South Western Railway (SWR) has welcomed the first of its Class 458 EMUs back onto the rail network, following a refurbishment carried out by Alstom.
17 of SWR’s Class 458 four-car fleet have so far been refurbished at the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes, at a rate of one set completed every two weeks. 11 units are yet to be upgraded.
Each of the refurbished four-car units has 234 seats, with room to accommodate two wheelchair users, while each seat has been fitted with a charging point.
The 28 upgraded four-car EMUs will be designated as Class 458/4, while the eight five-car units set to be improved will be designated as Class 458/5.
Neil Drury, South Western Railway’s Engineering and Infrastructure Director, said: “We are very pleased to introduce the first of our refurbished Class 458 units. Their interior refresh, including improved seating and newly installed tables and charging points, will make a noticeable difference to our customers’ journeys.
“The Class 458/4 fleet will play an important role as we work towards the full introduction of our fleet of 90 new Arterio trains.”
As part of the £25 million investment, financed by Porterbrook, each of the Class 458s has also been reconfigured to enable faster acceleration. Meanwhile, the fleet’s powered wheelsets have been overhauled following further work at Alstom’s Crewe facility.
These developments will enable the trains to operate at up to 100mph, a significant step up from their previous top speed of 75mph.
John Clerk, Head of Operations for Widnes at Alstom, said: “The team at Widnes has worked diligently to install new seating, tables and at-seat power throughout the trains, which all meet the evolving needs of fare-paying passengers in the South of England.
“The refurbishment of these Class 458 units not only highlights our expertise in train modernisation but also our dedication to sustainable transport solutions, as we work in partnership with operators and rolling stock leasing companies to encourage more people to travel by rail.”
Image credit: Alstom
