Post 4B By Peter - Midland Mainline Pt 2.

319 Interior. P Skuce (C)
WELCOME TO PART 2.

Privatisation of the railway network in the mid 1990s saw Go-Via winning the Thameslink franchise and in 1997 they refurbished, at RailCare Wolverton Works, forty Class 319/0 EMU trains in a blue/yellow colour scheme, fitted the entire train with carpets, changed the seating layout to 2+2 with seats covered in a blue/yellow scheme and installed First Class cabin in one Driving Trailer vehicle with twelve First Class seats to the 2+1 layout. The Class 319/0 then became Class 319/4. At the moment same time, the Class 319/1 had their First Class accommodation removed, became Class 319/3 and moved onto Luton/St Albans – London – Elephant & Castle – Streatham – Sutton/Wimbledon Metro services.

EMT MK3 Interior. Peter Skuce (C)
The InterCity Midland Main Line franchise was won by National Express, who named the TOC Midland Mainline. They quickly removed restaurants and changed policy that only First Class passengers could have breakfast on their morning trains and three course dinner meals on their evening trains. Then the company decided on a teal green bodyside with three tangerine stripes and a grey solebar livery.

Midland Mainline ordered their first brand new trains – a fleet of seventeen two car ADtranz Class 170/1 Turbostar DMU trains. Later on the first ten units were extended to three cars with the addition of MCO vehicles with First Class cabin being relocated to the middle of the MCO vehicle.

In 2004 the livery was changed again, this time into ocean blue, grey and white livery. Internally the interior saloon lighting diffusers were replaced with halegen spot lights with twin florescent tubes. The seating in First Class saloons were covered in a purple moquette trim and seating in Standard Class saloons were covered in a blue moquette trim. At the same time, the company ordered twenty three Bombardier Class 222 Meridian DEMU trains to replace the Class 170 Turbostar DMU trains due to overcrowding.

Then with the announcement of First Group winning the franchise in 2006, all forty Class 319/4 were given a major interior facelift at RailCare, Wolverton Works. In Standard Class the carpets were replaced by ‘easy to clean’ vinyl flooring, the side panels & wall ends were repainted and seat covers were covered in First Capital Connect urban lines moquette trim. There was installation of additional grab poles and two vertical luggage stacks per a carriage. Also both toilets and the First Class cabins were refurbished.

Later on the Class 319/3 EMU trains finally received their much needed major interior facelift with ‘easy to clean’ vinyl flooring, the side panels & wall ends were repainted, retrimmed seats in new moquette trim and installation of additional grab poles. Once again the toilets were refurbished.

In 2008, Stagecoach won the InterCity Midland Main Line franchise and renamed it East Midlands Trains. The new company was very quick to apply the Stagecoach colours of white, blue, orange and red. Shortly afterwards commenced an interior refresh of all their own trains, renewing carpet trim, side panels & wall ends and retrimming the seat covers. In the First Class saloons, the seats were covered in dark navy blue moquette, whilst in the Standards of Class saloons, the seats were covered in a scarlet red moquette. The first train to be refreshed was a Class 222 Meridian No. 222008.

Finally since 2011, East Midlands Trains have worked with UK Railtours offering bargain priced InterCity 125 Specials. Some of their trips were as follows (I include links to my photographic albums/galleries of my days out on these trips):
* Saturday 2 June 2012: The City of York and Railfest 2012 InterCity 125 Special https://www.flickr.com/photos/55223176@N03/albums/72157630003679389
* Saturday 14 July 2012: The Severn Valley InterCity 125 Special https://www.flickr.com/photos/55223176@N03/albums/72157630628507672
* Saturday 3 November 2012: The Worth Valley Wanderer InterCity 125 Special https://www.flickr.com/photos/55223176@N03/albums/72157631945540268
* Saturday 1 December 2012: The St Nicholas Fayre InterCity 125 Special https://www.flickr.com/photos/55223176@N03/albums/72157632167323851
* Sunday 2 March 2014: The Peak Rail Pioneer InterCity 125 Special https://www.flickr.com/photos/55223176@N03/albums/72157641857336713

In First Class Dining, the First Class stewards/stewardesses serve the Great British Breakfast in the morning on the outward leg and serve a three course dinner in the evening on the return leg.

Best wishes and take care. Back Saturday. Kind regards, Peter. 
Regards:

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