Rail firm goes back to 30-years to boost reliability

A rail operator is to scrap its multi-million pound fleet of modern high-speed trains because they keep breaking down.

First Great Western, which has been condemned for poor service on its routes serving Paddington, will replace the trains in favour of 30-year-old InterCity 125s.

The company will begin replacing the 14-strong Adelante fleet, which cost more than £70 million, at the end of the year. A spokesman said the 10-train InterCity fleet would prove "far more reliable".

Earlier this year FGW came bottom in a survey of timekeeping and reliability compared with other operators serving London.

There have been numerous problems, frequently caused by train faults, but also as a result of track and signal breakdowns, the responsibility of Network Rail. The situation became so bad that Brian Cooke, London Travelwatch chairman, called for FGW to be stripped of its franchise. The operator was also condemned for chronic over-crowding with many commuters long resigned to not getting a seat.

The issue was highlighted by the Evening Standard's A Seat For Every Commuter campaign.

The FGW spokesman said thousands more seats would be available as a result of the train fleet change.

The InterCity stock will boost the remainder of FGW's 53-strong high-speed fleet.

Five-carriage Adelante trains have 280 seats compared with 510 on an InterCity. The FGW spokesman added: "The changes will come into effect from the end of the year. Also, the remainder of our high-speed fleet is being re-engined to provide a far more reliable service.

"In total we are spending £63 million on improvements." Mr Cooke was threatened with legal action after he condemned FGW for poor service. He said then: "In the past year FGW's performance has been deteriorating.

"There were more late trains, over-crowding is worse and passengers are less satisfied with their service."

He said it was accepted that many delays were caused by NR failures. "But passengers do not care one jot who has delayed his or her journey."

Mr Cooke said of the train fleet change: "We would welcome any move which provides desperately needed improvements - both in train reliability and to ease overcrowding.

"FGW is to be congratulated for taking this major step and replacing the trains which have proved so unreliable."

InterCity trains first came into operation in 1973 and one set a record of 143.2mph. But they have never travelled at that speed in service because of track and signal limitations.