Bombardier awarded £138 million

News

Bombardier has been awarded contracts from the UK operator First Great Western to renovate 405 high speed train (HST) trailer cars and undertake HST bogie overhaul and technical development work.

Bombardier Transportation

has been awarded two contracts worth £138 million from the

UK

operator

First Great Western

, part of FirstGroup.

The first order, worth £53 million, is for the renovation of 405 high speed train (HST) trailer cars to be used by the operator on their premier services between London, Bristol, South Wales, the Cotswolds and the West of England.

This renewal work, to include an extensive interior refresh and an exterior repaint, will be carried out across two of Bombardier’s sites in the UK, Derby and Ilford. Bombardier’s new refurbishment centre at Derby will complete the majority of this work, a total of 294 cars.

The remaining 111 coaches will be refreshed at Ilford. Delivery of the completed units will commence in November 2006, with all the vehicles renewed by the end of 2007.

The second contract, at a value of up to £85 million, is for HST bogie overhaul and technical development work, to be undertaken throughout the life of the new Great Western franchise, for up to ten years. This work will be carried out at Bombardier’s site in Crewe in the UK.

Alison Forster, Managing Director, First Great Western commented: “This work is part of a wider investment commitment made by First Great Western. We are looking forward to seeing improved levels of passenger comfort and train reliability.”