Alstom has signed a contract worth £50 million with FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail to refurbish and maintain five 6-car Class 222 Meridian trains which will be used next year on FirstGroup’s new open access service between London Euston and Stirling.

The contract has two components. One, worth 10 million pounds, is for the refurbishment of the 222s, which were built by Bombardier and entered service with the Midland Mainline franchise in 2004. The other part, worth 40 million pounds, is for maintenance of the fleet for five years from 2026. The work will be carried out at Alstom’s Central Rivers depot in Burton upon Trent, where the similar Class 220 and 221 Voyagers are maintained. The depot was acquired by Alstom when it took over Bombardier in 2021.

The refurbishment, which has been agreed with Eversholt Rail, will be carried out at Alstom’s centre in Widnes. New ergonomically designed seating will be fitted, along with upgraded Wi-Fi and Intelligent Engine Start-Stop technology, which automatically shuts down and restarts the engines when the train is stationary, saving fuel and emissions. The five trains will also receive a full repaint in FirstGroup’s blue Lumo livery.

Peter Broadley, who is commercial director UK and Ireland at Alstom, said: ‘This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering high-performance, customer-focused rail services across the UK. By combining Alstom’s deep technical expertise with the operational excellence of FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail, we’re ensuring that fare-paying passengers benefit from a modern, reliable and comfortable travel experience between Stirling and London. The investment in both refurbishment and long-term support reflects our shared ambition to drive innovation and sustainability in rail transport,’

FirstGroup chief executive Graham Sutherland said: ‘We are pleased to work with Eversholt Rail and Alstom on the rolling stock element of our new service between London and Stirling. This new route is another important step towards rolling out Lumo as a nationwide operator and growing our open access capacity, a key priority for FirstGroup. Our investment and capabilities in open access rail have delivered reliable, value for money services, grown rail demand and helped to spur economic growth and connect communities. We look forward to doing the same on our new services.’

Readers’ comments

Great article. And even better to see a pantograph on a 222! After all 90 per cent of its journey is under the wires.

N. Claxton, Beeston Regis, Norfolk

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