The transport division of German multi-sector giant Siemens has opened a new factory in the UK. The Train Manufacturing Facility is the first part of the Goole Rail Village, Siemens Mobility’s new campus, to begin operations.
As previously reported, the first contract for the new factory is the final assembly of rolling stock for the London Underground’s (LU) Piccadilly line.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, explained the benefits of London’s new metro trains being built around 150 miles away from the capital.
“This factory, where the new state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains will be built, will create up to 900 direct jobs and support another 1,700 in the supply chain, delivering great benefits to the wider UK economy, showing that where London succeeds, the whole country succeeds and vice versa,” he said at the opening.
At least 80% of the new LU rolling stock will be assembled at the Yorkshire plant.
Along with the Train Manufacturing Facility, Google Rail Village hosts a Components Facility, a Logistics Center warehousing facility and the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions hub for Enterprise (RaisE) business centre.
It will be joined by the University of Birmingham’s Centre of Excellence for Railway Through-Life Engineering, which received £15m in funding to start development last year.
At the opening ceremony for the manufacturing facility, Goole’s next asset was presented: a €47m Bogie Assembly and Service Centre to expand the company’s bogie overhaul capabilities for the 572 trains it maintains in the country.
“[It] will also include new production lines for assembling bogies for new trains, a first for Siemens in the UK. This new investment will secure around 100 existing jobs and create up to a further 200. It is due to be operational towards the end of 2026,” Siemens Mobility explained.
The Political Game
Rail has been a political priority in recent months, with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh moving quickly to enact her policies and affect change in the railway industry.
Like Khan, she focused on the economic benefits of the Goole Railway Village and Siemens’ continued investment.
“This impressive, world-class facility will be transformational to Goole and its people, providing a boost to the region’s economy and supporting hundreds of skilled jobs. Its opening demonstrates the importance of high quality, long-term investment to pave the way for employment and growth.”
"I know how vital rail manufacturing is to our economy, which is why we will not sit on our hands when it comes to supporting it. For too long, the cycle of boom-and-bust has held back this sector. That’s why I am determined to put an end to the stop-start approach to investment and provide the industry with the certainty it needs to deliver a railway that is fit for the future," she told the Siemens event.
Karl Blaim, managing director and CFO of Siemens Mobility said: “Siemens Mobility has a proud history of over 180 years in the United Kingdom and has been transforming rail, travel, and transport in Britain. We have delivered every fourth passenger train in the UK, are pioneers in digital signalling technology and provide leading service solutions. Our dedicated team of 5,500 UK employees is committed to delivering top-quality transportation solutions, from Britain, for Britain.”
