Good News For the North East
There was dancing in the streets of Newton Aycliffe when it was announced that a brand new train building factory was to be built on a brown field site just outside the town.
The Newton Aycliffe facility was created as a result of the Agility Trains consortium being selected to produce high speed trains for the Intercity Express Programme in 2009. During 2011, Hitachi announced its selection of the site and construction work commenced two years later. The 43,000 m2 (460,000 sq ft) factory, which was officially opened on 3 September 2015, was completed at a cost of £82 million. Initially, the facility only performed assembly, using components that were produced elsewhere to complete trains, and no actual manufacturing operations took place. However, some manufacturing activities have been performed at Newton Aycliffe for later-built trains.
The factory is notable as the source of the 800 series of trains.
Originally, the factory assembled the Class 800 and Class 802 trainsets for the IEP. However, Hitachi subsequently secured further orders, such as to produce Class 385 EMUs for the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme, Class 802s for TransPennine Express, and a fleet of 165 vehicles for East Midlands Railway. By 2020, the plant reportedly employed around 700 people, and was engaged in building the Classes 803, 805, 807 and 810 trainsets.
Bad News For the North East?
All was looking hunky and dory for Hitachi after it secured a share in the project to build the trains or the High Speed 2 line. But as we know, Rishi has scuppered most of that and Keir won’t reverse the policy.
Not good news … BUT!
Faced with the “black hole” in the Government’s finances (isn’t there always a black hole when a change of government happens?) you do wonder how the lovely Louise (this week’s Transport Minister) is going to manage it.
Meanwhile down souh at Derby …
Alstom looked like joining the Closure Club which, if both “go under” would mean that there would be no train building left in the UK.
The press are, as expected, full of doom and gloom.
Bad News For Derby?
With the end of production of the Aventras of assorted hues, there is no work for the lads and lasses of Litchurch Lane.
Illustrated above are the Aventras now trundling up and down the Elizabeth Line line in London.
… and there’s more.
Good News For Derby – For Now
Hooray! The very nice people at Transport for London have worked out that passenger numbers on the purple lines have grown so much that they need more trains. Thy need ten more trains.
Presumably the original contract for the main fleet included some complex add-on deal which has now been switched on.
A £370 million should keep things going at Litchurch Lane for a week or so.
Huge sighs of relief.
The North East Awaits
Will the lovely Louise pull the wiggly rabbit train orders out of the government finances empty hat?
The Labour Party might not want to risk losing votes once again from its “red wall” heartland; so expect the bunnies to start gamboling all over Newton Aycliffe in the very near future.
Meanwhile, many pensioners will be shivering this winer.
Thankfully, the fbb’s finances, combined with a brand new boiler …
… will ensure that they manage, despite young Rachel’s efforts to ensure otherwise. And the fbbs have got “Hive” – whatever that may be.
Next Variety blog : Saturday 7th Sept
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