Merseyrail has announced that it has completed the first stage of its phased introduction of new Class 777 trains, as a full timetable returns on the Kirkby line.

The fifteen-minute service is scheduled to resume on Monday 6 March. Trains on the Kirkby line from this date will be Class 777s. Sunday services will continue to operate every thirty minutes.

Merseyrail‘s focus will now shift to the Ormskirk line, the next part of its network to receive the new trains.

The Class 777s were first introduced on the Kirkby line in January, and Merseyrail claims that passengers have been “fulsome in their praise of the new trains”, being impressed with the improved design, layout and high-tech features such as air conditioning, WiFi and electric charging points.

Later this year, Kirkby will also gain a new station at Headbolt Lane, which will be served by battery powered Class 777 trains and will be among the first services in the UK to use the technology.

Suzanne Grant, Commercial Director at Merseyrail, said: “The completion of the Kirkby line Class 777 roll out is a really significant moment.

“As the first part of the network to go through the phased introduction, the Kirkby line has been the stage where the new trains have come into contact with passengers for the first time. Only so much can be learned from a test environment, so the performance of the new fleet in passenger service has been a crucial moment.

“We have been delighted by our customers response to the trains and are looking forward to the next stages of the roll out.

“We will now be moving the project for introduction over to the Ormskirk line. As with the Kirkby roll out, this will require a reduction in a small number of services. We apologise to passengers who may be affected by these changes and will aim to return to a full schedule as soon as possible.”