NEWLY refurbished trains for the East Coast Mainline have been unveiled as part of a £40m makeover project.

Virgin Trains has given its route through North Yorkshire and the North-East a makeover with new interiors, in a bid to improve the comfort of rail passengers.

A total of £21m has been earmarked to complete the refurbishment of the trains’ interiors, including adding leather seats to First Class and new carpets and fittings throughout all classes.

The refurbishment programme also includes a £16m investment in new diesel engines and rebranding the exterior of the trains. Virgin will be bringing in a new fleet in 2018, which are currently being built in the UK by Hitachi.