Aspect p6-7
28/2/11
14:07
Page 1
A
RRIVA Trains Wales’ ambitious makeover plans for its Class 158s are being turned into reality within the South Carriage Sheds facility at the LNWR workshops in Crewe. A major refurbishment programme, incorporating new livery and C6 heavy maintenance, is delivering completely refurbished toilets, new seating, carpets and re-designed vestibule and storage areas. The new seats provide a minimum of 25mm of extra leg-room, while the vestibules are being opened up to use space that was previously taken up by redundant storage areas. Meanwhile, newly-introduced cab cooling will result in an enhanced driver environment. Simon Taylor, LNWR Heavy Maintenance Manager, said: “We were given a performance specification by Arriva Trains Wales and artist’s impressions of the company’s aspirations.
Ambitious makeover will create
best Class 158s in UK Technician Gareth Morris pictured with laminated glass for the new passenger windows.
Class 175 bogies are removed from the undercarriage of the train on the Heavy Lift Road at Longsight – in preparation for cleaning and maintenance.
Class 175s overhaul will refresh interiors and improve reliability
Expert team “We have translated these through our design partner into Arriva Trains Wales-approved, workable designs Work which will benefit passengers and is underway on train crew alike.” modifications to The £7.5 million project is being the side-seating rail realised by a team of 25 artisan following strip-out staff including specialist vehicle of the carriage refurbishment experts, heavy interior. maintenance fitters and electricians, and painters. Following a controlled strip-out of customers, these will be open, light saloon interiors and redundant and airy, with more useable equipment, a deep clean gets passenger features such as the underway. Wiring looms are installed two-perch seating areas and cycle for the new electrical system and storage complimented by modern side seating rails modified. lighting,” said Simon. All passenger windows are being At-seat power is being provided at replaced by laminated glass, and two all table locations with four new dedicated bike storage points are tip-up seats being installed at the being provided next to the toilet in wheelchair spaces in the 52 car the 57 car. saloon. “Whereas previously the 52 car to The refurbishment of all the Class 57 car vestibule areas were a 158 units, which also incorporates a claustrophobic walkway for
Electrician Peter Cronin works on the electrics for the new cooling system in the cab. new advanced Passenger Information System, is scheduled to be completed by autumn next year. Matt Prosser, Arriva Trains Wales’ Head of Engineering, said:“This work will transform the customer and staff experience on our Class 158s and bring significant improvements for our disabled customers. The refurbishment, which also improves the safety of the trains, is to a very high standard – ours will be the best Class 158s in the country.”
Stylish new carpets and seats will be a feature of the standard class interiors.
A computer-generated image of the new-look on board environment.
6
ASPECT Spring 2011
Light and airy vestibules with room for cycle storage.
A DEDICATED team of 38 technicians at the Manchester Traincare Centre at Longsight is pulling out all the stops to give Arriva Trains Wales’ Class 175 trains a thorough makeover. Not only are the 11 two-car units and the 16 three-car units receiving their 10-Year Heavy Overhaul, but they are also undergoing a series of reliability modifications and an interior refresh. Key advances include: ■ Underframe wiring improvements and the replacement of protective trunking, which previously acted as a leaf-trap, by a secondary flexible conduit. ■ Fitting of alternators with improved insulation material made of resin, which has helped the first trains back in service run without a hitch during the worst winter for many years. ■ New Axminster carpets to an Arriva Trains Wales design and floor fabric outside the disabled toilets in vestibules, which has a ridged component to absorb dirt from shoes and protect the carpet inside. Vestibule walls and ceilings are being filled, sanded and spray-painted. The overhaul includes work on bogies, cooler groups, couplers and auxiliary drives. More reliable solid-state AWS receivers are being fitted, and gangways are being upgraded with new silicon-strengthened bellows inside the original frame. For the interior refresh, the carriages are suspended above the Heavy Lift Road at the Traincare Centre with their bogie frames removed. Then they are stripped back inside and a deep clean takes place. Floor boarding is replaced wherever necessary and interior upholstery is sent away to be revamped in fire-retardant new livery. Nigel Sanderson, Special Projects
The interior shell of a Class 175 after being stripped down.
A Class 175 after the makeover.
Manager, said:“We have grouped a number of periodic tasks together and aligned them with the 10 Year Overhaul, so that we only have to stop each train once. There will be huge safety and efficiency benefits from the work we are carrying out.” Matt Prosser, Arriva Trains Wales’ Head of Engineering, said:“The work at Longsight is providing a much-improved environment for our customers, improving reliability with the aim of ensuring Class 175s are among the best-performing DMUs in the country, and improving the safety of the trains.” The programme, which began in July last year, is scheduled to reach completion by May.
ASPECT Spring 2011
7