ANGEL TRAINS AND ALSTOM SIGN ORDER FOR NEW PENDOLINO HIGH
SPEED TILTING TRAIN SETS AND EXTRA CARRIAGES TO LENGTHEN EXISTING
TRAINS

Angel Trains already owns 52 Pendolino tilting train sets on
the West Coast Main Line, which are all in operational service
with Virgin Trains.



The new rolling stock contract includes four new 11-car
Pendolino trains and the lengthening by two cars each of 31 of
the existing trains. The additional rolling stock (106
vehicles) will create a total of 7,420 extra seats on the
fleet. There is an option to extend the remaining 21 existing
trains at a future date.



The four new Pendolino trains and the cars required to lengthen
the existing trains will be manufactured at Alstom's centre of
excellence for high-speed trains in Savigliano, Italy where
work on the new trains will start in January 2009.



Commissioning of the tenth and eleventh cars into the existing
9-car trains will take place at Alstom's Traincare Centre at
Edge Hill in Liverpool. The site will now undergo significant
rebuilding work in order to accommodate a new depot to
integrate the extra cars and the trainsets. Investment will
also be made at the four other Alstom Traincare Centres on the
West Coast route, enhancing the facilities in order to
accommodate the longer trainsets.


The contract which has been approved by the Department for
Transport includes a full service provision for the Pendolino
fleet and will extend Alstoms current contract by ten
years, beginning on 1 April 2012, the date on which the
contract with private operator Virgin Trains expires.



Rob Verrion, CEO of Angel Trains Ltd said :



Angel Trains has been supportive of extending its
Pendolino fleet to increase capacity and is therefore delighted
that this deal has come to fruition. This move will reduce
overcrowding and significantly improve the travel experience
for passengers on the West Coast Main Line.



Paul Robinson, Managing Director of Alstom Transport UK and
Ireland added :



The finalisation of these contracts today is a
significant milestone. The contracts enable us to provide much
needed extra capacity on the West Coast Main Line and underpin
the reliability and availability of the Pendolino fleet through
a well proven service regime that we have been providing for
Virgin Trains since 2003.



The new trains and lengthened train sets will have entered
service by December 2012. The introduction of the new vehicles
will be overseen by Angel Trains with support from Virgin Rail
Projects Limited.



Notes to editors:

About Angel Trains

Angel Trains Ltd is a leading lessor of railway rolling stock
in the UK. Since privatisation Angel Trains Ltd has invested
nearly £3 billion in both new trains and the refurbishment
of existing trains and is one of the largest private sector
investors in the UK rail industry.


About Alstom

With sustainable transport in mind, Alstom Transport
develops and offers the most complete range of systems,
equipment and services on the rail market. Alstom Transport is
capable of managing an entire transport system, from rolling
stock to signalling and infrastructure, as well as offering
turnkey solutions


Alstom Transport is a long-standing provider to the UK rail
industry and today employs approximately 2000 people over more
than 20 locations. Activities in the UK are concentrated in the
maintenance, electrical renovation, parts and signalling
markets. Alstom Transport also provides for new rolling stock,
combining local project management and engineering skills with
its European centres of manufacturing excellence.


Contact Details:


Jane Vincent, Head of Corporate
Communications, Angel Trains Ltd


Direct Line: +44 (0)20 7592 0525


Mobile: +44 (0)7767 642 930


Email:
jane.vincent@angeltrains.com

Helen Connolly, Head of Communications, Alstom
Transport UK


Direct Line: +44 (0)1788 545602


Mobile: +44 (0)7801 776884


Email:
helen.connolly@transport.alstom.com