Alstom wins £60m contract to upgrade ‘iconic’ train fleet at Derby site

Train-maker Alstom has signed a £60 million contract to refurbish a fleet of trains at its Derby site.

The firm’s Litchurch Lane site will carry out the work to revamp more than 300 Voyager trains operated by CrossCountry.

The contract will see the trains receive an interior refresh – including new seats and tables – while their exteriors will be repainted in CrossCountry’s new livery.

Around 100 Alstom staff will work on the contract, supported by many more in the company’s UK supply chain.

Peter Broadley, Alstom’s managing director of services (UK and Ireland, said: “For more than 20 years, CrossCountry’s Voyagers have proudly served towns and cities across Great Britain – travelling millions of miles in the process.

“We now look forward to giving these iconic Alstom-built trains some well-deserved TLC with a comprehensive overhaul that will include new seats, on-board technology enhancements and an exterior repaint.

“Not only will the refurbishment delight fare-paying customers with increased levels of comfort and accessibility, the overhaul programme will support UK suppliers and skilled jobs across the country.”

Owned by Beacon Rail, who are funding the upgrade, the Voyagers operate across the CrossCountry network, from Aberdeen, Scotland, to Penzance, England.

The contract will see Alstom upgrade a total of 312 cars, comprising 136 Voyager (Class 220), 176 Super Voyager (Class 221) vehicles, as well as an additional 12 trains – totalling 60 additional carriages – following their release from Avanti West Coast.

Additional enhancements will see the trains fitted with new carpets, improved lighting and a new passenger counting system.

Sustainability will be at the heart of the refurbishment; the Voyager’s new seats will be at least 95% recyclable and 98% recoverable, while lighter materials used throughout the trains will help reduce fuel and carbon emissions.

Design work will commence immediately, with physical work in Derby set to commence from next year until 2027.

Last year, Alstom signed an eight-year extension to its Train Services Agreement (TSA) with CrossCountry.

The contract extension, valued at around £825 million (€950 million), sees Alstom continue to maintain, overhaul, service and clean CrossCountry’s Voyager and Super Voyager fleet until 2031 at their primary depot –  Central Rivers in Burton.

At the beginning of the year, Alstom’s Litchurch Lane site faced an uncertain future due to a hole in its order book.

However, following a concerted campaign by the city, Alstom signed a contract in June worth around £370 million for 10 new nine-car Aventra trains for London’s Elizabeth Line, which helped secure the Derby site’s long-term future.