ROLLING STOCK
Mike Bagshaw, commercial director at Arriva Trains Wales, speaks to RTM about the launch of its refurbished Class 158s.
T
he fi rst of 24 of Arriva Trains Wales’ Class 158 fl eet to undergo a full refurbishment recently made the journey from Aberystwyth to Birmingham International with some special guests on board.
The train operator’s commercial director, Mike Bagshaw, joined guests including the Mayor of Aberystwyth, Samantha Hearne, and Ceredigion MP Mark Williams, to welcome the progress on the fl eet-wide facelift, with the last of the 24 trains expected to be upgraded inside and out by summer 2012.
Bagshaw says the refurbishment is one of the most extensive ever undertaken of any rail fl eet.
Speaking after the launch event on April 15, Bagshaw told RTM: “The launch of the newly refurbished 158 went extremely well; it was encouraging that so many stakeholders including the Mayor of Aberystwyth, town councillors and rail user groups were able to join ATW staff for its fi rst journey from Aberystwyth to Birmingham International. Whilst on board, stakeholders were able to talk to ATW staff about the onboard improvements whilst enjoying some complimentary hot drinks courtesy of our at-seat catering team.
196 | rail technology magazine Apr/May 11
“The fi rst thing that passengers will notice is that it looks like a brand new train with a comfortable and spacious feel. Seats have been re-upholstered, new carpets have been laid and there are additional priority seats and wheelchair spaces.
“In addition, access to cycle storage space has improved and there has been a full refurbishment of toilet facilities and baby changing areas. The table seats have adjacent sockets for laptop computers and these seats also align with the windows so that passengers may enjoy the scenery.”
One of the major improvements is the new in-carriage passenger information system, which the 158s have never had before. Bagshaw said: “The introduction of the new system will update passengers on the progress of their journeys, improving the passenger experience even further.
“We have already received many positive comments from members of the public who have enjoyed travelling on the newly refurbished carriages and we are sure that the improvements will encourage even more people to try the train.”
The trains have also been painted with ‘updated’ livery, including the branding of the Welsh Assembly Government, which
provided £7.5m towards the improvement programme.
Bagshaw told RTM: “The new livery presents a modern and clean image and signifi es that many millions have been spent on improving facilities on trains and stations in recent years.”
Mark Williams, MP for Ceredigion,
commented: “This work is extremely welcome, and as a regular user of the service I am looking forward to taking advantage of the new carriages. The refurbished trains will offer a more positive experience, and are another important step towards the service improvements we all wish to see.”
The Class 158 fl eet serves mainly ATW’s longer distance routes including Birmingham International to Aberystwyth, Pwllheli, Chester and Holyhead, as well as Holyhead to Cardiff. They also operate between Chester and Crewe and between Maesteg, Cardiff and Cheltenham.
Refurbishment work at LNWR at Crewe began in December 2010, with each unit taking about 22 days to refurbish.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit
www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk and
www.lnwr.com
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