Transport company Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has confirmed an order of new trains totalling £145 million. This buys 108 new carriages, which will replace the current Gatwick Express fleet from 2016 onwards.

Some 116 new carriages will also be introduced onto the Thameslink route from December 2014, with the rollout expected to be complete by 2016. These were ordered last year and are currently being completed in manufacturer Bombadier’s Derby factory.

GTR and Southern Rail plan to use these carriages on Thameslink services between Bedford and Brighton until the newer order is completed. They will then be used to increase capacity on other newly electrified routes.

Rail minister Claire Perry welcomed the announcement, saying it was “great news for passengers”, and complimented the government’s plans to invest £38 billion in British railways over the next five years.

GTR CEO and Southern Rail director Charles Horton agreed, claiming the new trains would “transform our passengers’ journeys”.