Alstom Wins £20m Deal to Overhaul Southeastern Networker Fleet

Alstom has secured a £20 million (€22.9 million) contract with Eversholt Rail to overhaul nearly 400 bogies on Southeastern’s Class 465 Networker fleet. The project will be carried out at Alstom’s Crewe Works facility over a two-year period, helping to sustain 50 skilled jobs and supporting the continued operation of the fleet across south-east England.

The contract covers up to 398 powered bogies across 97 four-car units. Bogies will be transported weekly from Southeastern’s Slade Green depot in south-east London to Crewe for a full mileage-based overhaul. The work will include wheel and traction motor replacement, paint removal and repainting, replacement of specific bogie components, gearbox overhaul, axle inspection, and electrical testing of traction packages.

First introduced in 1992, the Class 465 Networkers remain a key part of Southeastern’s metro services. The overhaul will allow the trains to continue operating while plans progress to procure a more accessible replacement metro fleet.

Crewe Works serves as Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for bogie, wheel, and traction motor overhaul. Over the past ten years, the facility has refurbished more than 20,000 bogies for a range of UK trains, including Class 170, Class 221, Class 377, Class 378, and Class 458. Looking ahead, Crewe will also manufacture bogies for High Speed Two rolling stock, the first time in nearly 20 years that this work has been carried out in the UK.

The new contract follows recent investment at Crewe Works, including the opening of a modern facility for refurbishing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units, as well as new office spaces. These improvements form part of a multi-million-pound plan to secure the long-term future of the historic site.

Originally opened by the Grand Junction Railway in 1843, Crewe Works played a central role in the town’s growth, with the population rising from 500 in 1841 to over 40,000 by 1900. Today, Alstom maintains more than 35,500 vehicles worldwide and provides services across the full lifecycle of rail assets, supporting both Alstom and non-Alstom trains.

Mark Derbyshire, Crewe Works General Manager at Alstom, said:

“This award is a strong vote of confidence in Crewe’s capability and in the expertise of our people. Our Centre of Excellence will deliver a safe, high-quality overhaul of almost 400 Networker bogies for the South East of England while sustaining skilled jobs in the North. It’s a great example of how Alstom’s investment and Crewe’s heritage are helping keep passengers moving reliably across the country every day.”

Image: Alstom