A MAJOR contract to redesign all the coaches in GNER's electric train fleet has been agreed.

The York-based train company has teamed up with HSBC Rail in a £30 million mid-life refit contract.

The deal, believed to be the biggest of its kind in the country, will transform the interiors of more than 300 of GNER's Mark Four coaches.

Work on the coaches, originally built in the late 1980s, aims to bring the vehicles up to the standard of new trains. They will enter passenger service in early 2003.

London-based design agency James Park Associates (JPA) have been signed up to see through the project, supported by Design Acumen.

They will report to GNER's head of design, Neal Stone, who is to lead a 12-strong team of specialists.

Codenamed Project Mallard after the railway icon of the 1930s, the redesign is part of GNER's £100 million package of investment agreed with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) under its two-year franchise extension awarded earlier this year.

James Park, managing director of JPA, said: "Through an astute application of our design skills, we will create an interior which is an inspired design solution that passengers will enjoy for many years to come."

Ian Dryburgh, managing director of Design Acumen, added: "We are working to a very exciting and challenging brief, which is to create a more comfortable travelling environment for passengers and a better work space for GNER's busy train crew to deliver ever-higher standards of service."

Dave Mallender, GNER company spokesman, added: "Our expectation is that passengers getting on the refurbished sets will believe they are boarding a new train.

"This is part of our agreement with the SRA. We are very excited about the project."

Updated: 09:43 Saturday, September 14, 2002