, 2009-Apr-07
Rail passengers are now able to travel in comfort throughout the UK – thanks to the Siemens Desiro. The train’s extensive UK penetration and popularity sees it connecting key towns and cities (from Glasgow to Weymouth) from Scotland to the South of England.
Since its launch in the UK in 2003, the Desiro has earned its place as one of the rail network’s most familiar sights. With well over a thousand cars in service and more on order, Desiros now operate across six rail operators and cover approximately 40 million miles in passenger service per year. The fleet has won multiple awards for reliability and is maintained by a hand-picked, dedicated team of more than 600 people.
Steve White, Service Director at Siemens Rolling Stock, explains: “We have recently started using dual voltage class 350/1 units on the Milton Keynes to East Croydon service. In turn this allowed a cascade of units to ensure the new Thameslink timetable began, as planned, on 22 March.
“The introduction of this new service effectively connects our Desiro fleet all the way from Scotland to the South of England. This means that a rail passenger can travel from North to South and be assured that they will be travelling on some of the most reliable and well maintained trains in the UK.”
This latest development further highlights Siemens ability to deliver bespoke solutions for the rail industry in the shortest possible time. The latest Desiros were delivered, on time, just sixteen months after order placement.
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Note to Editors:
About Siemens in the UK
Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 166 years ago and now employs 18,402 people in the UK. Last year’s revenues were £3.7 billion. As a leading global engineering and technology services company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key sectors of energy, industry and healthcare. Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. The company’s global headquarters is in Munich, Germany. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.uk
As part of Siemens in the UK, Siemens Mobility employs around 1800 people, providing expertise and technology in rolling stock, rail infrastructure, traffic solutions and infrastructure logistics to the UK transport industry.
In Rolling Stock, Siemens Mobility provides and maintains passenger trains for First TransPennine Express, South West Trains, Heathrow Express, National Express East Anglia, Northern Trains and London Midland. New trains are currently in production for First Scotrail.
With proven capability in rail automation, Siemens Mobility has recently delivered a major re-signalling project in the Portsmouth areas, traction power upgrades across the UK and new telecommunications systems in London and the west of England. It is also developing the GSM-R cab radio solution for the entire UK rolling stock fleet. For more information on Siemens Mobility please visit www.siemens.co.uk/mobility.
For more information contact:
Laurie Waugh
PR Manager
Communications & Government Affairs
Siemens Plc
Tel: +44 (0)1276 696000
Mobile: +44 (0)7921 242074
Email: laurie.waugh@siemens.com