It is fair to say that Merseyrail's new trains have been a long time coming.
It was in 2016 that a deal was first signed by the Liverpool City Region's transport body to purchase the 52-strong fleet of Class 777 trains from Swiss manufacturer Stadler. The fact they have yet to start taking passengers around this region has been very frustrating for everyone.
Of course a global pandemic and the chaos it unleashed could not have been predicted - and there were other unforeseen factors that have caused delays like flooding on the testing tracks in Europe. One of the main stumbling blocks has been a dispute with the RMT union over guard roles, which was recently, finally settled.
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To use a railway metaphor, it feels like we are now at the penultimate stop before the rollout of the new trains begins at last, with the first few vehicles due to start taking passengers across the network in the next couple of months. Ahead of this vital moment, I was fortunate enough to be invited on a journey on one of the new state-of-the-art vehicles.
As a daily Merseyrail user, I was pretty excited to get this opportunity and I can now say with some confidence that these new trains will be worth the wait. The tired current fleet has largely served this region well for four decades but recent maintenance issues have shown that their time is well and truly done.
Stepping on to one of the shiny new Class 777 trains is a very different experience to what you are used to as a Merseyrail user. The thing I noticed first - as a fairly cumbersome chap - was just how much more spacious it all feels.
The vehicles are so much roomier, with lots more space for both sitting and standing, while big new windows bring in much more natural light to our journey. There are proper racks for bikes (a relief for anyone who has either tried to take a bike on a Merseyrail train or been trapped next to one on a busy service) and loads of other extra functions like plug sockets, USB ports, live information boards and on-board Wi-Fi (yay).
Coming back to that idea of space and another aspect that stands out is that you can see from one end of the trains to the other. The doors between each car that exist on the current fleet are gone and replaced by a shiny new vista spanning from end to end. Not only is this a lot more pleasant aesthetically, it's also far better for security purposes to have that good, clear view.
As our journey proceeds from Sandhills station towards Southport, the other thing I couldn't help but notice is that these trains go at quite a lick. They are noticeably faster than the current fleet - which is good news for those of us who often leave getting up and out of a morning to the last minute.
But that extra speed comes with a heck of a lot less noise. Anyone who has had to get used to the screeching, clunking delights that accompany a Merseyrail journey through any tunnel on the network, will be delighted at the serene silence on board these new trains.
At one of the stations on our route, we are shown how modern technology is used so that an automatically extending step will rise to the varying levels of different platforms along the network, allowing all people to get on and off safely. The doors of the trains are opened by the drivers, but only once they have the all clear from the train manager.
In no time at all we arrive at our destination in Southport. The stark difference between new and old is helpfully exemplified as we pull in next to one of the ageing, current fleet. If we didn't know it already, the comparison makes it abundantly clear that it is time to move on.
On the journey back, I was invited - with some admittedly child-like excitement - into the driver's cab. It was fascinating to see these impressive vehicles in action - gliding back towards the rising buildings of the city centre. I felt like I was on a particularly fun school trip.
In case you hadn't picked up the hints, I was pretty impressed with my journey on a new Class 777 Merseyrail train. We've had to wait a very long time for the service this region badly needs and really deserves, but they are coming very soon. The rollout will begin in the next couple of months using a phased approach - it is hoped the full fleet will be operating on the network within 15 months.
Speaking on our train trip, Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram said: "Its been five-and-a-half years of effort and work by lots of brilliant people and it looks as if we are ready now to start to introducing these trains and that effort is coming to fruition. What it means to me is that we are going to have a service that befits the people of the Liverpool City Region.
"That London-style integrated public transport system that I have been speaking about for so long is now starting to come together.
"They are really accessible, they are very spacious, there is room to manoeuvre, you can see from one end of the train to another, more space for bikes. I hope people appreciate that we as the people of the city region will own these trains and I hope they will treat them accordingly.
He added: "It's been a massively frustrating process. There have been things that have happened that have been out of our control and at the same time we have had problems with the current fleet, with the wheel bearings - so its been frustrating for everyone.
"We want to get these on the tracks as quickly as possible, when they are all out in service these trains will be arriving every 12 minutes - that's a really good, regular service for people and I hope it will encourage more people to travel by train."
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