c2c's trains win top award for second year running

c2c's fleet of Class 357 Electrostar trains has scooped the prize for the best modern era electric multiple-unit in the country for the second year running. The fleet of 74 trains has averaged over 37,391 miles over the last 12 months before developing any fault leading to a delay of more than 5 minutes, making them the most reliable main line electric trains in the Britain.

c2c received the accolade at the the second annual 'Golden Spanners' awards held at the Modern Railways / Railway Forum 'Fourth Friday Club' lunch in London today , Friday 24 November.

The award scheme, the brainchild of Modern Railways Industry & Technology
Editor Roger Ford, is aimed at promoting excellence in train maintenance in the UK.

c2c Managing Director Mark Hopwood said Our trains are among the most modern in the country, and have been key in putting c2c at the top of the league for punctuality which currently stands at 97% average for the year for peak trains and 94.09% average for the year for all-day services (a record for c2c).

The fact that the trains are so reliable is in no small measure the result of the efforts of the maintenance team that looks after them at East Ham Depot and this award is as much a recognition of their skill and dedication as it is of the reliability of the train itself, inherent in the design and build of the rolling stock.

I am delighted for the staff whose hard work has been recognised in this way. Our fleet of modern trains conveys around 30,000 people every weekday to and from their destinations, so a lot of people rely on our services. This award underlines the importance of the work carried out at East Ham and recognises the success of that work. It also reassures the people of south Essex that they continue to benefit from the most reliable fleet of electric trains running on main line routes anywhere in the country.

Additional Information:

c2c class 357 Electrostar trains (built in 1999/2000 and introduced into service from 2000) won the award for the Best Modern Era EMU with an average annual MPC of 43,180 - the highest of any main line suburban fleet in the country and the third highest MPC of any fleet in the country. They were manufactured by Bombardier, are operated by c2c and owned by Angel / Porterbrook.

All trains are serviced on a regular and rotating basis, just as with a car. As well as keeping the trains in good condition, regular servicing identifies potential faults so that they can be rectified thus avoiding a failure in service. The number of miles a train runs before a defect develops causing 5 minutes or more delay are referred to as miles per casualty (MPC). The annual average MPC for c2c's Class 357 EMU (EMU = Electric Multiple Unit) is 37,391.

Sister company Silverlink's class 321 units won the award in the Best BR Era EMU (EMU = Electric Multiple Unit) category competing against 33 other train operator fleets. They have the second most reliable main line electric fleet in the country with an MPC of over 43,000.