<p>The first of 270 trains in Govia Thameslink Railway’s (GTR’s) £55 million fleet modernisation programme has returned to service with a host of new features designed to improve passengers’ journeys.</p><p>The trains form the UK’s biggest fleet of ‘Electrostars’, the most 
common type of electric-powered train built since rail privatisation in 
the 1990s. The Derby-built, air-conditioned trains have been very 
successful and GTR’s Electrostars have been in service for up to 20 
years.</p>
<p>The first updated train emerged from GTR’s Selhurst Depot 
in south London on 5 February. Its enhancements range from new 
information screens, USB/power points and energy-saving LED lighting to 
passenger-counting technology and high-tech on-board operational systems
 that cut the time trains spend out of service for maintenance or 
repair.</p>
<p>The screens will display up-to-the minute GTR and London 
Underground service information. The passenger-counting sensors will 
allow GTR to better analyse how busy individual services are, helping to
 adjust timetables to support essential travel and social distancing.</p>
<p>Bringing
 every train up to the same modern standards, with common features 
across the whole fleet, allows GTR’s engineers to streamline routine 
maintenance and repairs. That keeps each Electrostar out in service for 
longer, reducing delays and cancellations. To accelerate maintenance and
 improve reliability still further, a new “smart” On-Train Data Recorder
 will help predict and diagnose faults - which means that some problems 
can be fixed without returning to the depot - and CCTV cameras will film
 the track in front of the train to help analyse incidents that delay 
the service.</p>
<p>The £55 million programme is funded by Porterbrook, the train owner from whom GTR leases the fleets.</p>
<p>GTR’s
 Engineering Director Steve Lammin said: “These Electrostars are great 
trains. Taking on board our passengers’ feedback, this comprehensive 
upgrade will provide an even better on-board experience and more 
reliability. Our team at Selhurst Depot has used this first train to 
develop and learn all the complex processes involved in fitting the new 
features, guided by the trains’ manufacturer, Bombardier. We’re now 
testing our new knowledge on the second train, and as we gradually speed
 up the work, more and more passengers will notice the benefits over the
 coming years.</p>
<p>“I’m really pleased that GTR is working with 
Porterbrook and Bombardier to build back a better railway for our 
customers, in support of the country’s post-coronavirus recovery plan.”</p>
<p>Mary
 Grant, Porterbrook Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are committed to 
supporting GTR in meeting the expectations of today’s customers. 
Porterbrook will be investing a total of £100m in upgrading our entire 
Electrostar fleet, operated by GTR, over the coming years. This initial 
£55m investment will deliver significantly enhanced passenger 
facilities, as well as improve train reliability through the use of data
 analytics. I am also delighted that GTR’s own highly skilled Selhurst 
Depot team will be delivering this upgrade programme on our behalf.”</p>
<p>The
 majority of GTR’s Electrostars (214 of the 270) are ‘Class 377s’, 
between 15 and 20 years old, which provide suburban and commuter 
services on the Southern network between London, Surrey, Sussex and the 
south coast. GTR will also upgrade the 56 relatively new ‘Class 387s’ on
 Great Northern and Gatwick Express routes to bring all its Electrostars
 up to the same standards, extending their longevity by ensuring that 
they meet today's passenger expectations.</p><p><a href="https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/govia-thameslink-railway/pressreleases/first-train-in-gtrs-55-pounds-million-fleet-modernisation-programme-is-back-in-service-3069830" target="_blank">GTR Partner Release</a></p>