Alstom has landed a £20 million deal with Eversholt Rail to overhaul nearly 400 bogies for Southeastern’s Class 465 Networker fleet, reinforcing Crewe Works’ role as a key hub for rail engineering in the UK.
The two-year project will see up to 398 power bogies—spread across 97 four-car units—undergo a comprehensive mileage-based overhaul at Alstom’s Crewe facility. The scope of work includes:
- Wheel and traction motor replacement
- Paint removal and reapplication
- Replacement of specific bogie components
- Gearbox overhaul
- Axle inspection
- Electrical overhaul and traction package testing
“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,” said Mark Derbyshire, Crewe Works General Manager at Alstom.
The Class 465 fleet, based at Southeastern’s Slade Green depot in South East London, will have its bogies transported weekly to Crewe once the programme begins next year. The contract will support 50 skilled roles at Alstom’s Cheshire site.
First introduced in 1992, the Alstom-built Networkers remain a backbone of Southeastern’s Metro services. This overhaul will keep them in service while the operator continues procurement for a more accessible replacement fleet.
Crewe Works, Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for Bogie, Wheel and Traction Motor Overhaul, has refurbished more than 20,000 bogies over the past decade for fleets including Class 170, Class 221, Class 377, Class 378 and Class 458. Looking ahead, the facility will also manufacture bogies for High Speed Two (HS2) rolling stock—the first time in almost 20 years these components will be built in the UK.
The contract signing follows recent investment at Crewe Works, which unveiled a new state-of-the-art HVAC refurbishment area and modern office spaces as part of a multi-million-pound upgrade. The historic site, originally opened by the Grand Junction Railway in 1843, played a pivotal role in Crewe’s growth from a village of 500 people in 1841 to a thriving town of over 40,000 by 1900.
Image credits: Alstom Group
