Published on: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Last updated: Thursday, 14 December 2017
Greater Anglia has announced a £4.7 million refurbishment of its commuter trains in Essex and Hertfordshire.
The investment will see 212 Class 321 carriages and 72 Class 317 carriages undergoing a significant programme of refurbishment which will include new carpets, new seat covers, dado panels, a deep clean throughout and interior repainting.
Some of the 40 additional 321 carriages brought into the franchise have extended first class seating. This will be removed to increase standard class seating capacity.
The programme for the Class 317 trains is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The Class 321 programme will continue into Spring 18.
Greater Anglia’s Managing Director Jamie Burles said: “As part of the new nine year franchise we will replace our entire fleet of trains with 1,043 brand new carriages, but in the meantime, I’m delighted that this significant investment in the refurbishment of our Class 321 and 317 fleet will provide improved comfort and a better travelling experience for our customers.
“This investment will help to bring all our remaining Class 321 trains up to a higher standard, more in line with our 30 Class 321 ‘Renatus’ trains (used on services to Southend, Chelmsford, Witham, Braintree, Colchester, Clacton, Harwich and Ipswich) which are currently undergoing a separate refurbishment programme to install new air conditioning, seats, lighting, toilets, Wi-Fi and power sockets.”
Greater Anglia’s Class 321 trains operate commuter services on the Great Eastern Mainline from London Liverpool Street to Braintree, Southend Victoria, Southminster, Ipswich, Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton–on-Sea and Colchester Town.
Greater Anglia’s Class 317 trains operate commuter services from London Liverpool Street to Broxbourne, Hertford East, Bishop’s Stortford, Harlow Town and Cambridge as well as some Bishop’s Stortford / Stansted Airport to Cambridge services.