📋 Tender Overview
Press contact United Kingdom & Ireland
Ben Goodwin
Refresh and maintenance work by Alstom will support FirstGroups new intercity service between central and southern Scotland and London
Contract supports 50 roles across Alstom sites in Cheshire and Staffordshire
4 June 2025 - Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a PS50 million (EUR59 million) contract in partnership with FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail for the refresh and maintenance of five, six-car Class 222 trains. This comes ahead of open access passenger services being launched between Stirling and London under FirstGroups Lumo brand.
The contract comprises two key components which includes a Train Services Agreement (TSA) with FirstGroup - valued at approximately PS40 million (EUR47.5 million) - to be delivered at Alstoms Central Rivers facility. From here, Alstom will maintain, overhaul, service and clean the five trains over the next five years.
In addition, the contract includes a fleet modernisation programme with Eversholt Rail - worth around PS10 million (almost EUR12 million) - which will be carried out at Alstoms Widnes site. The refresh involves installation of new, ergonomically designed seating, upgraded passenger Wi-Fi for improved onboard connectivity and a full exterior repaint to align with Lumos branding.
This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering high-performance, customer-focused rail services across the UK. By combining Alstoms deep technical expertise with the operational excellence of FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail, were ensuring that fare-paying passengers benefit from a modern, reliable and comfortable travel experience between Stirling and London.
Peter Broadley
Commercial Director UK and Ireland at Alstom
The modernisation also includes new CCTV systems and Intelligent Engine Start-Stop (IESS) technology, which automatically shuts down and restarts the trains engine when stationary - improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.
This partnership marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering high-performance, customer-focused rail services across the UK. By combining Alstoms deep technical expertise with the operational excellence of FirstGroup and Eversholt Rail, were 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, said Peter Broadley, Commercial Director UK and Ireland at Alstom.
Alstoms Central Rivers depot in Burton upon Trent is a purpose built train maintenance facility, which includes a state-of-the-art double-head lathe, nine maintenance roads and two lifting roads. The Staffordshire site also offers heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) repair and gassing capabilities, an engine repair bay, an automated vehicle inspection system (AVIS) fuelling and controlled emission toilet (CET) facilities, and an automatic intelligent train wash. Central Rivers can stable up to 37 trains, with overnight servicing of up to 26 trains.
Meanwhile, the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes is the UKs largest and most sophisticated centre for train modernisation. Opened in 2017, its vast size - and close embrace of digital principles - makes the Cheshire facility ideal for work on intercity trains. The contract with FirstGroup and Eversholt will support 50 roles across the two sites, alongside many more through Alstoms UK supply chain.
Built by Alstom as part of the Voyager family - and previously operated by East Midlands Railway as Meridian trains - the five units are scheduled to re-enter service with Lumo next year, serving passengers between central and southern Scotland and London Euston.
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Alstoms Central Rivers train maintenance facility in Burton upon Trent (Credit - Alstom)
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, said Graham Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer at FirstGroup.
Stations served will include Stirling, Larbert, Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) Whifflet (serving Coatbridge) Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton, Milton Keynes and London Euston. Of these stations, Whifflet, Greenfauldsand Larbert will have their first direct services to London.
Open access rail operators are set up with solely private investment and take full commercial risk and opportunity. The benefits of the successful open access model, recognised by government and the independent regulator - the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) - include connecting under-served places, helping to drive economic growth and providing additional capacity on core routes which can push a modal shift away from carbon-intensive travel.
Eversholt Rail are pleased to be part of this tri-partite collaborative project with FirstGroup and Alstom and we are looking forward to seeing what potential opportunities this new open access service can bring. Alstoms on-going involvement with the Class 222 fleet as the original equipment manufacturer will cement its pedigree as a high-quality intercity train. The upgraded features will enhance the passenger experience for the journey between London and Stirling, said Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Ever
