Alstom wins new £60m refurbishment contract

In November, the firm had warned 1,300 jobs were at risk in Derby due to lack of orders

Manufacturing giant Alstom has signed a contract worth £60m to refurbish CrossCountry’s Voyager trains.

The order includes work on 312 cars, which will receive new seats, tables, carpets, improved lighting and a new passenger counting system.

This follows another recent order at the Litchurch Lane facility in Derby, worth £370m, to build trains for London's Elizabeth line.

Alstom said design work has already started, with physical work in Derby set to commence from next year until 2027.

Eight-year extension

In November, the company warned more than 1,300 jobs were at risk at Litchurch Lane along with many more in the supply chain due to a shortage of work.

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

The contract extension, valued at around £825m, means Alstom will continue to "maintain, overhaul, service and clean" CrossCountry’s Voyager and Super Voyager fleet until 2031.

On the order, Peter Broadley, managing director, services UK and Ireland at Alstom, said: "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."

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

“We’re delighted to be moving forward on the refurbishment of our Voyager fleet which will transform the passenger experience for customers on our long-distance routes,” added Adrian Hugill, fleet and engineering director at CrossCountry.

“We look forward to working with colleagues at Alstom and Beacon Trains to give the ever-impressive Voyager fleet a new lease of life on the CrossCountry network.”

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.