Class 175 refurbishment programme completed
Work on all 27 ‘Coradia’ units was part of £40 million of improvements to existing TfW trains.
ALMOST three years since it began, a programme to refurbish Transport for Wales Class 175 ‘Coradia’ diesel multiple units, has been completed.
Originally brought into service over 20 years ago, the 27 sets (of which 11 are two-car and 16 three-car configurations) remain the backbone of TfW services, through North, South and West Wales and across the border.
The work, which has been carried out at Alstom’s Technology Centre in Widnes, which specialises in rolling stock modernisation, has included re-covered seats, installation of USB and electric charging points, new interior fittings and carpets and new toilet seats.
The trains have also been rebranded into the current TfW grey and red livery.
Investment
TfW is spending £40 million on refreshing its current fleet of trains. Work is nearing completion on its Class 153 and 158 units and is ongoing on its Class 150 Sprinters.
Over £800 million is being spent on new fleets of trains for Wales, with the first due to enter service later this year. TfW’s fleet engineering manager Stuart Mills said it was important that those already in service were able to meet passenger expectations.
He added: “While we are getting brand-new trains, they take time to build and we want our passengers to have a comfortable experience right now.
“Therefore, the completion of this extensive work is another major step to building a better railway for current and future generations.”