UK: A four-car British Class 360 trainset has been refurbished at EMR’s Bedford and Northampton sites, with rolling stock owner Angel Trains and manufacturer Siemens Mobility of Germany involved. The unit is due to enter commercial service in July on the London – Corby line.
The first refurbishment, in 2020–2021, raised the maximum operating speed from 161 to 177 km/h. This round turned to the saloon instead. The seating has been reworked from a 2+3 layout, set within a carbody 2.8 m wide, to 2+2, with roomier ergonomic seats that gain armrests and folding tables. Luggage racks, power sockets, USB ports and up-to-date information systems have gone in, and access for passengers with reduced mobility is better than before.
Inside the refurbished Class 360 Desiro EMU. Source: EMR
Passenger operator EMR runs 21 Class 360 EMUs in all, built in 2002–2003, and this round of work carries a price tag of £30 mln (€35 mln).
The operator is overhauling its intercity fleet as well, taking delivery of Class 810 Aurora hybrid trains from Hitachi Rail. EMR ordered 33 of them for €456 mln, and the first carried passengers from December 2025.
