Alstom has secured a £20 million contract with Eversholt Rail for the overhaul of almost 400 bogies for Southeastern’s Class 465 Networker fleet in the UK.
The project covers up to 398 power bogies shared across 97 four-car units, which will undergo a full mileage-based overhaul at Alstom’s Crewe Works over two years. The scope includes:
- Wheel and traction motor replacement
- Paint removal and new paint application
- Replacement of specific bogie components
- Gearbox overhaul
- Axle inspection
- Electrical overhaul and testing of traction packages
“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,” said Mark Derbyshire, Crewe Works general manager at Alstom.
“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.”
The Class 465 fleet is based at Southeastern’s Slade Green depot in South East London, with bogies transported to Crewe weekly for the overhaul when the project begins next year. The contract with Eversholt Rail will support 50 skilled roles at Alstom’s Cheshire facility.
The legacy Alstom-built Networkers first entered passenger service in 1992 and the overhaul will enable Southeastern to remain operating them while procurement continues for a more accessible replacement Metro fleet.
Crewe Works, Cheshire, UK (28 October 2025)
Crewe Works is home to Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for Bogie, Wheel and Traction Motor Overhaul, overhauling over 20,000 bogies during the past ten years for the UK rail market, including those for Class 170, Class 221, Class 377, Class 378 and Class 458 trains.
Looking ahead, the bogies for the High Speed Two (HS2) rolling stock will be made by Alstom at their Crewe facility. This marks the first time in almost two decades that these have been manufactured in the UK.
The contract signature comes just over a month since Crewe Works inaugurated a new state-of-the-art area for refurbishing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units. The site also unveiled a suite of new offices as part of a multi-million pound investment for the future of the Cheshire town’s historic site.
Originally opened by the Grand Junction Railway in 1843 to manufacture steam locomotives, Crewe Works was instrumental in the development of the town, with its population growing from 500 in 1841 to more than 40,000 by 1900.
In the UK and around the world, Alstom is the market leader in rail services, supporting customers over the entire asset lifecycle with the broadest portfolio of services solutions. Alstom’s maintenance services are tailored to customer needs and operational requirements, from technical support with spares to fully outsourced maintenance solutions. Alstom maintains over 35,500 vehicles worldwide and is a trusted partner for servicing both Alstom and non-Alstom rail assets.
Image credit: Alstom
