The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Longannet rail factory could bring 1,000 jobs
KINCARDINE: Power station site chosen for new venture if Talgo wins contract
Fife is on the brink of a transformative investment which could bring more than 1,000 new jobs to the region.
The former Longannet power station in Kincardine has been chosen as the preferred site of a huge train-building factory to service orders from across the world.
The announcement by Spanish firm Talgo has been hailed as a significant achievement for Scotland and could herald wider benefits for west Fife and beyond. Construction hinges on the company, currently on the shortlist for the contract for the high-speed HS2 line, receiving an order for the trains.
Michael Matheson, Scotland’s Cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, said: “Should Talgo be successful in its bid to win the contract for HS2 rolling stock, this new factory at Longannet would bring a great number of new jobs to Fife.”
At least 1,000 jobs could be created in Fife thanks to a major rail industry investment announced yesterday.
Passenger train manufacturer Talgo has selected the former Longannet power station in Kincardine as the preferred site of a new train-building factory.
Construction hinges on the Spanish company – currently shortlisted for the trains contract for the HS2 line – receiving a trains order.
The Scottish Government has hailed the investment plans as a “significant achievement for Scotland”.
Longannet was picked from a list of 30 possible locations and workers there would be manufacturing high-speed trains capable of running at up to 235mph.
Talgo said it would use the factory to service UK and international orders. It has committed to training workers and developing local supply chain business opportunities, and said additional jobs would be created during the planning and construction phase.
It is hoped the announcement will trigger further benefits in an area that suffered the loss of 230 jobs when Longannet closed in 2016.
This could include the use of local ports to bring in raw materials and export finished trains.
Talgo’s UK director, Jon Veitch, said: “This is not only an exciting day for Talgo, it is an exciting day for the UK too.”
Company president Carlos de Palacio added that the establishment of a manufacturing facility at Longannet was a significant part of the firm’s future strategy.
“This has been a tremendously challenging mission for Talgo and I have personally seen excellence in all corners of the UK,” he said.
“It has been a difficult decision to make as the quality has been so high in so many places.”
The firm said the availability of skilled workers and the ability to create a “pipeline” of engineers and innovators was key to its decision.
The area’s “excellent connectivity” by sea, rail and road also influenced the choice, along with what Talgo described as a tremendous can-do attitude on the part of everyone brought together by Scottish Enterprise.
The Scottish Government had been working with the company to secure the investment.
Michael Matheson, Cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, said: “Should Talgo be successful in its bid to win the contract for HS2 rolling stock, this new factory at Longannet would bring a great number of new jobs to Fife.”
An innovation centre would also be established at Chesterfield in Derbyshire.
The final choice follows an 18-month UK-wide search which involved detailed discussions with landowners, development agencies, local authorities, research establishments, schools, colleges and universities.
Talgo – which designs, makes and services trains in 28 countries – said it wanted to develop an “all Britain” strategy to ensure parts were manufactured across the country rather than assembled from elsewhere.