Alstom has signed a £10.4 million contract extension with passenger operator TransPennine Express to maintain their Class 397 fleet. Under the terms of the contract, Alstom will continue to provide train maintenance, stabling, servicing and cleaning services for TransPennine Express' 12 five-car Class 397 EMUs, known as Nova 2. The TransPennine Express work will remain carried out from Alstom Traincare facilities in Manchester and Glasgow, two of five similar facilities the company operates along the West Coast mainline.
Alstom's Manchester Traincare Centre at Longsight can accommodate almost 300 rolling stock at any one time - making it one of the largest of its kind in the UK - and is the home depot for the Nova 2s. Meanwhile, Alstom's Glasgow Traincare Centre at Polmadie typically receives 17 trains a day, including the Class 397 units of the TransPennine Express.
„We are committed to ensuring the continued reliability and performance of the Nova 2 fleet, supporting both customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. The contract extension is also great news for our dedicated teams in Manchester and Glasgow, who provide a round-the-clock service, seven days a week, ensuring fare-paying passengers enjoy safe, comfortable and dependable journeys along the West Coast Main Line,” said Peter Broadley, Services Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom.
Since entering passenger service, TransPennine Express' Class 397 fleet has clocked up more than eight million miles. This equates to an average of 688,000 miles per unit. Alstom will continue to service the fleet until at least December 2025 as part of the contract extension.
