Steve Brine met up with Phil Heathcote from Siemens on Tuesday 15th November as he was briefed on the new Class 707 trains which have entered the testing stage.
The £210 million fleet is scheduled to come online in the Spring of 2017, and the new Class 707 trains will ensure increased space and improved accessibility through 'open gangways' and upgraded on-board facilities such as free WiFi.
The trains will also feature improved passenger information including real-time TfL and London Underground updates as well as information about individual carriage capacity. The new fleet will be lighter and more energy efficient than previous generations, offering a weight saving of around 25% meaning less wear and tear for the track.
The new trains will significantly boost capacity along the route, allowing an additional 18,000 passengers per day to travel in and out of London Waterloo during the busiest times of the day. The completed roll out will also allow a 'cascade' of the existing train fleet, providing additional carriages and space for passengers for all other lines on the South West Trains network.
Steve Brine said: "This was a very useful meeting and it was great to hear of the progress being made. As well as hearing about the new trains set to come out in the New Year, I was also able to make the case against the Class 450 blue trains, which are, it has to be said, very unpopular.
"I was told that the new trains will significantly boost capacity along the route, allowing an additional 18,000 passengers per day in and out of Waterloo during the busiest times of the day. In addition, the completed roll out will also allow a 'cascade' of the existing train fleet, providing additional carriages and space for passengers for all other lines on the South West Trains network."
Pictured; Steve Brine and Phil Heathcote of Siemens
