South Western Railway has unveiled its new name for its new £1 billion fleet of trains that will transform travel for passengers.
Unveiled by Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of South Western Railway, the name Arterio reflects the suburban network that the trains will be running on.
London Waterloo is at the heart of the South Western Railway network and also the heart of the suburban and arterial routes.
The 90-strong fleet will replace some of the network's oldest trains, and will offer better reliability for passengers.
The first Arterio train is expected to be introduced later this year on the Reading line.
Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said: “This is an important milestone for South Western Railway. This new fleet which will offer improved reliability and better facilities, getting passengers across the South West to their destination in comfort and on time.
“As services begin to return to normal levels and passenger numbers increase, it is our upmost priority to ensure everyone stays safe when travelling, which is why we continue to advise people to wear a face covering, travel at quieter times, wash their hands regularly and maintain social distancing.”
Mark Hopwood, South Western Railway's Managing Director, said: “The name Arterio reflects how important this fleet will be in carrying people in and out of the heart of the capital.
“Although passenger numbers may be low at the moment, people will want to travel again whether that is for work or leisure and we will be ready to play our part in helping that recovery. New trains that offer a transformed travelling experience will be key to that.
“The Arterio fleet is a massive investment for our business, and we are looking forward to our passengers joining us on this exciting journey.”
Matt Byrne, President UK & Ireland, Bombardier Transportation said: “We are delighted that South Western Railway have chosen the name ‘Arterio' for the 750-car fleet we have designed and are now building here in Britain.
“We are working with SWR to bring the trains into service as rapidly as possible, so they can help transform the vital routes serving London's Waterloo Station.”
The new Arterio fleet is financed by Rock Rail South Western, a joint venture between Rock Rail, Aberdeen Standard Investments and GLIL Infrastructure. The trains are then leased to South Western Railway.
Mark Swindell, CEO Rock Rail and Director Rock Rail South Western, said: “We are delighted that the new and aptly named Arterio fleet is set to deliver a vastly improved travelling experience for passengers returning to these key SWR routes into and out of London.
“The new fleet represents the largest single investment by pension funds and insurance companies into UK rolling stock, reflecting Rock Rail's and our institutional partners' commitment to sustainable travel and, working in partnership with SWR and Bombardier, to helping transform rail travel across the region.”
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Never mind about the name and the looks. What are the seats going to be like?? Hard, no doubt.
Never mind the name and the looks. What are the seats going to be like?? Hard no doubt.
Someone will soon be able to compile a dictionary of daft names
What a rubbish name to call the Class 701 “Asterio”. Really South Western Railway. 🤦♂️🤣
“Arterio”. Maybe Asterio could of been a option.
How “exciting” I wonder what the unions will call them.
I find it so strange that South Western Railway have named their new Class 701/0 10-Car and Class 701/5 5-Car Aventra trains “Arterio”. But guess that we can’t argue with that since they have named their new rolling stocks. And SWR should as well keep the Class 458/5 to operate on the Alton Line service.