UK: Rail leasing and asset management company Porterbrook is to finance a £66m upgrade of Bletchley depot as the principal maintenance base for West Midlands Trains’ Alstom Class 730 Aventra EMU fleet.
This will include investment in overhead electrification equipment, 10-car and five car sidings, refurbishment of the existing buildings and the installation of modern security systems.
Completion is scheduled for autumn 2025.
Porterbrook said the deal announced on April 2 would further diversify its portfolio, which includes its rolling stock lease fleet, a 49% stake in Brodie Engineering and ownership of the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre.
‘Through private finance, we can maintain and enhance essential rail infrastructure like this to continue to play an important role in the railway for many years to come’, said Chief Investment Officer Stefan Rose.
