16.10.03
Today Porterbrook Leasing signed a contract with ScotRail for 29 x 3 car
Turbostar units to be delivered between now and April 2005.
The new ScotRail units will be operated in both the current franchise and the
new ScotRail franchise which is intended to commence at the end of 2004.
Today's announcement also marks the successful conclusion of the "Turbostar
Speculative Order Programme".
This programme saw Porterbrook secure the Turbostar production line
at Bombardier by announcing in June 2002 that it would take the option
on financing an additional 158 cars of this popular Diesel Multiple Unit.
This initiative, which has been praised by SRA Chairman Richard Bowker, has
also proved popular with a range of Train Operating Companies because it allows
them to order new trains with significantly reduced delivery times.
With today's ScotRail order all the options for the 158 Turbostar vehicles
have now been taken up by the market.
Pictured left to right are: Alex White, Operations Director, Porterbrook; Mr Nicol Stephen MSP, Minister for Transport, Scottish Executive; Per Staehr, Bombardier Chief Country Representative & Peter Cotton, Managing Director ScotRail
Managing Director of Porterbrook Leasing Company Ltd, Paul Francis said:
"The decision by the Scottish Executive and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive to lease 87 Turbostar cars from Porterbrook's speculative build programme is a tribute to the high levels of reliability and availability that these Bombardier trains now offer."Turbostar trains have now been ordered by nine Operators and have become acknowledged as the defacto standard for trains running on inter-urban and regional express services."
| Operator: | Cars Ordered: |
|---|---|
| Chiltern Railways: | 9 cars (3 x 2-car units & 1 x 3-car unit) |
| Go-Ahead Group South Central): | 42 cars (9 x 2-car units & 6 x 4-car units) |
| Hull Trains: | 12 cars (4 x 3-car units) |
| South West Trains: | 2 cars (1 x 2-car unit) |
| Chiltern Railways: | 6 cars (2 x 3-car units) |
| ScotRail Suburban: | 36 cars (12 x 3-car units) |
| ScotRail Express: | 30 cars (10 x 3-car units) |
| ScotRail/Strathclyde PTE: | 21 cars (7 x 3-car units) |
For further information about Porterbrook contact Rupert Brennan Brown, Head of Communications on 01332 263251 (m: 07799 337052)