Bombardier begins building six c2c Class 387s

Construction of six four-car Class 387s for c2c is under way, with the electric multiple units due into traffic before the end of the year.

Bombardier is building the trains at its Derby Litchurch Lane facility. They form part of Porterbrook’s speculative order for 20 trains placed last year, and these six will move to c2c with the remaining 14 moving to Great Western Railway.

Each Electrostar has 225 seats. The operator says this means that “combined, the new carriages will provide 13,500 extra seats at peak times every week”.

The ‘387s’ are fitted with seats 10% wider than those fitted to the 74 Class 357s used by c2c. Each ‘387’ seat also has arm rests and personal reading lights. There are two toilets per train, as well as two dedicated wheelchair areas (double that available on a ‘357’). The Class 387s are also air-conditioned and have plug sockets as well as improved luggage areas.

The trains are also fitted with gangways, so that passengers can walk between carriages.

C2C. A driving vehicle from a c2c Class 387, under construction in Derby Litchurch Lane. Six four-car ‘387s’ will enter traffic with the operator before the end of the year.