Investing In Our Rail Services

Across our rail franchises we have an extensive investment programme. This covers our vehicles, stations and customer service improvements and is essential to improve service reliability and the overall customer experience. The following examples demonstrate our investment commitment.

  • In partnership with Network Rail we are investing £1 billion in the First Great Western franchise. The partnership is providing three million additional seats on high-speed trains, upgrading the train fleet to improve the passenger experience and installing new engines that will be 15% more fuel-efficient.
  • We are introducing new carriages on First Great Western's overnight sleeper service between London Paddington and Penzance to improve catering and comfort standards for passengers.
  • Work is underway on an £8 million redevelopment of St Phillips Marsh depot in Bristol. Designed to improve train punctuality, the project offers a state-of-the-art depot allowing better maintenance of First Great Western's fleet of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs).
  • Trains on the North Berwick to Edinburgh line have undergone a £3 million refurbishment programme to increase passenger comfort and train reliability. Changes to seat layout have increased seat capacity and provided additional cycle storage space.
  • During the year First TransPennine Express has rolled out new Class 185 trains as part of a £250 million investment programme. The first of the new trains made its maiden journey in March 2006. By the end of January 2007, 153 new Class 185 carriages had replaced the 139 older carriages.
  • The First TransPennine Express Class 185 roll-out was supported by the opening of a number of purpose-built, Siemens-operated maintenance depots where the trains will be serviced.
  • First Capital Connect has committed £2 million to upgrade the interiors of trains operating on the Great Northern Route. Work will include improvements to seating and flooring.
  • First Capital Connect has also secured additional capacity on the Thameslink route. In December 2006 Thameslink introduced four extra carriages, providing 316 additional seats to ease crowding in peak periods.
  • GB Railfreight has invested £28 million in 238 wagons and five new locomotives to support continuing business growth.

First TransPennine Express scoops quadruple victory at HSBC Rail Business Awards

First TransPennine Express (FTPE) scooped a quadruple victory at this year's HSBC Rail Business Awards. They were awarded the: Interfleet Technology Rail Business of the Year Award, Rolling Stock Excellence of the Year for their new Class 185 trains, and Rail Marketing Campaign of the Year for their student rail marketing campaign. Vernon Barker, Managing Director of FTPE, was also named Rail Business Manager of the Year as "the most outstanding business manager working within the rail industry".

First ScotRail - Community Rail Awards

First ScotRail was awarded the Rolling Stock Award at the Community Rail Awards 2006. This recognised the major upgrade to the Class 332 trains that run between Edinburgh and North Berwick. The coffee shop at Uddingston received a runner-up prize for encouraging local communities to breathe new life into old station buildings.

 

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