A series of showcase events were held in early September to mark the handover of the first Stadler Class 777 EMU to Merseytravel, which will own the new fleet it has ordered for Merseyrail.
No 777010 was handed over on 17 August, followed on 7 September by No 777008. Merseytravel has ordered 53x4-car ‘777s’ from Stadler, to replace the current Class 507 and 508 EMUs dating from the 1970s. The events at Birkenhead North provided the first opportunity for residents of the Liverpool City Region to explore their new trains. It was also confirmed that seven trains will be fitted with batteries, with a view to using them on services beyond Kirkby to a new station at Headbolt Lane.