Published on: Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Last updated: Wednesday, 14 November 2018
It’s not long until Greater Anglia’s brand new trains start to come into service – but for people who can’t wait until next year there’s an opportunity to step on board “virtually” over the next few weeks.
The train company’s award-winning Virtual Reality roadshows are starting up again – and this time visitors could get a special giveaway of a Google Cardboard headset which transforms a smartphone into a virtual reality headset.
There will be 200 Google cardboard headsets available free of charge at each roadshow.
The roadshows are taking place at these railway stations:
- Chelmsford, Friday 30 November, 10am to 2pm
- Ipswich, Friday 7 December, 3pm to 7pm
- Colchester, Friday 14 December, 3pm to 7pm
- Cambridge, Wednesday 19 December, 3pm to 7pm
- Norwich, Friday 21 December, 3pm to 7pm
People attending the roadshows get the chance to look around all three types of the new trains that Greater Anglia is getting to replace every single existing train on the network.
Once they put on the headset, they are taken to a railway station, where a Stadler bi-mode, Stadler intercity and Bombardier electric train are all parked.
They can walk all the way through each train, go to the café bar on the Stadler Intercity train, visit the accessible toilet and look at the new passenger information screens available on each train.
Visitors to the roadshows can also test out seats which are due to be fitted on the new trains – with two pairs of sample seats available at each roadshow to complete the experience.
The seats have been specially designed for Greater Anglia to maximise comfort. They are not in use on any train in the UK currently.
They have been shaped so that they give lumbar support to the person sitting in it and leg room for the person behind.
Ian McConnell, Greater Anglia Franchising and Programmes Director said: “Our new trains are really going to transform train travel in East Anglia. The state-of-the-art features will ensure customers can travel in comfort.
“Please come along to one of the stations and have a look at what’s coming from next year.”
Greater Anglia is replacing every single train with 169 brand new trains, which will all have more seats, power and USB points, fast free wifi, air conditioning, accessible toilets, wheelchair areas and cycle spaces.
The first trains are due to arrive in East Anglia shortly for safety and performance tests, but won’t be available in service until the middle of next year.
The new Stadler trains are financed by Rock Rail East Anglia, a joint venture between Rock Rail, Aberdeen Standard Investments and GLIL Infrastructure and will be leased to Greater Anglia.
The new Bombardier trains are financed by Angel Trains.