Chiltern Railways unveils first refurbished Class 168 train
Chiltern Railways has introduced the first of its refurbished Class 168 trains as part of a £12 million (EUR 14.3 million) fleet upgrade. The refurbishment includes modern features such as improved Wi-Fi, USB charging sockets, a full repaint, and an overhaul of the heating and cooling system. Reliability enhancements have also been implemented. The first train is now serving routes between London Marylebone, Oxford, and Birmingham. The remaining units are scheduled for refurbishment in the coming months, with work being carried out at the Arriva TrainCare facility in Crewe.
Southeastern completes City Beam fleet integration
Southeastern has brought the final two Class 707 City Beam trains into service, completing a fleet of 30 five-car units. These trains now operate on the Grove Park, Hayes, and Dartford 'Metro' routes. Originally transferred from South Western Railway, the City Beam trains offer features such as accessible interiors with two wheelchair spaces per five carriages, modern customer information systems, Wi-Fi, power sockets, air-conditioned carriages, and improved heating and ventilation. The units were repainted from SWR red to Southeastern blue at the Gillingham depot after their transfer on 7 September. The trains are leased from Angel Trains and maintained in partnership with Siemens.
c2c leads in overall customer satisfaction
According to the latest Rail User Survey conducted by Transport Focus, c2c has achieved the highest overall customer satisfaction score among UK train operating companies, registering 94%. The survey, which took place between 16 February and 15 September, assessed passengers' experiences on their most recent train journeys. c2c's improvements in punctuality, reliability, and onboard information were highlighted. The operator has also made progress with Wi-Fi enhancements, energy efficiencies, and increased capacity with new Class 720 trains. Additionally, c2c has invested in a Driver Simulator Academy at Southend Central station and is collaborating with Alstom on the refurbishment and repair of its fleet of Class 357 trains.
