FirstGroup has confirmed a rolling stock agreement with Eversholt Rail for five Class 222 diesel multiple units from Eversholt Rail to be used on its future Stirling–London Euston open access service.
The leased Class 222 units will be reconfigured into six-car formations, each providing approximately 340 standard-class seats. Once fully operational, the service is expected to offer around 447 million seat miles annually. Passenger operations are currently planned to begin in mid-2026, subject to train handover and completion of driver and crew training.
The open access route will be branded under FirstGroup’s Lumo and will include four daily return services between London and Stirling (three on Sundays), along with an additional return service between Preston and London running daily. The full list of stations includes Stirling, Larbert, Greenfaulds, Whifflet, Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton, Milton Keynes, and London Euston. Direct connections to London will be introduced for Larbert, Greenfaulds, and Whifflet.
The Class 222 trains will return from East Midlands Railway from September 2025 and will undergo refurbishment and maintenance work performed by Alstom at its Central Rivers and Widnes facilities. Planned modifications include exterior repainting, interior upgrades, seating redesign, onboard CCTV, upgraded wi-fi, and installation of the Intelligent Engine Start Stop system.
According to FirstGroup, the operation is expected to generate annual revenues of approximately GBP 50 million (approx. EUR 58.6 million), targeting a low double-digit operating profit margin (pre-IFRS 16).
The open access model is operated entirely with private funding, with operators assuming full commercial risk and responsibility. The Stirling service follows Lumo’s existing operation on the East Coast Main Line and represents FirstGroup’s expansion of its open access presence on the West Coast corridor.
