Published on: Monday, 1 July 2019
Last updated: Monday, 1 July 2019
These are the first photos of the interior of Greater Anglia’s brand-new intercity trains, which are due to go into passenger service in the autumn.
Greater Anglia is replacing every single one of its existing trains with brand new state-of-the-art modern trains – including ten new Intercity trains made by Swiss company Stadler.
First impressions of the new intercity trains are how long they are – 12 carriages instead of the nine coaches and locomotive on the current intercity trains.
The new trains have 752 seats compared to 614 on existing trains, still arranged in the two by two seating in Standard Class and one by two layout in First Class, that customers expect on an intercity train.
Greater Anglia hired an expert seat designer to make sure the seats were as comfortable as possible, with lumbar support and the maximum padding allowed under new stricter fire regulations.
There are USB and plug points for each pair of seats and a mixture of tables and seatback tables.
Each train also has air conditioning, free wifi and a passenger information screen in each carriage.
Wider automatic push button doors for getting on and off the train are situated in the centre of carriages.
The floor level is lower than on existing trains where the doors are, which, combined with a retractable step to bridge the gap between the train and the platform, makes the train more accessible for people with wheelchairs and buggies.
Once on board, there are slightly higher seating areas, where the floor is raised above the train’s sets of wheels, known as bogies.
The new intercity trains will be the only Greater Anglia trains with a First Class seating area. It is split into sections, with the majority of seats having tables, but some have seat back tables. The First Class seating area is more spacious than the Standard Class area.
There is a café bar area, where a range of hot and cold snacks and drinks will be on sale, including ranges from local producers.
There is a large accessible area, designed with expert advice from disability professionals, including people with disabilities. Each train has an accessible toilet next to the accessible seating area.
There is room for six bikes, as per Greater Anglia’s existing cycle policy on intercity trains. There are three on each side of the cycle area, with straps to secure them while the train is travelling, and fold-down seats for extra seating if there are no bikes on board.
The First Class, accessible and cycle sections are clearly marked on the outside of the trains with different coloured bands – yellow, blue and green respectively – so that they can be easily located from the platform.
Ian McConnell, Greater Anglia franchise and programmes director, said: “We’ve now got three out of ten of our new intercity trains in East Anglia, ready to undergo a series of safety and performance tests.
“We are very much looking forward to getting them into service, as they will completely transform our customers’ journeys.”
Martino Celeghini, Stadler project manager, said: “The new intercity trains are designed to be stylish and comfortable, building on Stadler's wealth of experience in high quality, modern vehicles that rely on sophisticated technology. We feel sure they will go down well with passengers, once they enter service in a few months.”