The first Avanti West Coast Pendolino has entered Alstom’s Widnes depot, marking the start of a £117 million investment to refurbish and transform the train fleet. 

The programme will transform all 56 of Avanti West Coast’s iconic Pendolinos.

Phil Whittingham, Managing Director for Avanti West Coast, said: “The Pendolino is a real workhorse which has helped to transform services on the West Coast Main Line.

“This investment will take them to the next level and they’ll feel like new trains with state of the art technology and brand new seats. I can’t wait to see the reaction from our customers and people.”

Rail manufacturer Alstom will oversee the refurbishment at their new depot in Widnes in the North West securing 100 skilled jobs.

The upgrade programme will run until February 2024 when the last of the 56 strong fleet is expected to leave Widnes.

UK suppliers will benefit from 80 per cent of the £117m investment, which is financed by Angel Trains, one of the UK’s leading train Asset Management companies.

David Jordan, Chief Operating Officer of Angel Trains, said: “Investing in the refurbishment of rolling stock is crucial for advancing the UK rail industry and supporting the wider supply chain. 

“This project is a huge milestone, and we are proud to work with our customers Avanti West Coast to upgrade the Pendolino fleet, to create modern train interiors that are fit for future passengers’ needs.”