12.09.01

Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited ("Porterbrook"), a subsidiary of Abbey National Treasury Services plc, has won the contract to finance 240 Bombardier Class 375 ‘Electrostar’ EMU vehicles to replace slam door trains on South Central routes. The order is placed by GOVIA, who completed the acquisition of Connex South Central Limited on 26th August 2001 and consequently took over the South Central franchise. The order, valued at over £200 million, is the first element in replacing 600 Mark 1 slam door vehicles which are currently operating on South Central network.

The vehicles will be assembled at Bombardier Transportation’s production facility in Derby. They will be made up of 3 and 4-car units and will be fitted to the highest standard, equipped with air conditioning, automatic sliding doors, CCTV and on-board electronic passenger information. The facilities on-board will also be fully compliant with the latest Disability Discrimination Act legislation. Delivery of these new vehicles will commence early in 2002.

Paul Francis, Managing Director at Porterbrook said:

"Porterbrook is very pleased to be working with GOVIA and Bombardier to introduce new trains to the South Central network. Porterbrook has extensive expertise of the Electrostar product where it has now introduced a fleet of 184 vehicles to the c2c franchise."

Contact
Karen Jackson
Porterbrook Leasing
Tel: 01332 263224

Note to Editors
Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited ("Porterbrook") is a leading player in the UK rail leasing market. Porterbrook has a rolling stock fleet of over 5,500 vehicles on lease or on order, which includes about 4,000 passenger vehicles. These are supplied under operating leases to 18 of the 25 train operating companies (TOCs) within the UK. Porterbrook also provides ongoing train and tram maintenance services, most of which are outsourced. Porterbrook has been highly successful in winning new train orders since privatisation, with £1 billion in new business won – investing in over 1000 new passenger vehicles and 1,100 new freight locomotives and wagons, and in the refurbishment of much of its in fleet equipment. In April 2000 the Porterbrook group of companies was acquired by a subsidiary of Abbey National Treasury Services plc, part of Abbey National Group.