04.10.07
First Great Western’s new look regional fleet unveiled
First Great Western yesterday unveiled its new look West Country Regional Fleet as part of an £11 million investment in the train operator’s local services.
The investment, which includes a major engineering overhaul, new interiors and new livery, will improve performance and reliability, as well as providing a better environment for both passengers and staff.
Safety on board the train has been developed with £1 million being spent on installing CCTV to improve passenger and staff security, with laminated glass also being introduced as an additional safety measure.
Wabtec in Doncaster has been commissioned to undertake the work on the 21 Class 158 trains, the flagship of the West Country Regional Fleet, which operates on key inter-urban routes in the region, as well as the 11 single car Class 153 trains, which operate mainly on rural branch lines. Wabtec will be carrying out the work to update the 153 fleet in its workshops in Eastleigh, while Pullmans in Cardiff will work on the 17 Class 150 trains and eight Class 143 trains.
The budget for the interior improvements is £4 million and the key features of the new look trains include:
• A vibrant new colour scheme of lilac and blue
• New toilets, including a drain-away floor, which has been designed for easy cleaning
• New floor coverings have been fitted throughout
• New lighting gives an improved, overall ambience
• Re-upholstered seats
• On the Class 158s, the seating has been reconfigured to allow a turning circle for wheelchairs
• Interior panels to be re-sprayed or replaced
• All heater covers in the saloons and toilets have been renewed
• New tables have replaced the old ones
• Increase in bicycle storage spaces
• New litterbins have been fitted
• New grab handles have been fitted on the seats
The interior design is the work of Michael Rodber, who is responsible for First Great Western’s new-look fleet of High Speed Trains (HSTs), which were unveiled earlier this year. He has also worked for Porsche and Eurostar and has designed many of the groundbreaking new trains around the world.
The new exterior livery is a variation of First Great Western’s corporate branding, with names of beauty spots, tourist attractions, pubs and even schools forming the images on the side of the carriages. Passengers suggested these names as part of a competition to celebrate the three franchises of Wessex Trains, First Great Western and First Great Western Link coming together to form the new Greater Western franchise in April 2006.
Andrew Haines, First Great Western’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We recognise that these trains provide a valuable local service for commuters and leisure users. When we took over the Greater Western franchise in April 2006, we inherited and brought in a variety of trains, all with different liveries and interiors and, as part of our franchise commitment, we are improving the reliability and making journeys more comfortable for our customers.
“Apart from the cosmetic effect of new livery and the improved comfort of new interiors, the technical improvements will significantly raise the reliability of the fleet and bring it up to the standard our customers deserve.”
Earlier in the year, First Great Western and Network Rail announced a £1 billion investment in the region to completely renew infrastructure, stations and the fleet within the Greater Western franchise area.
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