20 years and 180 million miles: TransPennine Express marks milestone for Class 185 fleet
TransPennine Express (TPE) has marked 20 years of its Class 185 trains with a special celebration at Siemens Mobility’s Ardwick depot in Manchester.
The event recognised two decades of an award-winning fleet that has become a backbone of rail travel across the North, travelling almost 180 million miles – the equivalent of circling the earth more than 7,200 times.
The event, held on Monday 16 March, brought together colleagues and industry partners to celebrate the role the Class 185 fleet has played in transforming journeys between major towns and cities across the TransPennine network.
The fleet first entered service on 14 March 2006, introducing modern 100mph diesel trains to the TransPennine network and helping transform journeys across the North and has carried millions of customers across the region.
The event gave guests a behind-the-scenes look at the Ardwick depot where Class 185 trains are maintained, including guided tours of engineering facilities and the chance to see the work carried out by teams who keep the fleet running.
Visitors also had the chance to see some of the specialist equipment used by engineers and explore the driver simulators that support driver training across the network
With party hats and brownies on offer, the event had a celebratory feel as colleagues reflected on the fleet’s 20 years.
Paul Staples, Engineering, Safety and Sustainability Director at TPE, said: “Reaching 20 years of service for our Class 185 fleet is an immense milestone and a testament to the dedication of the many colleagues at TPE, Siemens and Beacon Rail who keep these trains running for our customers every day.
“The fleet plays a vital part of connecting communities and supporting regional growth across the North and it was great to celebrate this anniversary with our partners and colleagues at Ardwick depot.”
Aglaja Schneider, Joint UK&I CEO of Siemens Mobility and Managing Director for Rolling Stock and Customer Services said: The whole Siemens Mobility team is so proud to celebrate two decades of the Class 185 fleet serving millions of passengers across the North.
“A huge thank you to our Siemens Mobility, the Beacon Rail and the TransPennine Express maintenance and engineering teams, whose dedication to safety, performance and passenger experience keeps these trains running. And with the digital upgrade to the fleet enabling data-driven maintenance; the 185s are ready for the future.
Today, the trains serve 66 stations and have called at more than 100 stations across the network over the past two decades.
The fleet has also earned a strong reputation for reliability.
In 2025, it was named Most Reliable First Generation New DMU at the Golden Spanner Awards for the tenth time, recognising the work of engineers, drivers and technicians who keep the trains performing at a high standard.
Alongside the anniversary, the fleet is also undergoing a refresh programme.
A deep clean launched in autumn 2025 is giving every carriage a full interior clean, including removing seats and tables to thoroughly clean carpets and upholstery.