Train revamp complete in £100m project

Information screens, LED lighting and USB sockets have been added to more than 300 trains

More than 300 trains serving passengers across the South East have been upgraded following the completion of a £100m project.

Engineers have spent the past five years fitting plug and USB sockets, new information screens and LED lighting to Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Southeastern carriages.

Sensors have also been added to train doors to count passenger numbers so that timetables can be adjusted based on demand, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said.

Engineering director Steve Lammin said the changes were based on feedback from passengers, and knowing how many people were boarding trains would lead to more reliable services.

Trains dating back to 2001 were refurbished at Southern's Selhurst depot in south London

He added: "I hope passengers are feeling the benefits of these improvements as they use our trains to visit friends and family, and explore some of the great destinations our railway can offer."

GTR, which runs services between Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London, said the trains have also been fitted with cameras providing a driver's eye view to help investigations into safety and trespassing incidents.

A fleet of 304 Electrostars, some dating back to 2001, were refurbished at Southern's Selhurst depot in south London.

In total, some 39,000 LED lighting tubes and 36,000 power sockets were installed in 1,222 carriages.