Inside EMR's refurbished Class 170 as operator begins to roll out "consistent look" across its fleets

Separate areas for wheelchair users and customers travelling with bicycles is the biggest change on the first refurbished East Midlands Railway (EMR) Class 170.

The revamped two-car diesel multiple unit (170501) was shown off at Derby station on April 15.

A total of 44 units (27 two-car and 17 three-car) will be treated in the £23 million programme which is due to be completed in late 2027/early 2028.

As well as separate wheelchair and cycle areas (with tip-up seating in the latter), the new interiors also contain table-mounted 230-volt power sockets along with USB and USB-C sockets, new signage, new floors, CCTV and a new passenger information system (PIS).

EMR’s Managing Director, Will Rogers, explained how the interior echoes the new Class 810 Aurora bi-mode units, the first of which was being tested on the Midland Main Line on the same day the ‘170’ was shown off.

“When you get on board this train, you're going to have a glimpse of what I have new of all the trains going to look like as well,” he said. “It’s a very consistent look.”

“The interior has been designed with the long term in mind, so it’s going to be good from a wear and tear perspective, and it will keep looking good for many, many years to come.”

Rogers said the first unit has a standard PIS, but that over time more information such as passenger loading figures can be added.

Layouts are expected to vary slightly across EMR’s ‘170’ fleet due to existing differences that come from the fleet being originally ordered by a variety of operators such as Central Trains, ScotRail and Southern.

Andy Sykes, industrial designer of the interiors, said the costs of moving equipment and the luggage racks they’re enclosed in, to ensure the layouts were the same across all units, was “not worth it”. However, bigger exterior graphics are due to be applied to clearly show where dedicated wheelchair and cycle areas are on each unit.

The vestibules of 170501 have so far not been treated due to costs, but funding is now available to repaint those.

The first unit took eight weeks to refurbish. The second is expected to take the same amount of time before turnaround times decrease by a week until the sixth set, which is due to take four weeks. That’s then set to be the time taken to overhaul the rest of the fleet.

Work has been done at Arriva TrainCare’s Crewe works with interiors designed by Derby-based DG Design and other supplies coming from firms based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Crewe.

Porterbrook-owned units are being treated for now before work on those owned by Eversholt begins next year. The latter are set to receive a lighter refurbishment with reupholstered seats rather than replacements fitted.

Upcoming refurbishments of EMR’s Class 158 and ‘360’ fleets will continue that family feel.

The ‘158s’, being reconditioned in Bristol, will receive lighter overhauls and receive only USB sockets, due to not having so much spare power, and new seat covers.

Meanwhile, the Class 360 EMUs will have its 3+2 seating replaced with 2+2 to help accommodate additional luggage being carried by customers who use them to access Luton Airport.

Work on that fleet is expected to start towards the end of the year.