11.03.02

Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited ("Porterbrook"), a subsidiary of Abbey National Treasury Services plc, has finalised the contract to finance a total of 700 Bombardier Class 375 'Electrostar' EMU vehicles to replace slam door trains on South Central routes.

The order has been placed by GOVIA, who took over the South Central franchise in August 2001, when an initial order for 240 vehicles was made. This order for an additional 460 vehicles took the total to 700. The total order, for the 700 vehicles, which includes maintenance and support, is valued at £856 million (€1.37bn).

The vehicles will be assembled at Bombardier Transportation's production facility in Derby. They will be made up of 28 x 3-car and 154 x 4-car units and will be fitted to the highest standard including air conditioning, automatic sliding doors, CCTV surveillance system and on-board electronic passenger information linked through a Global Positioning System. They will also be equipped with automatic selective door opening to cater for short platforms, and be suitable for driver-only operation. The facilities on-board will also be fully compliant with the latest Disability Discrimination Act legislation. Delivery of these new vehicles will commence during 2002.

Keith Howard, Commercial Director at Porterbrook said:

"Porterbrook is delighted to have been awarded this contract by GOVIA and looks forward to seeing the first units in service in the very near future. This is the largest single new train order secured by Porterbrook and aptly concluded our first two years with Abbey National Treasury Services."

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Contacts:

Keith Howard
Commercial Director
Porterbrook Leasing Company Limited
Tel: 01332 262405

Martin Walter
Director of Communications
Govia
Tel: 020 7620 5110/5006

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. The company also provides ongoing train and tram maintenance services. Porterbrook has been highly successful in winning new train orders since privatisation, with over £1.3 billion in new business won - investing in over 1,300 new passenger vehicles and over 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.

GOVIA owns the franchises for South Central Ltd and Thameslink Rail Ltd. Govia is jointly owned by The Go-Ahead Group PLC (65%) and Keolis SA of France (35%). SNCF, the French State National Railway, is the major shareholder in Keolis SA.