GNER is investing £9 million to upgrade "old" trains. The York-based company is investing the cash in refurbishing its fleet of 21 Inter City 125 High Speed Trains.

A maintenance partnership with Bombardier Transportation and Angel Trains, in Doncaster, has paved the way for the development, which is giving GNER's power cars a new lease of life.

The work includes a complete rewire of the High Speed Train (HST) cab and engine management system, the installation of Train Protection Warning Systems and engine modifications to decrease particulate emissions.

A well-loved workhorse of the British passenger rail industry, the Inter-City 125 HST has now been in service for more than 25 years.

A GNER spokesman said the upgrade was part of the company's commitment in its franchise plans to refit its stock.

He added that the trains would serve the East Coast Main Line while the company looked at plans to develop a new High Speed diesel train.

The diesel HST is crucial to GNER and other long-distance train operators, especially on routes that are not electrified and in adverse operating conditions.

The spokesman said: "This is part of our agreement with the Strategic Rail Authority to look at ways of improving the reliability of our trains."

Early results on the nine units that have been through the refurbishment programme have shown greater environmental efficiency.

The average distance between power car failures also increased by 30 per cent, helping to reduce delays on the rail network.

Updated: 11:48 Tuesday, September 10, 2002