100 trains digitally refurbished for Northern
FOLLOWING THE delivery of 101 new Class 195 and Class 331 trains for Northern, the operator is now working to refurbish its older train fleet, with 100 out of 243 now complete.
The first phase of the operator’s fleet refurbishment involved repainting the trains into Northern’s blue and white livery, as well as fitting new seating, carpets and lighting.
The second phase – which has now been completed on 100 trains – is what the operator is classing as a digital refurbishment, with free
Wi-fi and CCTV being installed, the addition of enhanced and real-time customer information screens, and other on-board systems designed to improve the performance of the trains and their maintenance. Additionally, USB charging sockets are being installed at every seat throughout the trains.
The 100th train to be fitted with these digital improvements was a Class 158 DMU.
Northern chief operating officer Tricia Williams said: “It’s fantastic to be able to deliver these improvements to our customers and to be able to offer fully refurbished trains with modern facilities. I am really proud to see this unit out on the network.
“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to delivering further improvements for our passengers to enjoy.
“I am grateful to our partners across the industry who have worked hard to deliver the refurbishments, and I look forward to seeing more and more refurbished carriages out and about on the network during the coming months.”