UK: Bombardier has been awarded a £17m contract by Porterbrook Leasing to overhaul and refurbish 110 MkIII coaches used by National Express Group's Greater Anglia train operating company One.
Superseded by Pendolino tilting trains on Virgin West Coast services, the MkIIIs were leased by One last year to replace older MkII stock on the London - Norwich route. The contract covers standard and first class coaches and restaurant cars; these run as push-pull trainsets with driving van trailers.
The vehicles will undergo body and bogie overhaul at Bombardier's new Vehicle Re-Engineering & Modernisation Centre at Derby, together with external repainting. Interior modifications include upgrading of the vestibule areas, toilets, carpets and seats. The first refurbished coaches are due to be rolled out in July, with the last to be completed by January 2006.
