Alstom refurbished Class 458 trains enter service on SWR network in the UK
Alstom refurbished Class 458 trains enter service on SWR network in the UK
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Refurbished trains each feature 234 seats with seat back tables and charging points to provide customers with better journeys
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Work supported almost 70 roles between Alstom’s sites at Widnes and Crewe
28 June 2024 – South Western Railway (SWR) has introduced the first of its Alstom refurbished Class 458 on its UK network.
Units 458415, 458420 and 458422 – all in their updated SWR livery – will initially be used to operate eight-car services between London Waterloo and Weybridge via Brentford, and London Waterloo and Twickenham.
“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.”
Seventeen of SWR’s Class 458 fleet have been refurbished at the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes, with a further 11 to follow. Each four-car unit has 234 seats in a two-by-two formation – all with seat back tables and charging points – as well as space for two wheelchair users. Each carriage also has two tables fitted with wireless charging points.
Taking two weeks to complete each set, work by Alstom at Widnes has also seen the reconfiguration of the vehicles to enable faster acceleration and laid new carpets throughout. Meanwhile, additional work at Alstom’s historic Crewe facility has seen the Class 458’s powered wheelsets overhauled. This has enabled the trains to operate at a top speed of 100mph – up from 75mph.
Opened in 2017, Alstom's Widnes facility is the UK’s largest and most sophisticated centre for train modernisation, while its Crewe site is home to Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for Bogie and Traction Motor Overhaul. The Crewe facility has overhauled over 20,000 bogies – which house the train’s wheelsets – during the past ten years for the UK rail market. In the future, all the bogies for the 225mph trains for High Speed Two (HS2) will be assembled and maintained in Crewe by Alstom.
£25 million investment
The work on the Class 458 trains has supported almost 70 roles at Widnes and Crewe, while UK suppliers have also benefitted from the £25 million investment. The refurbishment has been financed by Poterbrook, one of the UK’s leading train asset management companies.
“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,” said John Clerk, Head of Operations for Widnes at Alstom.
He added: “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.”
The trains were originally intended for use on the route between London Waterloo and Portsmouth Harbour via Guildford. However, following the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent changes in customer travel patterns, the fleet will temporarily operate services on SWR’s suburban network, as the company works towards the full introduction of its fleet of 90 new Class 701 Aventra trains – built by Alstom in Derby and branded Arterio by the customer.
“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,” said Neil Drury, South Western Railway’s Engineering and Infrastructure Director.
He added: “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. The first unit to enter service today will operate services between London Waterloo and Weybridge via Hounslow, with subsequent units being deployed where customers need them most.”
The 28, four-car Class 458 trains will be designated as Class 458/4. The eight remaining five-car units will be designated as Class 458/5.
Alstom-built trains
Returning for passengers on Monday 24 June, these initial units will operate the following services, all via Brentford:
- 0531 Hounslow to London Waterloo
- 0622 London Waterloo to Weybridge
- 0802 Weybridge to London Waterloo
- 1522 London Waterloo to Weybridge
- 1703 Weybridge to London Waterloo
- 1837 London Waterloo to Twickenham
The Class 458 Juniper (5-JUP) electric multiple units (EMUs) were originally built by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham between 1998 and 2002 for South West Trains.
The refurbished Class 458 units enter service in the same week that Avanti West Coast’s final Class 390 Pendolino left Widnes following the completion of the UK’s biggest fleet upgrade.
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