Posted 8th May 2009 | 2 Comments

New £155m train order will boost capacity on commuter routes

First Capital Connect Electrostar

A NEW £155 million fleet of Electrostar trains is to be built by Derby trainmaker Bombardier to boost capacity on National Express East Anglia’s Stansted Express, West Anglia and some of the company’s Cambridge services from December.

The 30 four-car electric trains, to be owned by Lloyds TSB General Leasing, will be supplemented by 68 refurbished Class 321 coaches and provide a total of around 11,000 extra morning-peak seats into London Liverpool Street by the end of 2011 – an increase of 14 per cent.

The extra 68 coaches will provide longer trains on Great Eastern routes from Ipswich, Clacton, Colchester, Chelms-ford and Southend to the London terminal and also help boost capacity on services between Norwich and the capital, where loco-hauled services still dominate.

As part of its overall investment plans, National Express East Anglia will also increase car parking capacity at four stations, install two addition-al carriage washing machines and reinstate the former depot at Clacton as a maintenance facility for the enlarged fleet.

In addition, Network Rail will undertake a programme of platform lengthening and other infrastructure improvement, while Stansted Airport Ltd will fund lengthening of platforms at Stansted Airport station.

Transport secretary Geoff Hoon said: “This is one of the biggest changes to have been negotiated to an existing franchise since privatisation, and marks our continued commitment to invest in long-term railway improvement projects.

“It will be of major benefit to passengers, help safeguard UK manufacturing jobs and create job opportunities with NXEA.”

Chairman and chief country representative of Bombardier Transportation Colin Walton said: “We are extremely pleased that our Electrostar trains have been chosen to welcome visitors arriving into the UK via Stansted Airport, and this order helps cement further our successful and long-term relationship with National Express.”

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • Andrew Gwilt, Wickford, England

    Instead of having electrostars running on the great eastern routes across Eastern Anglia Region areas, Siemens have built the best electric trains and the class 360/1 Desiro are the ones we need for high capacity with more seats and a number of Class 360/1 Desiro for the Anglia Region routes and electrify/relectrify the routes that dont have overhead wires throughout East of England as well Eastern parts of the Anglia Region. Instead of having Class 377/357, Class 360/1 Desiro are making the best improvement to run services on 24/7. Class 360/1 Desiro are more reliable than Class 321 that are used on London-Ipswich, Colchester-Clacton & Manningtree-Harwich. If the Class 360/1 Desiro does run on other lines mainly in Essex including Shenfield-Southend Victoria line, Wickford-Southminster line, Witham-Braintree line & Thorpe Le Soken-Walton line. There be a chance to run Class 360/1 Desiro on these lines that Class 321's run services on. Class 360/1 Desiro are much better, quicker, quieter, reliable and can keep the whole line running with the help of the Class 360/1 Desiro. Class 360/1 Desiro EMU's are the most reliable electric trains in the East of England. Thank You.

  • John, London, UK

    Good news, now if only Mr Hoon would start on actually making train journeys affordable! That's where the real problems lie.