Work is under way on the first of over 100 brand-new Greater Anglia trains being built at the Bombardier factory in Derby (www.bombardier.com).

The picture shows the production team next to the first carriage to be fitted onto a set of bogies.

Greater Anglia is replacing all of its trains, and 111 of the new ones are being built by Bombardier in the UK. They will comprise 89 five-carriage trains and 22 10-carriage trains.

Two production lines have been set up at the Derby factory, and carriages from the first train are at various stages of assembly.

The aluminium pre-glazed body sides, roofs, floor and cabs are manufactured, wired, fitted out and painted before being bolted together on one of the lines.

The Bombardier trains will be used for commuter services into London Liverpool Street from Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.

Another 58 trains are being made by Stadler in Switzerland to replace the current intercity, Stansted Express and rural-line trains.

All of Greater Anglia’s new trains will have more seats, plugs and USB points, along with air-conditioning and free Wi-fi.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “It’s brilliant to see our brand-new trains taking shape. They will be more comfortable and reliable, helping us to transform the railway in East Anglia.”

Malcolm Brown, CEO of Angel Trains – the company procuring and financing the 665 carriags – said: “We are delighted to see this fleet of Class 720 Aventra trains being assembled at Bombardier’s Derby factory.

"The £900 million deal we signed in September 2016 to procure these new vehicles — one of the largest private investments in rolling stock in the last 20 years — will greatly increase capacity across East Anglia and significantly improve the passenger experience.”