NINE new trains operated by Anglia Railways are having their German-built diesel engines replaced after a series of breakdowns.Nearly 300 of the Turbostar high-speed trains, operated by six UK train companies, are being repaired.

By Paul Geater

NINE new trains operated by Anglia Railways are having their German-built diesel engines replaced after a series of breakdowns.

Nearly 300 of the Turbostar high-speed trains, operated by six UK train companies, are being repaired. Starting next month, one train a week will be overhauled at Crown Point under a "no train, no deal" arrangement with the leasing company.

Anglia does not expect any disruption to its timetable. The units operate on its through services from Bury St Edmunds and the East Suffolk Line to Liverpool Street, the route from Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester and Chelmsford to Woking and Basingstoke, and from London King's Cross to Hull.

Other units are in service with Chiltern, South West Trains, Central Trains, Midland Main Line, and ScotRail.

"We've had a lot of problems with these trains," said a spokesman for Central which has 33 Turbostars.

"There has been a whole series of faults, and problems have developed twice as quickly with these new trains as they did with the old ones they replaced.

"It's a great pity as these trains are very popular with passengers, having taken over from old rolling stock."

Made by Germany company MTU, the engines are being replaced by Bombardier Transportation at a cost of millions of pounds. The Canadian-based Bombardier, which took over Adtranz from DaimlerChrysler, said there had been difficulties with the engines and hoped the replacements would solve the problem.

The trains were made in Derby. MTU is part of the Daimler Chrysler group and has been involved with diesel-engined trains since the 1920s.