Rail fleet revamp gets under way

TRAINS that have travelled millions of miles since they were first manufactured are being given a new lease of life that will make journeys more comfortable for passengers.

- By ZENA HAWLEY

The first of the 44 Class 170 trains operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR) has been give and upgrade including new seating, carpets, USB and power sockets, improved toilet facilities, especially for wheelchair users, along with special areas for priority seating and cycle storage.

All the trains, made around 1999, will also be fitted with CCTV.

The revamped train is the first in a £23 million programme to modernise EMR’s Class 170 regional fleet and the redesigned interiors echo the look of the operator's new Aurora trains, set to enter service later this year.

The Class 170 trains, which were built in Derby, are owned by the UK's leading rolling stock financier and asset management company, Porterbrook, also based in Derby, and were operated by West Midlands Railway until EMR took them over in 2020.