Refurbishment
The UK rail
industry has
committed to
adding 6,400
services per
week by 2021
Railway Interiors International ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2019 48
in December 2020. “As well as providing more capacity for our
customers, all of the soft furnishings – such as seat covers
and cushions, carpets and curtains – are being renewed,” says
Neil Drury, engineering director at South Western Railway. “Atseat
power is being installed, while the passenger information
system is being upgraded to allow real-time journey information
to be provided. The wi-fi system is being upgraded to include
SWR|Stream, our onboard media service. All of this makes for
a more pleasant and informed experience for our customers.”
Technological upgrades
Likewise, Northern Railway is adding new lighting and CCTV.
“Lighting is hugely important, not just for safety but for the
ambience inside the carriage,” says Marden of Northern Railway.
“We want passengers to feel relaxed, so harsh lighting is a big
no. We also need to consider security, so every refurbished train
we operate has CCTV that was not previously fitted. This also
allows for advanced passenger counting to manage the flow of
people and capacity with live data. As a consequence, we can
improve performance and security at the same time.”
This joined-up approach to rail carriage refurbishment is the
biggest shift in attitude. Rather than the piecemeal approach that
prevailed before, operators now look on a refurbishment as a
comprehensive upgrade. “The key to a successful refurbishment
is ensuring that everyone has one goal in mind and works
together to achieve that,” says Drury of South Western Railway.
“Refurbishment programmes are there to deliver benefit for our
customers and our goal is to deliver that benefit on all fronts.”
Marden agrees: “Opening up a 30-year old train can reveal
all manner of challenges from the impact of years of use and
weather. However, seeing customer reaction and feedback from
the National Rail Passenger Survey shows refurbished carriages
are effective for our passengers and business.”
STATE OF THE HEART
Safety is a prime concern for all rail
operators and the US state of California
has added another commitment here.
It passed legislation requiring all
commuter rail systems to have an
automated external defibrillator (AED)
fitted by 1 July 2020.
Metrolink has responded to this by
fitting AEDs to all its trains running in
its six-county region. It also provides
instructions on how to use the
equipment, which can revive a person
who has suffered a cardiac arrest.
Although a very simple upgrade to
its existing carriages, Metrolink’s board
chair Brian Murphy is adamant it’s
vital. “Safety is foundational,” he says.
“We’ve installed the AEDs 18 months
ahead of the state deadline and we’re
looking to include AEDs in all future
refurbishments and new stock.”
TOP: First class on a
refurbished Class 444
train operated by South
Western Railway
ABOVE: The South
Western Railway
refurbishment
programme includes the
installation of inductive
charging tables