GWR introduces newer rolling stock to increase capacity in Bristol
Posted: 26 October 2017 | Global Railway Review | 1 comment
Great Western Railway (GWR) has continued to modernise services throughout Bristol and the surrounding areas, increasing capacity by replacing older trains.
Credit: GWR
Trains running between Bristol Parkway and Weston-super-Mare have been replaced by newer rolling stock, providing over 80% more seats per day between the two destinations and all stations stops in between.
The new rolling stock replaces the former two-carriage trains with three-carriage ‘Turbo’ units with more seats, air conditioning and WiFi.
The upgrade marks the continuation of GWR’s plans to cascade diesel trains from the Thames Valley, and is an important milestone in increasing capacity for Bristol suburban services by 52%.
These trains from London and the Thames Valley will offer a significant change in passenger experience”
“We know that our suburban Bristol services are some of our most in demand, and I am delighted to see even more of the improvements we promised coming into place,” said GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood. “These trains from London and the Thames Valley will offer a significant change in passenger experience, and with the introduction of new Intercity Express Trains last week already carrying thousands of passengers, it also marks the continuation of the greatest fleet upgrade in in a generation for the people of Bristol.”
Each three-carriage turbo has 118 more seats per train than its predecessor, providing over 3,000 extra seats a day between Bristol Parkway and Weston-Super-Mare in total.
“The train service between Weston-super-Mare and Bristol is an important commuter link between the two centres and this improvement in rolling stock is to be welcomed,” added Councillor Elfan Ap Rees, Deputy Leader North Somerset Council. “With the increasing pressures on our road network the train service is becoming a far more cost effective and time saving solution.”
This new rolling stock comes just after Bristol saw the first brand-new Intercity Express Train (IET) enter service last week, replacing 40-year-old high speed trains.
Finally! Coming home from the Continent via the Channel Tunnel and then ending up in a badly overloaded class 150 at last coming to an end. Seeing that this in all likelihood is going to boost train-use on the GWT local routes around Bristol, can we expect that the availability of seats on the Turbo’s keeps going up in line with potentially increased use, please?