Over 300 London commuter trains, part of Southern's "Electrostar" fleet which also serves the Gatwick Express, have undergone a £100 million refurbishment project to extend their operational life by 15 years. This five-year project, completed at Southern's Selhurst depot, has upgraded 1,222 carriages to modern standards.
The refurbished trains now feature improved Wi-Fi with new routers ready for 5G, USB charging ports at every seat, power outlets, brighter lighting, and digital information boards. New sensors will count passengers, enabling service adjustments for capacity and indicating available seats in carriages.
The trains are also equipped with front-facing CCTV for track monitoring and a high-tech remote maintenance system to reduce depot visits for minor faults. Older trains in the fleet, some dating back to 2001, required significant rewiring and seat removal for comprehensive upgrades. The project was funded by Porterbrook, the private rolling stock company that owns the trains.
This extensive modification is described as the largest UK package of its ki... download the app to read more
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