RAIL passengers will be travelling in style thanks to a £5 million refurbishment programme.

East Midlands Trains is in the process of improving every single train operating on the Crewe to Derby line, with brighter and cleaner interiors and better reliability.

To mark the midway point in the project, the company invited 30 volunteers from the North Staffordshire Community Rail Line on a special trip from Blythe Bridge to Derby.

The volunteers, who help improve the stations along the route, travelled aboard a newly refurbished Class 153 train.

Tim Sayer, engineering director at East Midlands Trains, explained that the refurbishment programme involved taking each train out of service for three weeks.

During this time the train undergoes work to improve reliability and receives new carpets and windows, improved lighting and CCTV cameras.

There is also more space for pushchairs and bikes on the refurbished trains.

Mr Sayer said: "The feedback we've had from passengers has been very good. I remember being on one train that had just come off the production line, and one man said that he hadn't meant to get on first class.

"We recently took delivery of four trains from Manchester, and the contrast between those and our trains was very stark, so they will be refurbished as well."

The project will eventually see 17 Class 153 and 11 Class 156 trains refurbished by next April.

Mr Sayer said the scheme's halfway point was a fitting moment to thank the volunteers who work on the Crewe to Derby line.

He added: "We really wanted to do something to recognise the valuable work carried out by the station volunteers along the North Staffordshire Community Rail Line.

"This dedicated and hard-working team have done a fantastic job of transforming the stations and what better way to say thank you than a special trip on one of our newly refurbished trains."

Blythe Bridge Station, which was adopted by Forsbrook Parish Council four years ago, has seen improvements such as a garden bed and planters thanks to the efforts of volunteers.

Parish council clerk Christine Snape, who was one of those invited on the trip, said: "The station looks marvellous now, and that has led to an increase in footfall. It's absolutely brilliant that we've been invited on this trip. The staff at East Midlands Trains have made us all feel very welcome, and part of the team.

"The refurbished trains look completely different. They're cleaner, with brighter colours. I go to Derby by train quite a lot, so I can really notice the difference to how they used to be."

Faye Lambert, project officer for the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership, works with station adopters along the route.

She said: "A key objective of the partnership is to secure the community support that delivers so many benefits, especially at unstaffed stations.

"Our North Staffordshire Line volunteers are the most proactive and hard working group of people; many are talented gardeners, who take real pride in their local station and have transformed station gardens, as is the case at Blythe Bridge."