18.09.17
GTR completes rolling stock upgrade on Thameslink route
Thameslink passengers will from today enjoy solely new trains on routes, as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) completed the replacement of its old fleet with new Siemens Class 700 rolling stock.
People travelling between London Bridge, Gatwick Airport and Brighton can now enjoy brand new trains offering more space and considerably better capacity.
The 12-carriage trains replace mostly four-carriage (weekday) and eight-carriage (Saturdays) twice-hourly services, meaning there are now 9,000 more seats every weekday.
More 12-carriage trains will be introduced early next year as additional stabling facilities are built in Bedford. Now, Thameslink has 50% more carriages in service in the peak on the route than before the new trains were introduced.
“Thameslink is now a Class 700-only route marking a significant milestone in our journey of modernisation towards a new high-frequency service through central London,” said GTR engineering director Gerry McFadden.
“Right now, it means trains up to three times longer on the off-peak services between Brighton, Gatwick Airport and London Bridge and from May next year hundreds of thousands of new passengers from east Kent, Sussex, Cambridge and Peterborough will be plugged into the cross-London route when the Thameslink network expands.”
The new Class 700s boast a number of features to improve the passenger experience on Thameslink services. They have wider doors and aisles to make getting on and off easier, spacious walkways between carriages, two-by-two seating and adaptive climate-controlled air conditioning.
Electronic signs showing which carriages have more space to sit or stand also feature, as well as screens with real-time service information for the London Underground.
Paul Maynard, the rail minister, added: “I am delighted we have reached this significant milestone for the multi-billion pound Thameslink Programme.
“It shows how our investment in the railways is delivering better journeys for passengers across the network, as well as supporting jobs and growth.
“This new fleet of hi-tech trains is now making a real difference for passengers, giving them more space and more comfort,” he continued.
“This investment will transform north-south travel across London and the south east by a providing a modern, accessible service in time for the expanded Thameslink network from 2018.”
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