UK: Alstom has been given notice to proceed with the production of 106 Class 390 Pendolino vehicles worth €318m for the West Coast Main Line, the Department for Transport announced on May 6. A firm contract including maintenance and worth a total of €1·8bn will be finalised in August.
The agreement covers four 11-car trainsets to enter service in 2011-12, plus vehicles to lengthen of 31 of the 52 existing sets from nine to 11 cars between April and December 2012. An option covers a further 42 cars to lengthen the remaining trains by early 2013.
Alstom's contract to maintain the Pendolino fleet until the current West Coast franchise expires in April 1 2012 will be extended by 10 years, bringing the total value of the contract to €1·8bn.
The vehicles will be built at Alstom's Savigliano plant in Italy, with integration into the existing trainsets at its Liverpool maintenance facility.
- The shortlisted bidders to act as 'service provider' to support DfT during production and commissioning were also named. They are Govia Transportation Projects, owned by Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and Virgin Rail Projects whose parent company is owned 51% by Virgin Holdings and 49% by Stagecoach Rail Holdings.
Pendolino lengthening timescale
| May 2008 | Notice to proceed issued |
| August 2008 | Contract finalised |
| August 2010 | Deadline to exercise option for lengthening of all trains |
| 2011-12 | Four new 11-car trains enter service |
| April 1 2012 | Current West Coast operating franchise expires. Original expiry date of maintenance contract |
| April – December 2012 | Lengthened trains enter service |
| April 2022 | Alstom's extended maintenance contract expires |
