Lucy Powell MP visits Alstoms Manchester Traincare Centre

Alstom played host to Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell when she visited the companys Manchester Traincare Centre to see how the 300 employees help keep the North West moving.

Ms Powell was given a tour round the centre, in Longsight, where she was able to see the work the team undertake to keep the Alstom-built Pendolinos moving on the West Coast Main Line. In addition, she saw shown the engineering work currently being done to overhaul the Pendolinos after they completed over 2 million miles each.

Tim Bentley, Mainline Managing Director at Alstom, said: We were delighted to play host to Lucy and to show her the work that we do to make sure that the North Wests commuters are able to travel on the Pendolinos.

Our traincare centre is right in the heart of Manchester but very few people probably know its there, or even realise the work that we do, which hopefully shows that were doing a pretty good job.

Im really grateful that Tim took the time to show me around. It was good to get the opportunity to visit such a big employer and see the work that is done right in the heart of my constituency, said Ms Powell.

Manchester is one of five traincare centres that maintain the Pendolino trains operating on the West Coast Main Line. As well as the 13 Pendolinos that arrive for maintenance work every night, the centre also caters for 26 other trains, including Northern Trains Class 323 sets.