East Midlands Railway (EMR) has today unveiled its first fully refurbished Class 170 train, which serve routes in Gedling borough.
The revamped train is the first in a £23 million programme to modernise EMR’s Class 170 regional fleet, with brand-new seats and tables, modern power and charging facilities, refurbished toilets, upgraded flooring, and a newly installed passenger information system.
It also includes a dedicated bike storage area and redesigned interiors.
The train is the first of the 44-strong Class 170 fleet to be refurbished. The next train in the programme is scheduled to enter service next month. Following that, a newly refurbished unit is expected to join the fleet each month.
EMR’s Class 170 fleet operates regional services across the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, including: Matlock to Derby and Nottingham; Nottingham to Worksop via Mansfield; Newark Castle to Crewe via Nottingham, Derby and Stoke-on-Trent; Peterborough to Doncaster via Lincoln; Nottingham to Skegness via Grantham; Cleethorpes to Leicester via Lincoln and Nottingham; and Cleethorpes to Barton-on-Humber. It is also frequently used on the Liverpool to Norwich route.
The upgrade of the Class 170 fleet is part of a wider £60 million programme, which will also include the refurbishment of EMR’s Class 360 and Class 158 trains.
Will Rogers, Managing Director of East Midlands Railway, said: “This refurbishment is more than just a lick of paint – it’s a complete transformation that puts our customers first.
“We’ve focused on creating an environment that is comfortable and functional – and it’s just the beginning. Over the next year, customers will start to see real, tangible improvements across our network.”
