TXM Projects delivers refurbishment project on Virgin Trains HST Fleet

TXM Projects has confirmed the successful delivery and support to the recently refurbished Virgin Trains HST Fleet.

As a planned refurbishment project that began late in 2015, TXM Projects efficiently delivered part of an overall multi-million-pound project to improve customer experience across its core fleet of Virgin Trains operating along the east coast in the UK.

TXM Projects provides a turnkey project solution to the rail industry encompassing all areas of on-site train refurbishment, system installation and rail vehicle maintenance and repair. Part of the successful TXM Group, TXM Projects has a unique approach offering industry-leading solutions. This strategy enables rail vehicle operators and owners to complete projects safely, on time, to budget and with minimum disruption to their service as experienced first-hand by Virgin Trains on the east coast.

With a total of £13.4m budgeted to complete the refurbishment across the fleet, TXM Projects was selected last year as Delivery Partner of Choice to maximise the facilities and deliver the planned makeover of 15 fleet sets in partnership with the Virgin Trains on the east coast.

Peter Jennings, TXM Projects Managing Director said “We were delighted to be awarded the project by Virgin Trains on the east coast. The project mobilised without disruption and has gone from strength-to-strength. We see this as a positive platform to grow our relationship with Virgin Trains whilst demonstrating to the industry exactly what TXM Projects are capable of.”
 
With stylish new interiors including the addition of luxurious leather seats to First Class, new carpets and fittings throughout, TXM Projects successfully delivered Virgin Trains’ objective of bringing added customer comfort and the distinctive red glamour that the Virgin brand is famous for. This project has been delivered to the high specification required, on time and to the satisfaction of both Virgin Trains and the ultimate customer, the passengers.
 
Key services and areas worked across include resource and project planning, mobilisation, identification and management of materials. Delivery of this turnkey project has also included control of the supply chain, engineering solutions, facilities and strong time and budget management.

David Horne, Managing Director, Virgin Trains on the east coast, said “Our new fleet of trains arrives in 2018, but we want to ensure the trains people are catching right now deliver the same comfort and glamour for which Virgin Trains is known. The east coast features some of the world’s iconic rail journeys and has played host to some of the most famous locomotives ever made, including the Flying Scotsman. Our own Virgin Trains Flying Scotsman was unveiled last year and is a symbol of the major investment that will bring the Virgin style and a dash of glamour back to the east coast in the build up to the launch of our new Azuma trains.”
 
Completion of the Virgin Trains HST fleet refurbishment will take approximately nine months from start to finish; this will also include two additional East Midland Trains units, which will be completely overhauled to emulate the aesthetics of the standard East Coast fleet and ultimately support the Virgin Trains’ customer satisfaction policy.
 
A total fleet of 65 brand new trains will be implemented from 2018, which will put the East Coast Main Line right at the forefront of the National Rail Network.