Rail News – Early June 2024
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Train-maker Alstom has signed a contract worth £370m to build trains for London’s Elizabeth line.
The announcement comes after the firm began a redundancy consultation at its Litchurch Lane factory in Derby due to a gap in orders.
The contract with Transport for London will see the firm provide 10 new nine-car Aventra trains for the network.
Work for the project, which includes associated maintenance until 2046, will be carried out at the Derby site.
In November, the company warned more 1,300 jobs were at risk at Litchurch Lane along with many more in the supply chain due to a shortage of work.
Train manufacturer Siemens Mobility says battery-powered trains made at its plant in Goole could help decarbonise the UK’s rail system.
The company says the new trains could save the UK rail system £3.5bn and take out 12m tonnes of CO2 over 35 years. Its trains would be powered by overhead wires on already electrified routes, then switch to battery power where there are no wires, meaning a lower need for new overhead power lines.
It is now appealing to train companies looking to replace parts of their fleet to choose its vehicles. The call comes just a few days after fellow train manufacturer Hitachi UK announced new trails of a battery-powered train which it also hopes will be used in the UK.
