Get set to leave your daily train exhaustion behind and board the new lavish, futuristic train from Siemens. The company is rolling full steam ahead with a new train designed to increase the peak capacity by 80% in one of the busiest railway stretches in Europe.
Siemen’s plan is to launch the new train in 2016 through Thameslink, which runs from Bedford through London to Brighton. Siemens is indeed reaching for the stars with the Siemens Class 700 electric train.
Although the project’s goal is to advance technology and development in the transport industry, there was some controversy when Siemens was awarded the contract. Most critics saw it as a threat to the sole UK train factory until the owner agreed on a workable deal with Southern Railway. Siemens will make the 1140 carriages, and it is expected that close to 2,000 jobs will be created from this venture in the UK.
According to the UK government, this £6.5bn upgrade is expected to increase the number of carriages in central London by double the current value, and also create up to 80% more seating capacity space during peak hours. The hundreds of thousands of customers currently using Thameslink in and out of London are bound to appreciate this development, with Siemens has invested £80m in so far.
