'Major contract' for Alstom as refurbished CrossCountry train is unveiled

DERBY train maker Alstom has been celebrating the unveiling of the first fully refurbished CrossCountry train at its Litchurch Lane works - marking the site's “first major refurbishment contract in a generation”.

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Alstom's £60 million contract is part of long distance train operator CrossCountry’s £75 million project to refurbish all of its Voyager fleet and has been funded by rolling stock company Beacon.

The Voyager fleet is maintained, serviced and overhauled by Alstom at its Central Rivers Depot, near Barton-under-Needwood, while the refurbishment has been carried out by around 130 staff at its Derby Litchurch Lane site, which is 150 years old this year.

Since it was built, the first train to be refurbished (220033) has clocked up 5,811,605 miles - or to the moon and back more than 12 times so it was ready for a new look.

The long-distance Voyager fleet has been a cornerstone of Britain's rail network for over two decades. Originally built in 2000, the trains replaced former British Rail stock and set new standards for comfort and reliability.