The works will take place at Alstom’s maintenance facilities in Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. Alstom will create 25 new permanent jobs across these three sites to deliver the project.
Alstom has been awarded a contract by TransPennine Express — the intercity rail operator for the North of England and Scotland — to maintain two fleets of 25 brand new five-car trains from their entry into commercial service in 2019 to 2024, with an option for two additional years.
The works will take place at Alstom’s maintenance facilities in Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. Alstom will create 25 new permanent jobs across these three sites to deliver the project, along with new training and apprenticeship opportunities delivered via Alstom’s recently announced Widnes Technology Centre.
The fleets, which will provide an extra 13 million seats a year, comprise 12 five-car Civity UK Intercity electric trains and 13 five-car Intercity trains. The electric trains will run between Manchester and Liverpool to Glasgow and Edinburgh, whilst the diesel vehicles will run initially between Liverpool and Newcastle.
Alstom’s latest contract with TransPennine Express follows its recent completion of major refurbishment work on the Pendolino fleet, which comprises 56 Class 390 "tilting" trains used by Virgin on the West Coast Main Line. The project was Alstom’s fourth heavy overhaul of the fleet.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
BART recorded 5,403,140 exits in March, making it the highest monthly ridership since the pandemic and surpassing the previous high set in October 2025 (5,346,890 exits).
The station was rebuilt as part of SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program, making it fully ADA accessible with new elevators, ramps, and high-level platforms.
The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
Crews completed a significant portion of the testing required before commissioning the new, digital signaling system, which will bring important upgrades that strengthen Red Line service reliability for riders and provide Red Line Operations the ability to route trains more quickly, turn trains around faster, and recover from unplanned disruptions more efficiently, said MBTA officials.
In addition to new projects, progress continues on a multiyear effort to upgrade track, electrical, and signal systems on the Metra Electric Line to accommodate the expansion of service on the South Shore Line.
The Maryland Transit Administration is advancing the nearly $1.4 billion Light Rail Modernization Program, which modernizes the Baltimore Central Light Rail Line from Hunt Valley to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport with new, low-floor vehicles and upgrades to all light rail stations, systems, and maintenance facilities.
The Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board recently met for a budget workshop, during which staff outlined the significant service reductions Caltrain could be forced to make without new external funding.
Funding for the purchase of the railcars comes from the nearly $220 million in additional capital dollars Gov. Josh Shapiro allocated in November 2025 to support urgent safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
