A new fleet of modern air-conditioned trains is a step closer for Great Northern suburban services to and from Moorgate in the City of London with the news that Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has nominated train manufacturer Siemens as its preferred bidder.
The order will be for 25 six-car units (150 vehicles), of a variant of the Class 700 Desiro City, which is being built for the new Thameslink service. They will replace Class 313 trains built in 1976/7, and enter service by the end of 2018 on routes to and from Welwyn and Hertford, Stevenage and Letchworth.
Passenger groups and stakeholders were consulted and train features include:
• Fixed length with full width inter-vehicle gangways, creating more space for passengers on board (there are no intermediate cabs)
• Air-conditioning
• The latest in passenger information systems with real-time information
• Fully accessible and compliant with disability legislation
• Power points throughout
This is an investment worth over £200 million, and GTR will run a financial competition to provide the capital funding for the order.
GTR Fleet Director Gerry McFadden said:
“Coupled with the seven-day-a-week service to Moorgate that we started this month, these new trains will give our passengers a superior, modern comfortable journey with more capacity, improved reliability, air conditioning and passenger information systems that can be remotely updated to provide real-time information.
“This is just one of four new train fleets we’re bringing in, introducing almost 1,400 new train carriages to the network, and we’re delighted to be appointing Siemens as our preferred bidder.”
Dr Jochen Eickholt, CEO of Mobility Division, Siemens, said:
“Siemens is delighted to be appointed preferred bidder to replace the Class 313 Moorgate trains. We are looking forward to finalising the contract in the New Year.”
