Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and Alstom signed a GBP 24.5 million (EUR 29.3 million) variation contract to help reactivate a fleet of 30 Class 379 trains (Electrostar trainsets).
As part of the variation contract under the current technical support and spares supply agreement (TSSSA), Alstom has been providing both engineering and on-train technical support to ensure the first units could enter service as soon as possible. Their reactivation underscores the growing confidence in rail travel post-pandemic and the industry’s focus on delivering reliable, passenger-focused services.
The Class 379 trains are also the first GTR fleet to utilise Alstom’s HealthHub web-based platform that analyses and displays all the data captured by the train. Every 30 seconds, a train will send data on more than 200 parameters – everything from the speed of the train to the temperature inside the carriages, to the GPS coordinates that give its location. This provides real-time monitoring that alerts the team if there is anything wrong with the train or supports to prevent incidents happening in the future.
The Electrostar trainsets will be used by the UK’s largest railway franchise on their Great Northern network, connecting London King’s Cross with Cambridge, Peterborough and King’s Lynn. The fleet was acquired by Porterbrook from Akiem in March 2024.
The first two four-carriage units (numbers 379002 and 022) entered service on 10 February and will initially be used on a number of Great Northern services to and from Letchworth Garden City.
“These extra trains we have started to bring into service are a real demonstration of GTR working with partners across the rail industry to give passengers extra services and better journeys,” Steve Lammin, Engineering Director at Govia Thameslink Railway, said.
The original TSSSA was signed between Alstom and GTR in October 2022 for around GBP 256 million (EUR 306.6 million), with a duration that aligns with the length of the operator’s National Rail Contract.
The 30, four-car Class 379 EMUs were built by Alstom at its Derby Litchurch Lane Works between 2010 and 2011, and originally served passengers between London Liverpool Street and Kings Lynn via Stansted Airport and Cambridge until 2022. Under GTR, the trains will now operate out of their Hornsey depot.
Share on:
