The order will be for 25 six-car units (150 vehicles), of a variant of the Class 700 Desiro City, which is being built for the new Thameslink service. They will replace Class 313 trains built in 1976/7, and enter service by the end of 2018 on routes to and from Welwyn and Hertford, Stevenage and Letchworth.
Train features include fixed length with full width inter-vehicle gangways, creating more space for passengers on board (there are no intermediate cabs). The train also has a passenger real-time information system and power points.
GTR fleet director Gerry McFadden said: “This is just one of four new train fleets we’re bringing in, introducing almost 1,400 new train carriages to the network, and we’re delighted to be appointing Siemens as our preferred bidder.”
