Following an investment of up to €230 million (370 million AUD), Siemens Mobility is opening its train manufacturing facility as a key part of its new Goole Rail Village in the United Kingdom, on a site which spans 67 acres, the size of 35 football pitches.
London Underground’s new Piccadilly line trains will be assembled at the factory in Goole before they start entering passenger service from 2025, helping Transport for London (TfL) transform rail travel across the UK’s capital.
Overall, Siemens Mobility’s investment in the region will create up to 700 new jobs and an additional 1,700 supply chain opportunities by 2030. This investment will strengthen local production to serve global markets.
Alongside the opening, Siemens Mobility announced an additional investment of up to €47 million in a state-of-the-art new facility in Goole to assemble and overhaul bogies for trains. The new Bogie Assembly and Service Center will incorporate and expand Siemens Mobility’s current capabilities to overhaul bogies from UK trains,
including the 3,224 strong fleet of vehicles (572 trains) it maintains in the UK, and will also include new production lines for assembling bogies for new trains, a first for Siemens in the UK. This new investment will secure around 100 existing jobs and create up to a further 200. It is due to be operational towards the end of 2026.
Commenting on the investment, UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said this impressive, world-class facility will be transformational to Goole and its people, providing a boost to the region’s economy and supporting hundreds of skilled jobs.
“Its opening demonstrates the importance of high quality, long-term investment to pave the way for employment and growth,” she said.
“I know how vital rail manufacturing is to our economy, which is why we will not sit on our hands when it comes to supporting it. For too long, the cycle of boom-and-bust has held back this sector. That’s why I am determined to put an end to the stop-start approach to investment and provide the industry with the certainty it needs to deliver a railway that is fit for the future.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, spoke about what this means for the community.
“This train manufacturing facility in Goole is a fantastic example of the expertise we don’t have and how investment in London benefits the whole country,” he said.
“This factory, where the new state-of-the-art Piccadilly line trains will be built, will create up to 900 direct jobs and support another 1,700 in the supply chain, delivering great benefits to the wider UK economy, showing that where London succeeds, the whole country succeeds and vice versa. I’m excited to continue working together with the new Government to build a better, fairer and more prosperous London, and country, for everyone.
Karl Blaim, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Siemens Mobility spoke about the company’s commitment.
“We are celebrating the opening our Rail Village in Goole, East Yorkshire, where we are investing up to €277 million in building a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the Piccadilly line as well as for future UK train fleets and a host of other facilities,” he said.
“This great moment builds upon our significant investments in a modern signalling manufacturing facility in Chippenham, further solidifying our long-term commitment to the advancement of the UK’s rail industry.
“Siemens Mobility has a proud history of over 180 years in the United Kingdom and has been transforming rail, travel, and transport in Britain. We have delivered every fourth passenger train in the UK, are pioneers in digital signaling technology and provide leading service solutions. Our dedicated team of 5,500 UK employees is committed to delivering top-quality transportation solutions, from Britain, for Britain.”
The Goole Train Manufacturing Facility, with its cutting-edge technology, highly skilled workforce, and strategic location, is set to become a cornerstone of the British and global rail industry.
It will bolster the UK’s rail manufacturing capabilities. The Goole Rail Village consists of the Train Manufacturing Facility which assembles and commissions trains, the Components Facility where Siemens maintains gearboxes, traction motors and other parts for train and tram fleets, the Logistics Center warehousing facility and the Rail Accelerator and Innovation Solutions hub for Enterprise (RaisE) business centre, all of which will now be joined by the Bogie Assembly and Service Center.
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