Inside Selhurst: Refurbishment of Electrostar Trains
A £100 million project to refurbish over 300 Electrostar trains used across the Govia Thameslink (GTR) network has been completed.
GTR runs trains under the Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern, and Gatwick Express names, and the project is thought to be the largest fleet upgrade in modern times.
The work was carried out in-house by GTR staff at the Selhurst depot, rather than by a third-party refurbishment company.
Train overhauls typically involve multiple companies, including the train builder, owner, operator, and maintenance company.
The project was unusual in that all the work was carried out in-house by GTR staff.
The decision to bring the job in-house allowed GTR to utilize its existing Selhurst depot and complete the project without sending a single train off-site.
Author's summary: A £100 million project refurbished 300 trains, marking a significant achievement.