The new class 745/0 inter-city trains have 757 seats, between 23% and 41% more than previous fleets. The entire fleet of 10 trains will be in service by Easter. The trains are equipped with at-seat power and USB sockets, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and improved passenger information screens, along with a first class seating area and a café bar service.

The new inter-city trains have a lower floor and a retractable step at each door to bridge the gap between train and platform. The EMUs have double-width doors in the middle of the cars. All doors are button operated, speeding up boarding and alighting and allowing the driver to close them automatically.

The crew for the first service operated by the class 745.

Stadler was awarded a contract in 2016 to supply 14 class 755/3 three-car and 24 class 755/4 four-car BMUs, 10 12-car class 745/0 EMUs and 10 12-car class 745/1 EMUs. The new fleet will replace Greater Anglia’s existing inter-city, regional and Stansted Express trains. The first class 755 bi-mode multiple units entered service in July 2019.

The trains are part of a £600m fleet investment programme financed by Rock Rail East Anglia. The trains will be leased to Greater Anglia for the duration of the franchise.

“Last month was difficult for our customers, as signalling issues on our rural branch lines caused a great deal of disruption and also set back our new trains’ roll-out,” says Greater Anglia franchise and programme director, Mr Ian McConnell. “We are making every effort to improve our service, and the first longer inter-city train in service with all the facilities customers expect will start to make a difference to our inter-city customers.

“This week we also ran one of our new bi-mode trains on the Ipswich - Peterborough route, where disruption has continued for much longer as a knock-on effect of the signalling issues.

“This year, we will concentrate on getting more new trains into passenger service and making sure they are as reliable as possible.”

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