RAIL passengers from Huntingdon and St Neots will have access to more than 11,000 extra seats compared with 18 months ago from December 13.

RAIL passengers from Huntingdon and St Neots will have access to more than 11,000 extra seats compared with 18 months ago from December 13.

Train operator First Capital Connect is adding eight more four-car trainsets to its Kings Cross-Peterborough route before Christmas, enabling the company to run longer trains and add new services.

The eight class 321 units are among 11 trains joining the timetable in December which will provide over 6,500 additional peak seats over the entire Great Northern route. They include additional carriages for passengers changing at Finsbury Park onto Moorgate services the City of London commuters.

They follow the 5,000 seats provided in May 2009 when the first five class 321 sets were added to the GN fleet.

The new trains for Huntingdonshire were built 20 years ago for Euston-Birmingham stopping services on the West Coast main line.

After full refurbishment at FCC’s Hornsea depot in north London, they will operate on the East Coast main line.

Their arrival means the 5.26am and 8.31am Huntingdon-St Neots (5.34 and 8.38)-Kings Cross services become eight-car trains instead of four-car. The 6.36 from Huntingdon (6.44 from St Neots) will have 12 coaches instead of the current eight, and there will be an additional train from Huntingdon at 6.40am (St Neots 6.48) to Kings Cross.

Two evening services from Kings Cross to the Hunts stations will have extra carriages. The 5.10pm departure will be formed of 12 carriages instead of eight, and the 7.52 will double in length to eight cars.