Train manufacturers

Bombardier resumes work at Derby Litchurch lane, while Hitachi and CAF begin their staged returns to work.

Production has restarted at Derby Litchurch Lane, after Bombardier agreed new working practices with on-site trade union representatives. Work will also progressively restart at the manufacturer’s Ilford and Crewe facilities.

The company had announced on March 25 that it was pausing work, due to the Government’s social distancing measures introduced two days earlier in the fight against COVID-19 ( RAIL 902).

In a statement, the manufacturer said: “Working with site trade union representatives we have used the pause to review working practices at Derby, Crewe and Ilford in order to comply with social distancing requirements.”

In the week beginning April 6, the company began trialling the new processes - these include greater spacing, split shifts, additional safety requirements and washing facilities. Staff are now being trained on these practices ahead of going to work.

Work began again at Derby and Ilford on April 14, with Crewe following on April 15 (as this issue of RAIL went to press). This will build up around supply chain recovery and listening to staff. Working practices will continue to be monitored.

The company added in its statement: “All staff who can work from home will continue to do so, and our services teams will continue to keep Britain’s trains moving for essential workers as they have done throughout.”

Derby Litchurch Lane is currently building Class 701s for South Western Railway, Class 710s for London Overground, Class 720s for Greater Anglia and Class 730s for West Midlands Railway, with Class 711s for c2c due to follow.

Bombardier has resumed production at its Derby Litchurch Lane factory, while work has restarted at its Crewe and Ilford facilities. Four variants of Aventra stand outside Litchurch Lane with (left to right) a South Western Railway Class 701, a Greater Anglia ‘720’, a London Overground ‘710’ and TfL Rail ‘345’.