Virgin first class

UK-based Virgin Trains East Coast has unveiled the first of its newly renovated trains as part of its £40m refurbishment programme in order to improve customer experience.

As part of the programme, all of Virgin’s trains on its East Coast route are being given a makeover with stylish new interiors, bringing added customer comfort.

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A total of £21m has been allocated to complete the refurbishment of the trains’ interiors, including adding luxurious leather seats to First Class, new carpets and fittings throughout.

"We want to ensure the trains people are catching right now deliver the same comfort and glamour for which Virgin Trains is known."

The upgrade will see a total of 401 carriages overhauled with 24,123 seats replaced along with refurbished toilets, new carpets and curtains.

In order to improve the customer experience, Virgin Trains said it had invested millions of pounds after it took over the East Coast Mainline last March.

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Virgin Trains managing director David Horne said: "Our new fleet of trains arrive in 2018, but we want to ensure the trains people are catching right now deliver the same comfort and glamour for which Virgin Trains is known.

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"The East Coast Mainline features some of the world’s iconic rail journeys and has played host to some of the most famous locomotives ever made, including the Flying Scotsman.

"Our own uniquely Virgin Flying Scotsman was unveiled last year and is a symbol of this major investment that will bring the Virgin style and a dash of glamour back to the east coast route in the build up to the launch of our new trains."

As part of the refurbishment programme, an additional £16m is being invested on new diesel engines and re-branding the external livery for the new trains currently being built in the UK by Hitachi.

The company noted that the programme has been brought in ahead of the arrival of its new fleet in 2018.

Image: Virgin’s new revamped train on its East Coast route. Photo: courtesy of Virgin Trains East Coast.