CrossCountry's first refreshed Turbostar enters service

Interior refreshment to provide bright, attractive and comfortable accommodation was carried out at Transys Projects' depot in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. Seats have been re-upholstered, new carpets fitted and at-seat power points installed in the two-plus-one seating of the new First Class
accommodation.

As well as receiving the interior makeover, all 13 two-coach and 16 three-coach trains are being repainted into CrossCountry's striking and distinctive new livery of warm black and red to make them easily recognisable to customers. Exterior repainting, due as part of scheduled overhaul, is being carried out by EWS subsidiary Axiom Rail at the EWS Toton Depot, near Nottingham and at Marcroft Depot, Stoke-on-Trent. Work on the entire fleet will be completed by early next year.

CrossCountry Managing Director Andy Cooper said: "We're delighted to be working with Transys Projects on this vital programme to increase capacity on our services. Our Class 170 trains, which serve some of our busiest routes through Birmingham, are being refreshed to a standard of the highest quality. They will make a significant contribution to our commitment to provide up to 35 percent more seating and additional luggage space on our trains.

"Also, introduction of First Class accommodation on every train will meet the demand for this service from a growing market on these routes."

To avoid train shortages during the refreshment programme, the work is being phased to coincide with scheduled maintenance. Until the project is completed early next year, some coaches will, therefore, run with reworked exteriors or interiors only.

For more information please contact the CrossCountry Press Office on 0121 654 7010.

Notes to editors

CrossCountry started operating on 11 November 2007. The franchise, which is the most extensive in the UK, will run until 31 March 2016. For further information on CrossCountry services and future franchise plans log on to www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

CrossCountry facts and figures

STATIONS SERVED: 131
ROUTE MILES: 1,654
WEEKDAY SERVICES: 288
PASSENGERS CARRIED: Over 30 million passenger journeys a year anticipated
ANNUAL TRAIN MILEAGE: Approximately 16 million
EMPLOYEES: Approximately 1,800
LONGEST TRAIN SERVICE: Penzance to Dundee (701 miles)

CrossCountry is part of the Arriva group which operates transport services in 12 European countries, employs more than 38,000 people and provides more than one billion passenger journeys every year. For more information about the Arriva group visit www.arriva.co.uk

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Contact Information

CrossCountry Press Office: [email protected]

About CrossCountry

CrossCountry is a long-distance passenger train operator, with a network stretching from Aberdeen to Penzance and from Stansted to Cardiff and calling at over 100 stations. Based in Birmingham, CrossCountry connects seven of Britain’s 10 largest cities and delivers 240 services every weekday, equating to over 42 million passenger journeys each year.

For further information on CrossCountry services, visit crosscountrytrains.co.uk or visit one of our social media platforms via X @crosscountryuk or Facebook at facebook.com/crosscountrytrains