Full steam ahead at UK factory as it wins £900m rail carriages deal
A £900million contract to build 750 rail carriages has been won by a British plant – snatching the deal from a German rival.
The carriages will make up 90 state-of-the-art commuter trains which are to be assembled by Bombardier in Derby.
The deal – a vote of confidence in UK manufacturing – is part of First Group’s overhaul of the South Western rail franchise, which it is due to take over in August. The trains will operate on its Windsor, Reading and West London suburban routes into Waterloo.
German manufacturer Siemens had long been tipped to secure the contract and it is a welcome win for Canadian owned Bombardier, which lost a £1.6billion Thameslink contract to its German rival in 2013. It employs 1,650 staff at Derby.
Kevin Hepworth of the Unite union, said: ‘This boost to British manufacturing is very welcome in these economically challenging times.’
The carriages, similar to those being built for Crossrail’s Elizabeth Line and parts of the London Overground, will have free wifi, at-seat charging points, air conditioning and gangways that allow passengers to see and walk the length of the train.
The trains will also be able to run at 100mph, be more energy efficient, and boost capacity at peak times by nearly half.