Siemens Mobility is in the process of establishing a 67-acre state-of-the-art train manufacturing plant and a comprehensive rail village in Goole, East Yorkshire, dedicated to the production of new Piccadilly line tube and future mainline trains. The neighbouring Freeport tax site is ideally located to support the burgeoning supply chain.
With an estimated investment potential of up to £200m, the factory is expected to generate as many as 700 skilled job opportunities in engineering and manufacturing, complemented by an estimated 1,700 additional indirect roles throughout the UK’s supply chain and, during the construction phase, an additional 250 employment opportunities.
The site’s main construction phase is already reaching completion, and commencement of manufacturing and assembly operations is scheduled for early 2024.
Plans have recently been unveiled by Siemens Mobility to commit up to £50m in collaboration with the University of Birmingham for a cutting-edge 5,000m² innovation hub within the Goole rail village. The innovation hub will expedite the integration of advanced technologies within the rail industry, while spearheading initiatives aimed at promoting decarbonisation through developing research into the use of alternative traction technologies including battery and hydrogen power. The establishment of this centre is projected to create an additional 250 job opportunities, spanning both direct and supply chain roles.
While various sites across the UK were considered for this investment, the promising prospects presented by the Freeport, the potential for seamless supply chain co-location within the immediate vicinity, and the access to the skilled workforce ready to build and operate the factory, were instrumental factors in influencing Siemens Mobility’s definitive investment decision in favour of Goole.