Southeastern Trains has hit the halfway point of its £10 million fleet upgrade as the 56th train has rolled out of the depot ready for service.
The upgrade to the mainline fleet includes 112 Class 375 Electrostar and will operate right across the Southeastern routes including Kent, East Sussex and mainline London stations.
Upgrades on the train include new USB points, at-seat power sockets, new LED lighting and energy metering.
Mark Johnson, Southeastern’s engineering director, said: “The steady progress being made by our engineering team on the improvements to our Electrostar trains means that customers are now more likely than not to be travelling on an upgraded train.
“This will enhance the journey experience on our mainline routes connecting London with Kent and East Sussex.
“There are cost benefits too as the new LED lighting has a longer lifespan and the electricity meters we are fitting contribute to our energy efficiency.”
The new lighting across the fleet will use 75-80% less energy and will reduce the demand for electricity and help lower greenhouse gas emissions, whilst still emitting the same amount of light.
Currently, two trains per week are being upgraded, with a team of 10 based at Southeastern’s Ashford Train Maintenance Centre.
After refitting the train interior and installing new electrical connections, each train is fully tested.
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