Alstom and TransPennine Express extend maintenance contract

Credit: Alstom

Alstom has announced a £10.4 million extension to its contract with passenger operator TransPennine Express. This extension will see Alstom continue providing maintenance, stabling, servicing and cleaning services for TransPennine Express’s Class 397 fleet, known as Nova 2.

The Class 397 units, five-car electric multiple units (EMUs) built by CAF and owned by Eversholt Rail, have been in service since November 2019. They serve routes including Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Airport and extend to Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central.

Under the extended contract, Alstom will maintain the fleet at its Traincare Centres in Manchester and Glasgow. The Manchester centre, located at Longsight, is notable for its capacity, accommodating nearly 300 rail vehicles simultaneously and serving as the main depot for the Nova 2 units. The Glasgow centre at Polmadie handles approximately 17 trains daily, including those from TransPennine Express.

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The contract extension is expected to support over 50 jobs across these two locations, including roles such as production managers, site operatives and train movement operators.

Peter Broadley, Services Managing Director for Alstom UK and Ireland, said: “We are committed to ensuring the continued reliability and performance of the Nova 2 fleet, supporting both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. The contract extension is also great news for our dedicated teams in Manchester and Glasgow, who provide a round-the-clock service, seven days a week, ensuring fare-paying passengers enjoy safe, comfortable and dependable journeys along the West Coast Main Line.”    

Chris Jackson, Managing Director at TransPennine Express, said: “We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with Alstom and look forward to working with them to maintain the quality of one of our key fleets and to deliver further improvements.” 

Since their introduction, the Class 397 units have collectively travelled over eight million miles, averaging 688,000 miles per unit. The new contract ensures that Alstom will continue to maintain the fleet until at least December 2025.