Avanti West Coast train overhaul reaches milestone

A project to boost a train fleet’s performance and reliability has reached a major milestone, operator Avanti West Coast said.

All 770 bogies – the framework with wheels that sits underneath train carriages – on the company’s 35 11-carriage Pendolinos have been refurbished.

This involved taking the components to Alstom’s facility in Crewe, where they were disassembled, washed, reconditioned and painted, before being reassembled.

It is part of a wider programme of work known as a heavy overhaul, which involves all vital parts on the Pendolinos being revamped.

The next phase of the project will see bogies belonging to the 21 nine-carriage Pendolinos be transformed.

Avanti West Coast head of fleet and engineering Stacy Thundercliffe said: “Our Pendolinos travel hundreds of thousands of miles every year, so it’s critical their heavy maintenance is completed throughout the year to ensure they’re safe and reliable for our customers.

“We’re proud to be working with Alstom to overhaul the Pendolinos – especially with much of the work being done local to the West Coast Main Line.

“Crewe has a rich railway heritage and is a key hub on our route, so it’s great the skills that have been passed down over the 180 years of Crewe Works are being utilised to carry out this latest investment in our fleet.”

Peter Broadley, Alstom managing director for services in the UK and Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to reach this important milestone in the overhaul of the Avanti West Coast Pendolino fleet’s bogies.

“This project showcases the outstanding expertise and dedication of our team in Crewe.

“By ensuring these trains continue to perform at their best, we are not only preserving the legacy of Crewe as a centre of railway excellence, but also contributing to a more reliable and efficient rail service for passengers across the UK.”