MAKING journeys more pleasant for its passengers is behind Croydon-based rail operator Southern's refurbishment of its fleet of Class 377 trains.
The programme started in August 2011 and Southern has just finished work on its 100th train. It aims to have completed the upgrading of all 182 - a total of 700 carriages - by January 2015.
The work on both the exterior and interior of the train includes a deep clean, new carpets and seat covers, interior paint repairs, and graffiti resistant panels.
The programme also includes the overhaul of the bogie wheels which means that crucially, the time the train is out of service is considerably reduced.
The refresh programme is completed in-house at Southern's Selhurst Depot, resulting in considerable time and financial savings when compared with sending them elsewhere.
John Killeen, Southern fleet manager, said: "With around a million miles under its belt, each train becomes rather tired inside, so this refresh is breathing new life into these 10-year old trains.
"The project is being delivered on plan and within budget, which is good news for our passengers who are enjoying trains that are now as good as new."
