EMT starts to refurb its Class 158s

Delta Rail of Derby have started the first refurbishment of East Midlands Trains' Class 158s this week, with 158783 being the first through its doors; it is expected to enter service at the start of October. The refurb' programme is expected to be complete by April 2010 and will see all EMT's 25 Class 158 trains overhauled, including:

• All trains will be painted into the EMT Connect livery
• Interior refurbishment including improvements to seats, capacity and new toilet areas
• Modification to electrical and mechanical systems on the train to improve reliability
• Most trains will receive air conditioning units
• CCTV will be fitted as standard to all Class 158s
• Installation of a new, innovative piece of technology that counts passengers on board, and thus enables passenger flows to be monitored.

This refurbishment is part of the £90m of investment during the life of the East Midlands Trains franchise, making improvements in areas that impact directly on performance, reliability and customer service in 5 key areas:

1. Improved journey times on the Midland Main Line to/from London St. Pancras
2. The opening of two new stations: Corby and East Midlands Parkway
3. The Winter 08 timetable will offer faster journey times and increased capacity (details of affected services in the LEYTR area were detailed in the latest edition)
4. Upgrading of facilities at the Derby maintenance depot
5. Investment in stations, specifically refurbished waiting areas, improved facilities, more customer help points and better lighting.