Siemens was announced on December 22 as preferred bidder for a fleet of 25 six-car trains for Govia Thameslink Railway’s Great Northern operation, in a deal worth more than £200 million.
The trains are due for delivery at the end of 2018, and will replace Class 313s that date from 1976/77.
The new trains will be Class 700s, and will be a variant of the 1,140 vehicles currently being delivered by Siemens to GTR for Thameslink. They will run on routes from Moorgate and London King’s Cross to Welwyn, Hertford, Stevenage and Letchworth. They will be fixed length with full width inter-vehicle gangways, air-conditioning, real time information and power points.
“These new trains will give our passengers a superior, modern comfortable journey with more capacity, improved reliability, air-conditioning and passenger information systems that can be remotely updated to provide real-time information,” said GTR Fleet Director Gerry McFadden.
“This is just one of four new train fleets we’re bringing in, introducing almost 1,400 new train carriages to the network, and we’re delighted to be appointing Siemens as our preferred bidder.”
Dr Jochen Eickholt, chief executive of Mobility Division, Siemens, said:
“Siemens is delighted to be appointed preferred bidder to replace the Class 313 Moorgate trains. We are looking forward to finalising the contract in the New Year.”
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Andrewjgwilt1989 - 23/12/2015 01:13
Class 700/2? or Class 701? If Siemens are to build the 25 6-car Desiro City trains for Great Northern's metro services including King's Cross-Welwyn Garden City, Moorgate-Hertford North, Moorgate-Stevenage and King's Cross-Hatfield metro routes.
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