Talgo: “We will build in UK”

SPANISH train manufacturer Talgo plans to build a factory in the UK, and recruit locally should it win train orders for this country.

Speaking exclusively to RAIL in London on September 13, Talgo’s President Carlos Palacio Oriol said the company was looking to use its expertise to bid for a number of tenders in the country.

“If we win a deal, we will start work on a factory the next day. We need a big order, otherwise it makes no sense, but we are fully committed to the UK ,” he said.

“We mainly specialise in high speed and very high-speed trains, but are interested in and have developed products for other markets too.

Oriol explained that by “big order”, he meant even half of some of the deals that had been signed already by other manufacturers.

Oriol believes that trains for HS2 must be built in the UK, and that Talgo would manufacture in this country rather than assemble.

“The pre-series train for any order would be built in Spain, but the rest would be built in the UK. And I mean built, not assembled.”

He added that the UK supply chain must be involved as much as possible: “It is very important that we include the UK in an order. Any industrial investment would create jobs, thousands of jobs.”

However, he added that HS2 was not the only contract the company was interested in: “We want to establish a presence here in the UK, to develop a platform for inter-city and even regional trains.”

Oriol said that Talgo can build trains very quickly, and the company has always delivered on time, which he believes gives the company an advantage in being able to process deals quicker.

Regarding the factory, which would follow the facilities either opened or planned by Alstom, Bombardier, CAF and Hitachi Rail Europe, he said: “Of course we would bring a facility. We want to establish here for the UK and

Ireland, and we want to engage with engineers. Training and apprentices would feature, too. We have done this elsewhere.”

Oriol explained the Talgo philosophy, telling RAIL: “The main idea is to be technically and economically competitive. Our trains are lighter, resulting in reduced energy costs, train maintenance costs and infrastructure impact.

Should any deal be won, Talgo would also offer a full maintenance deal.

TALGO. Two Talgo Class 730s in action in Spain for Renfe. These are high-speed, dual-voltage trains featuring 11 coaches and two power cars. The Spanish manufacturer wants to open a facility in the UK, and build trains here.