UK-based First Group’s subsidiary Great Western Railway (GWR) has finalised a contract with Porterbrook to lease 37 Class Bombardier 387 Electrostar trains in addition to the eight sets already on order.
Rail passengers in London and Thames Valley will start to benefit from this new fleet as early as September.
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The new four-carriage trains will replace most of the company’s current Turbo trains and can be run in four, eight, and 12-carriage formations.
GWR’s managing director Mark Hopwood said: "The Thames Valley is one of the most popular rail corridors in the UK.
"We’d already promised the current fleet would be upgraded to provide much needed additional capacity and faster journey times, but this deal goes even further offering the comfort of what will be most up-to-date commuter fleet on the UK rail network."
The first of the Class 387 trains is planned to be introduced on the new London Paddington Hayes and Harlington service on September 5 this year, offering an additional 1,400 seats.
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By GlobalDataPorterbrook’s commercial director Olivier André said: "Porterbrook would like to thank GWR for their confidence in its ability to deliver once again the introduction of a new fleet in partnership with Bombardier Transportation.
"With this investment, Porterbrook demonstrates its support to the aspirations of the rail industry and the Department for Transport to alleviate the capacity pinch points in the network and provide Britain with a sustainable, world-class transport system."
Image: The new four-carriage trains will replace most of GWR’s current fleet of Turbo trains. Photo: courtesy of FirstGroup plc.
