Staff at Alstom’s Crewe Works received welcome Christmas news after it secured a £20 million contract to overhaul the bogies of Class 465 Networker electric multiple units (EMUs).

Under the contract, almost 400 bogies will be overhauled, which will support 50 skilled roles for the next two years.

Up to 398 power bogies from 97 four-car units will receive a full mileage-based overhaul, including the wheels and traction motors, removing the old paint and repainting, replacing specific bogie components, overhauling the gearboxes, inspecting the axles, and overhauling and testing the electricals and traction packages.

Class 465 Networker EMUs are operated by Southeastern and based at Slade Green depot in southeast London. When the contract starts next year, bogies will be transported to Crewe for overhaul weekly.

Alstom built networkers and first entered service in 1992. Overhauling them will enable them to remain in service until the delivery of a more accessible replacement Metro fleet.

During the last ten years, Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence at Crewe has overhauled over 20,000 bogies, including for Class 170, Class 221, Class 377, Class 378, and Class 458 trains. Bogies for the new High Speed Two (HS2) trains will also be manufactured at Crewe.

Crewe Works is Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for overhauling bogies, wheels, and traction motors. The Networker contract was signed just over a month after a new state-of-the-art area for refurbishing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units was opened at the works.

“This award is a strong vote of confidence in Crewe’s capability and in the expertise of our people. Our Centre of Excellence will deliver a safe, high-quality overhaul of almost 400 Networker bogies for the South East of England while sustaining skilled jobs in the North. It’s a great example of how Alstom’s investment and Crewe’s heritage are helping keep passengers moving reliably across the country every day.”

Mark Derbyshire, Crewe Works General Manager at Alstom.