FRENCH COMPANY AWARDED SCOTRAIL CONTRACT
Rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has been awarded a £12 million contract to carry out
mileage-based modernisation of ScotRail’s Class 334 fleet of 40 trains operating between
Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The contract was placed by Eversholt Rail, who leases the trains to ScotRail, which was
renationalised by the Scottish Government last year. It includes the overhaul of pneumatic
and electrical components such as auto-couplers, gangways, batteries, under-frame air
valves, toilets, and heating ventilation and air-conditioning in drivers’ cabs.
The Class 334 trains were originally built by Alstom for ScotRail, and entered service in 2001.
Alstom, which is based in France and listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, noted the latest
contract builds on previous modernisation performed by Alstom from 2015 to “upgrade the
passenger experience for Scottish passengers”, by retrofitting full air-conditioning, and
installing at-seat charging points and Wi-Fi throughout the trains as well as adding closed-
circuit television for driver-only trains to “help with passenger security”.
The French group, which has a presence in 70 countries, employs more than 74,000 people
and posted revenues of €15.5 billion for the year to March 31, 2022.
Peter Broadley, managing director of services at Alstom UK & Ireland, said: “Alstom has a
proud history of supporting Scotland’s rail network. We’re pleased to once again be able to
overhaul the Class 334 fleet, providing ScotRail’s current and future passengers on the
Edinburgh to Glasgow line with an improved rail experience.”
The new overhaul project is due to start in January next year at Alstom’s Polmadie depot in
Glasgow. Alstom has 109 Scottish employees based at Polmadie, where the company
undertakes maintenance and support work on the West Coast Main Line Pendolinos and the
Caledonian Sleeper as well as providing day-to-day maintenance of Class 334 trains.
Alstom noted it was also working closely with Network Rail on upgrading Scotland’s
signalling infrastructure.
