Train operator CrossCountry has celebrated the return of the first Turbostar train from its multi-million pound fleet refurbishment programme. The project, conducted at Arriva TrainCare’s Crewe depot, is funded by Porterbrook, the UK’s leading rolling stock financier and asset management company, which owns the fleet.
The reintroduction of Class 170 ‘Turbostar’ unit 170101 marks a significant milestone in the ongoing refurbishment programme, which will eventually cover 29 trains, totalling 80 carriages. The upgrades include:
- New tables, seats, and carpets;
- New mains and USB plug sockets at all seats;
- Full interior and exterior repainting across each carriage;
- Refreshed on-board toilets;
- Enhanced passenger information screens with more destination details;
- Increased Standard Class seating with the removal of the First Class area;
- New CCTV and automatic passenger counting equipment.
The refurbishment will also deliver more efficient vehicles as the programme progresses. This work is being undertaken on behalf of Porterbrook by Arriva TrainCare at the Crewe depot.
Over the coming months, the refurbished trains will be deployed on CrossCountry’s inter-regional routes, including services between Cardiff and Nottingham via Birmingham, and between Birmingham and Stansted Airport via Leicester. CrossCountry first leased the fleet from Porterbrook in 2007.
“It’s fantastic to deliver our first refurbished Turbostar train for passengers on our inter-regional routes. We know that these trains provide the bulk of the train service for a good portion of our network, and we hope passengers enjoy the significant improvements in convenience and comfort on those journeys,” Shiona Rolfe, Managing Director at CrossCountry, commented.
The refurbishment programme has seen the removal of the First-Class area from the Turbostar fleet to create additional capacity and reduce crowding on some services.
Ben Ackroyd, Chief Operating Officer at Porterbrook, said: “As passenger needs evolve, it’s important that our trains do too. That’s why we continue to invest in our fleets to ensure they meet customer expectations. Alongside our partners at CrossCountry and Arriva TrainCare, we’re pleased to be able to present the first refurbished Class 170 into passenger service.”
Russell Fletcher, Business Development Director at Arriva TrainCare, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting CrossCountry with this significant refurbishment project. The team at our Crewe depot have been working hard to deliver the major fleet overhaul, which will greatly improve the passenger experience – benefitting existing customers at the same time as encouraging even more people to travel on CrossCountry’s services.”
The Turbostar refurbishment programme is set to complete by 2028, with plans to begin refurbishing CrossCountry’s Voyager fleet later this year.
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