old, has seen passengers choosing rail in ever-increasing numbers," she said.

"The company carried 14.4 million passengers last year, an increase of six per cent. The impact of introducing these 51 new trains to the north of England should not be underestimated.

"Our vision is to revitalise and redevelop the service, making it the preferred mode of transport for our passengers in the north of England.

"I have no doubt that the introduction of new trains will be a significant step towards achieving that goal. Passengers will benefit from their reliability and comfort and cannot fail to be incredibly impressed with the quality of these trains."

First's eight-year deal to run TransPennine Express demands that the Desiro is a success with the travelling public.

Passenger numbers grew so much in the first 18 months of First's tenure that peak time trains often meant a standing journey for commuters.

New timetables have helped to improve that situation, and the company believes the Desiro will be even better news for the travelling public.

But with high passenger numbers and a sparkling new fleet of trains, is there a danger First will rest on its laurels?

Not according to Vernon Barker, managing director of TransPennine Express, who says there is more to come.

"There will be no complacency. The arrival of the Desiro will allow us the opportunity to take things to a further stage," he said.

"Our onboard CCTV will reduce on-board crime and raise customer confidence and the performance of these trains is a step above the Class 158. They will be able to deliver journey time improvements, but I would expect customers to be concentrating on reliability."

What about passengers? Are they as glowing about the new fleet as the train company? Well, yes, if Peter Lawrence, of rail pressure group Railfuture, is any guide.

He said: "We do need to get some more modern rolling stock, so this is a step forward. Judging from what I've seen, the Desiro will be an improvement.

"If you want more passengers, you have to be reliable and you need to ensure a guaranteed seat. In certain areas, the UK rail system is bursting at the seams.

"We will be watching developments, and if the Desiro hits the standards, passengers will surely welcome it. This is a good step."

With the first trials due to take place in the UK at the start of next year, and the first train rumbling into service in March, it won't be long before we can all make our judgement on the Desiro, First's object of desire.

Updated: 09:04 Monday, November 28, 2005