This means adapting to changing customer needs and expectations, and investing in
our network. The timetable changes we introduced in May, and the ones we’re now planning for December,
are bringing in more services aimed
at making things better for our customers. So too are the new trains we’re introducing, including the brand- new Class 701 trains that’ll run on some of our busiest routes from next year.
As the timetable changes and new trains bring in more services, we need to make sure our infrastructure’s capable of supporting the expansion and we’ve six big projects doing
just that – at Feltham, Basingstoke, Wimbledon, Woking, Fratton and Farnham. A total investment of just
over £100m.
Two of these,
Wimbledon
and Woking are
now complete.
At Wimbledon
depot we’ve just
completed a substantial project to extend the sheds to cope with extra demand. At Woking we’ve increased capacity by electrifying sidings previously used for engineering so they’re now capable of stabling our trains. At Fratton, Basingstoke and Farnham we’re building new sidings and expanding our depot and siding facilities. This is scheduled to complete during 2020, as is our largest infrastructure project at Feltham.
Work to build a new train care depot
at Feltham is well underway. It’s being constructed on the site of the old goods marshalling yard just north of Feltham station and will have capacity to service
Artist impression of Feltham Depot.
10 trains at a time – perfect for our Class 701 fleet. This is a substantial project, comprising of £50m investment that includes new track, new power system and a new accommodation block for colleagues working there. The site’s currently being cleared with plans to connect it to the mainline, including new points and signalling, scheduled for October. Construction of the sidings and accommodation will follow this. We’ll keep you updated on progress.
These projects are great examples of our commitment to improving customer service and to growing our business. We’ll be investing £1.2bn in total during the life of the franchise, helping to create a network we can all be proud of.
