Railway duo sign deal to keep trains running smoothly

A three-year contract has been signed between rail depot maintenance firm MTMS and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).

The deal covers maintenance services across 18 depots, from Peterborough to Eastbourne, including key locations like Bedford, Selhurst and Bognor Regis.

MTMS has been maintaining equipment at these depots for years and currently looks after over half of the UK’s rail depots.

The sites support GTR’s fleet of 516 trains, which serve a 1,300km network and transport 340m passengers annually.

The contract includes a range of tasks, such as servicing carriage wash machines, maintaining controlled emission toilets, conducting electrical testing and carrying out a scheduled brush replacement programme.

MTMS will also ensure that 513 routine maintenance tasks are completed, alongside providing 24/7 emergency callout support.

Matt Forst, managing director of MTMS, said: “The scale and scope of GTR’s network is incredible and underlines what a tremendous job our staff have been doing for GTR for the past few years.

“We’re therefore delighted and immensely proud to have agreed to this new contract with an option to continue to 2029. Each year, millions of people rely on GTR’s trains to get them to work, take them on a day trip or even get them to the airport, so we are ready to play our part in ensuring that they get there safely.”

Peter Stretton, operations director at MTMS said: “In terms of the number of depots involved in this contract, GTR is the biggest TOC on our books. It is a huge undertaking, especially since we offer both planned and reactive maintenance in all weathers, all year round, working in an industry where hitting targets is of critical importance.”