Story and image from Alstom
December 17, 2024 – Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has completed a £25 million upgrade of the Class 458 electric multiple unit (EMU) fleet for South Western Railway (SWR).
The refurbishment has been financed by Porterbrook, a leading UK rolling stock financier and asset management company, which owns the Class 458 fleet.
Twenty-eight four-car units have been refurbished at the Alstom Transport Technology Centre in Widnes, taking two weeks to complete each set. Each unit has 234 seats in a two-by-two formation – all with seat back tables and charging points – as well as space for two wheelchair users. All carriages also have two tables fitted with wireless charging points, while their exteriors carry the updated SWR livery.
Work by Alstom at its train modernisation facility in Widnes has also seen the reconfiguration of the vehicles to enable faster acceleration and new carpets laid throughout. Meanwhile, additional work at Alstom’s historic Crewe Works has seen the Class 458’s powered wheelsets overhauled. This has enabled the trains to operate at a top speed of 100mph – up from 75mph.
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