Alstom wins €1.2bn UK battery train deal

Alstom (ALOp) has secured contracts worth more than €1.2 billion with TransPennine Express for the supply and long-term maintenance of a new battery-electric train fleet. The agreements cover a rolling stock order of about €930 million for 29 five-car battery-electric multiple units and maintenance contracts valued at around €230 million. The fleet is intended for one of Britain’s key rail corridors and marks a significant investment in modernising intercity services.

The order is the first deployment of Alstom’s (ALOp) Adessia Stream platform in the UK and will create Britain’s first mainline battery-electric train fleet. The new trains will be funded by rail investor Rock Rail and will replace part of TransPennine Express’s existing Class 185 fleet, shifting services away from older diesel-powered units.

As the home of the Adessia platform, Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works will design, engineer, build and test the new trains. Manufacturing is expected to begin in 2028, with fleet deliveries scheduled from 2032. This positions Derby as a central hub for the project over the coming decade and anchors the industrial activity in the UK.

The rolling stock order from TransPennine Express is expected to support more than 350 highly skilled jobs in Derby. Alstom also forecasts over 5,500 roles supported across its UK supply chain, underlining the scale of the programme’s domestic industrial footprint.

The maintenance portion of the contracts will run for an initial eight-year term, with a potential further eight-year extension. This long-term service commitment is expected to support more than 100 roles dedicated to keeping the fleet in operation over its contract life. The structure provides continuity for maintenance teams and ongoing technical support for the operator.

Alstom estimates that the programme will generate at least £360 million in spending with British suppliers. This anticipated procurement from UK companies reinforces the supply chain benefits alongside the direct employment impact in Derby and in maintenance operations.

Each Adessia Stream train will be about 121 metres long and capable of operating at speeds up to 110 mph. The interior will provide around 300 seats per train, including a First Class area with catering facilities, to serve long-distance and regional passengers. The design aims to balance capacity with comfort for intercity journeys.

Accessibility and passenger amenities are central to the specification. Each train will offer level boarding at every door, three dedicated wheelchair spaces, two accessible toilets, family-friendly areas and buggy storage. Onboard facilities will include Wi‑Fi, air conditioning, power and USB‑C charging points, enhanced luggage space, real-time passenger information systems, CCTV and dedicated cycle storage.

To support battery operation on non-electrified sections of the network, Alstom will install charging infrastructure at Hull, Scarborough and Saltburn. This equipment will allow the Adessia fleet to recharge during normal operations, enabling use on routes that currently lack continuous overhead wiring.

The charging installations are described as a UK-first on the mainline network and are integral to the deployment of the new trains. Together with the replacement of part of the Class 185 diesel fleet, the infrastructure and rolling stock package is designed to advance the decarbonisation of services across TransPennine Express routes.