It was out with the old and in with the new on Monday morning, as Great Northern travellers got to use the new class 717s for the first time.

The start of the week marked the train company, which operates trains that use King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Hornsey and Alexandra Palace, phasing out the old class 313s and replacing them with the new stock.

The 717s, made by Siemens, are similar to those already in use with Thameslink. They have increased capacity, free wi-fi and plug sockets, and can travel quicker than the trains they replaced.

The outgoing 313s have been in service for more than 40 years, making them mainland Britain’s oldest electric trains.

The driver of one of the first services was Zornitsa Tsankova, who admitted to being a bit nervous before driving the train on a passenger service for the first time. The 29-year-old was a cleaner for Great Northern before becoming a driver 21 months ago.

She said: “They’re faster, and brake better as well. I’ve tested it, because it’s like when you get a new car, all the trains drive differently.”