Siemens’ decision to shift more work for London Underground from Germany to the UK will result in a much busier factory than anticipated when it begins production in spring.
Siemens was awarded a £1.5 billion contract in 2018 to replace Piccadilly line rolling stock that is over 50 years old.
The German engineering giant has invested £200 million in a new assembly facility in Goole, East Yorkshire. They expect to win more contracts in the future for the Underground and Mainline Railway.
Siemens originally planned to fulfill a large part of the 94 sets nine-car metro trains ordered for the Piccadilly Line at its Vienna facility.
Siemens decided that, after a first production run in Vienna, 80 percent of the Piccadilly orders would be completed from Goole.
Transport for London is expected to release funds for similar contracts for Goole for Central and Bakerloo lines of the Underground.
Siemens, who has been criticized in the past for winning large UK train contracts, only to build them on the Continent later, will also be bidding to upgrade the fleets of TransPennine Express trains and Northern trains, with an offer of next-generation battery-electric hybrid rolling stock.
Piccadilly Line passengers in London will be able to benefit from this upgrade.
The first Piccadilly trains based on Inspiro rolling stocks used on the Munich U-Bahn are expected to enter service in 2019. They will transform the experience of tourists and Londoners who have been suffering for years on a line which provides connections to London’s theaters, Heathrow Airport and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
Sambit Banerjee said, “For the very first time, we will be building trains in Britain.” He said that Siemens Mobility was hiring 700 direct employees at its Goole plant, while 1,700 additional jobs would be created within the supply chain of the facility. It is a significant milestone for the local economy and industry as a whole. The next generation of air-conditioned Tube trains with walk-throughs will revolutionize rail travel.
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