Alstom’s Crewe Works secures £20 million contract to overhaul Class 465 bogies in the UK

A £20 million overhaul programme will see almost 400 bogies from Southeastern’s Class 465 Networker fleet refurbished in the UK, supporting continued passenger operations while new rolling stock procurement progresses. The work will be carried out at Alstom’s Crewe Works in Cheshire over a two-year period, reinforcing the site’s role in the national rail supply chain.

Alstom has been awarded the contract by Eversholt Rail to overhaul up to 398 power bogies across 97 four-car Class 465 units. The mileage-based overhaul programme is scheduled to begin next year, with bogies transported weekly from Southeastern’s Slade Green depot in south-east London to Crewe.

The scope of work includes wheel and traction motor replacement, paint removal and reapplication, gearbox overhaul, axle inspection, and the electrical overhaul and testing of traction packages. The programme is expected to support around 50 skilled roles at Crewe Works throughout its duration.

The Class 465 Networker fleet, originally introduced into passenger service in 1992, remains a core component of Southeastern’s metro operations. The overhaul will enable the fleet to remain in service while longer-term plans advance for a more accessible replacement metro train fleet.

Crewe Works operates as Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for bogie, wheel, and traction motor overhaul. Over the past decade, the facility has refurbished more than 20,000 bogies for the UK rail market, including those used on Class 170, 221, 377, 378, and 458 trains. The site also forms part of future UK rail manufacturing plans, with bogies for High Speed Two (HS2) rolling stock scheduled to be produced there, marking the first such manufacture in the UK in nearly twenty years.

Recent investment at Crewe Works includes the opening of a new facility for refurbishing heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning units, alongside new office space introduced as part of a multi-million-pound upgrade programme. First established in 1843 by the Grand Junction Railway, Crewe Works has played a central role in both UK rail manufacturing and the development of the town itself.

Through contracts such as this, Alstom continues to position Crewe as a long-term hub for rail maintenance and overhaul, supporting fleet availability and reliability across the UK passenger rail network.

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