Charter Train Company choose c2c for maintenance

One of the country's leading Charter Train Companies has chosen the Maintenance Depot of the Year as a home for one of its prestigious trains.

For a period of at least 12 months FM Rail will stable its luxury Blue Pullman at East Ham Depot where it will be cleaned and maintained. East Ham Depot maintains c2c's fleet of Electrostars, which recently won an award as the most reliable modern suburban electric trains in Britain. They are ensuring that month after month all day punctuality is well in excess of 90%, in spite of heavy intensive use on commuter services. It was this attention to detail and commitment to quality that in the end decided FM Rail to give East Ham a 12 month trial with the Blue Pullman with the option to extend its stay indefinitely.

The Blue Pullman, comprising 8 passenger coaches, 2 kitchen cars and seating for 332 passengers, travels to premier destinations all over the country, and offers stylish accommodation and freshly cooked meals at every seat. It runs at least once a week, and often twice, as a charter, and is regularly seen on Silverlink's North London metro line as it makes to its way to and from the starting point of its journey. There are even plans for it to run as a Charter Train on c2c later in the year.

Tony Smith, the Fleet Manager based at East Ham, is delighted to have the opportunity to demonstrate the diversity of skills at East Ham: The team here are excited at the prospect of the new opportunity and challenge presented by the choice, by FM Rail, of East Ham as the base for the Blue Pullman. We are delivering, on a daily basis, the best performing modern suburban electric train to c2c who in turn are providing their passengers with the most punctual service in the south east and one of the most punctual in the whole country. With their enthusiasm, skills and dedication to quality, the team will be more than able to ensure the Blue Pullman has as good a track record as our own Electrostars. The fact that there is also the opportunity to work on something new provides an exciting challenge and keeps concentration at the cutting edge. I hope that FM Rail will want to leave the train in our care for a long time to come.

Andy Lynch, Managing Director of FM Rail said: Tony Smith and his team have a well deserved reputation for engineering excellence and this, combined with the depot's modern facilities and well appointed location, made East Ham Depot the natural London home of the Blue Pullman.

At a Rail Awards ceremony last December c2c's Train Maintenance Depot at East received the accolade Maintenance Team of the Year .