Three operators announce train procurement intentions
Five manufacturers are shortlisted by Southeastern, while Eurostar and Northern plan sizeable orders.
ALSTOM, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF), Hitachi, Siemens and Stadler have been shortlisted to be the supplier of new units, or modernise the existing trains, for Southeastern’s suburban services, writes Graeme Pickering.
The operator’s present active commuter fleet includes 122 four-car Class 465 and 29 two-car Class 466 units (546 vehicles across these two fleets), which were built by British Rail Engineering Ltd/ABB and Metro-Cammell between 1991 and 1994. “Despite the sterling work of our people to keep our current Metro fleets in service, our customers will know only too well that many of the trains are tired and, in terms of accessibility and customer facilities, have fallen behind what is available elsewhere on the Southeastern network and across the country,”said Southeastern managing director Steve White.