First trains enter service from Alstom project to repaint Trenitalia c2c Class 357 fleet
First trains enter service from Alstom project to repaint Trenitalia c2c Class 357 fleet
Alstom is currently working with Trenitalia c2c to paint and repair the operator’s entire Class 357 Electrostar fleet – and the first train is now back in passenger service.
With an approximate 35.8 million journeys being made on c2c services every year, the work will extend the longevity and reliability of the Alstom-built Class 357 fleet, as well as enhancing the customer experience and maintaining the highest standards of service.
The project is being carried at Alstom’s Ilford depot – a Centre of Excellence – and employs over 120 people working on a range of train classes. Each Electrostar will receive a complete external re-paint to protect them and ensure they have a successful future on the route.
“We are very proud of the job we are doing with this repaint project. The trains were orginally built at our Litchurch Lane site in Derby and we now maintain them at East Ham depot, therefore Alstom has all the knowledge to work on these units.”
c2c’s Class 357 units were built at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane site between 1999 and 2002, and currently leased from Angel Trains and Porterbrook. The units are on lease until 2029 and run across the c2c route alongside the Class 720 Aventra fleet, which was also built by Alstom in Derby and came into service in 2023.
“We are very proud of the job we are doing with this repaint project. The trains were orginally built at our Litchurch Lane site in Derby and we now maintain them at East Ham depot, therefore Alstom has all the knowledge to work on these units,” said Peter Keighron, Portfolio Director for Commuter Fleets at Alstom.
He added: “The 357 units are the workhorse of the c2c fleet and this repaint will allow them to continue serving the millions of passengers they carry every year.”
Each train takes approximately 20 days to complete, and the work involves stripping back the cars, including exterior fittings, undertaking minor repairs and restoration and comprehensively re-painting – a layer at a time – to prevent corrosion and rust. A waterborne hydro topcoat is used, which is an eco-friendly paint system with the lowest volatile organic compounds (VOCs) content.
This protects against wear and tear and will enable the trains to operate as successfully for the second half of their life, as they have done for the first. With advances in paint technology, the newly-renovated trains are finished as well – or better – than when they were first introduced.
“We are delighted with the progress of the 357 repaint project. We know that this work, led by our partners at Alstom, will both improve the longevity of our 357 fleet and will benefit our customers for years to come,” said Jeff Baker, Head of Engineering at c2c.
The project will take 24 months to complete, and the first unit (357207) is already operational on the c2c route. The second unit (357005) will be released onto the c2c route next week.
Alstom’s Ilford depot opened in 1949 as an AC electric multiple unit (EMU) depot. Today, the site’s capabilities include modernisation, refurbishment, vehicle painting, re-branding and overhaul. The depot also provides off-site labour deployment services to customers and other Alstom sites. The site has four main workshops with a capability for C4 (undercarriage) and C6 (body) classified overhauls, a logistics centre, paint facilities, and a ground lathe.
Ilford’s combined modernisation, refurbishment and fleet maintenance capabilities include traction system replacement, European Train Control Systems (ETCS) installation, system upgrades, heavy corrosion repairs, structural modifications and asset life extension, steel and aluminium welding capability, minor collision repairs, and vehicle re-wiring.
Alstom is the market leader in rail services, supporting customers over the entire asset lifecycle with the broadest portfolio of services solutions. Alstom’s FlexCare Modernise™ portfolio enhances and extends the lifetime of rolling stock with Life, Smart and Green modernisation solutions. Alstom addresses a wide range of customer needs including minimising lifecycle costs, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing passenger comfort and train performance. Alstom has modernised over 40,000 vehicles around the world.
