A TRAIN carriage that was almost completely destroyed in an arson attack has been repaired and is back up and running.

Fittingly the carriage, which was set on fire between Rayleigh and Wickford in July, has now been renamed the Phoenix.

Bosses at National Express East Anglia wanted to get the carriage back in service as soon as possible and so employed its own skilled staff to fix it.

Yesterday, at a naming ceremony in Seven Kings, it was christened Phoenix and returned to service immediately.

John Ratcliffe, engineering director for National Express East Anglia, said: "The fact that Phoenix has risen from the flames to ride the rails again is testament to the skill and dedication of our team of engineers and technicians.

"To return Phoenix to passenger service after the comprehensive damage it sustained at the hands of vandals shows my colleagues' great expertise, loyalty and devotion."

The fire, which started while the train was travelling between Southend and London, was so intense it melted the aluminium luggage racks and window frames.

All the interior timber and wall panels, ceilings, doors and floors needed replacing.

National Express East Anglia engineer Bob Buckley headed a team of four who painstakingly restored the coach.

His team was helped by contractors Transys Projects who undertook the specialist rewiring work.