Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK has completed a critical mobilisation phase in its long-term programme to overhaul sanitary systems across the UK's Class 390 Pendolino fleet, successfully returning essential spare units to service while establishing a sustainable maintenance operation for the next eight years.
The achievement marks an important stage in a contract awarded by Alstom to repair and overhaul 510 sanitary systems installed on the Pendolino fleet. Since work began in September 2025, Knorr-Bremse's specialist team at its Calne facility in Wiltshire has overhauled 425 sanitary units, demonstrating the scale and pace of the programme.
A central objective during the early stages of the contract was the rapid restoration of critical float stock. Working in close partnership with Alstom, Knorr-Bremse significantly increased production capacity, delivering between 15 and 18 sanitary unit overhauls each week. This output is equivalent to the sanitary systems installed on two complete Pendolino trainsets.
The accelerated mobilisation programme enabled 50 float units held at Alstom's Liverpool Traincare Centre to be refurbished and returned to operational service within a short period. These units play a vital role in supporting maintenance activities across the Pendolino fleet and can be deployed nationally when required.
By quickly replenishing the pool of spare units, the joint initiative ensured maintenance requirements were met without affecting fleet availability or operational performance.
Jack Durkin, Business Manager at Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK, said:
"The mobilisation phase of this programme has been a tremendous achievement and demonstrates the strength of the partnership between Knorr-Bremse and Alstom. Our team in Calne went above and beyond to increase overhaul capacity during the early months of the contract, enabling us to quickly return 50 float units to service and support fleet availability across the Pendolino network."
"We are extremely proud of the commitment shown by the team and the progress achieved so far."
Knorr-Bremse brings more than three decades of expertise in integrated rail sanitary systems to the programme. The original Pendolino sanitary systems were supplied by Evac, which became part of Knorr-Bremse following its acquisition in 2021, strengthening the company's capability to provide lifecycle support and overhaul services for the fleet.
The refurbishment process begins with the removal of sanitary units from the trains before they are transported to the Calne facility. Each unit undergoes a complete strip-down inspection, with key components such as vacuum pumps, sliding gate valves and solenoid valves assessed and either refurbished or replaced where necessary. Once reassembled, every unit is subjected to comprehensive testing before being returned for reinstallation.
Simran Sandhu, Senior Procurement Project Manager at Alstom said:
"The successful mobilisation of this programme is a testament to the strong collaboration between Alstom and Knorr-Bremse. Establishing the overhaul operation while rapidly returning critical float stock to service has been essential in supporting the continued availability of the Class 390 fleet. Knorr-Bremse's technical expertise, responsiveness and commitment throughout the mobilisation phase have helped ensure a smooth transition into long-term delivery, and we look forward to continuing our partnership over the course of this programme."
The agreement highlights Alstom's confidence in Knorr-Bremse's specialist expertise and aftermarket support capabilities. With more than 200,000 rail sanitary systems supplied worldwide, Knorr-Bremse remains one of the industry's leading providers of sanitary technology.
As the programme moves into its long-term delivery phase, the refurbished systems will continue to support the reliability, passenger comfort and operational performance of one of Britain's most important intercity train fleets.
Image credit: Alstom
