Showing posts with label Derby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Derby. Show all posts

Friday, 25 August 2017

Bombardier to retraction LUL 92 Stock

Good news for the Shire!

This from Bombardier...

Press Release - Bombardier Wins Contract to Supply New Propulsion Technology to London Underground



- Bombardier to supply new traction systems for trains on London Underground's Central line

- MITRAC propulsion technology will significantly improve fleet reliability, availability and energy efficiency

The project will be led from Bombardier's Västeras site in Sweden, also leveraging the capabilities of other sites in the Bombardier manufacturing network. 

The installation of the first train, plus associated vehicle integration works and testing will be undertaken at Bombardier's Derby site in the UK.

Very good. Carry on.

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

First/MTR suffers from premature evacuation - Official

Good news from the Shire this morning!

The great and the good are gathering in Derby for an announcement about an order for 750 new 'Aventura' vehicles for the London and South Western franchise, worth £895m

This from First Group:

PRESS CALL: Announcement of South Western rail franchise rolling stock procurement

FirstGroup and MTR will take over the South Western rail franchise from 20 June 2017. This is an opportunity to find out more about the new rolling stock being planned for the new franchise, with new trains to be built in the UK and introduced into service from mid-2019.

Members of the reality based community will of course realise that the new franchise is due to start on the 20th August, rather than June.

No matter.

Regular readers of Eye will recognise today's announcement from this, posted back in April...


Meanwhile here is a tip for other rolling stock manufacturers without a UK footprint:

You've got to be in it, to win it!

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Rail Sector Deal - the PM offers some clues

Word reaches Eye that the great and the good are meeting tonight to discuss what a Rail Sector Deal might look like.

The original announcement of possible Sector Deals in January, managed to, ahem... overlook Rail, in favour of:

  • Life sciences
  • Ultra low emission vehicles
  • Industrial digitalisation
  • Nuclear industry; and 
  • the Creative industries
No matter!

Happily Number 10's original announcement made clear that:

"This is not an exclusive list and the government is prepared to work with any sector which can organise behind strong leadership to address shared challenges and opportunities".

So far so good.

And with almost perfect timing for tonight's RDG/RSG discussions, Theresa May made clear at today's PMQs that the Industrial Strategy would be regionally focused "tailored to the needs of particular parts of the country".

Surely the PM had the rail industry in mind, with places like Derby, Doncaster and the North West having vibrant rail clusters with the capabilities to become global centres of excellence!

One can only hope, therefore, that said 'particular parts of the country' are well represented at tonight's dinner?



Thursday, 6 February 2014

Bombardier wins Crossrail fleet order

This from the Department for Transport and Transport for London...

Crossrail rolling stock and depot contract to be awarded to Bombardier

6 February 2014


• 65 trains to be built in Derby
• Over 1,000 jobs and around 100 apprenticeships supported in the UK

The intention to award a contract to deliver rolling stock and a new depot for Crossrail with a capital value of around £1bn to Bombardier has been announced today by Transport for London (TfL) and The Department for Transport (DfT).

The contract between TfL and Bombardier covers the supply, delivery and maintenance of 65 new trains and a depot at Old Oak Common. The contract award is subject to a 10 day standstill period.

TfL will run Crossrail as part of its integrated transport services for London, including ticketing and customer travel information. 

Bombardier has confirmed that the new trains will be manufactured and assembled at their plant in Derby. This contract will support 760 UK manufacturing jobs plus 80 apprenticeships. An estimated 74 per cent of contract spend will remain in the UK economy.

The construction of the maintenance depot at Old Oak Common will support 244 jobs, plus 16 apprenticeships. When fully operational the depot will support 80 jobs to maintain the new fleet of trains. 

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “The Crossrail project is now rolling on full-steam ahead. The manufacture of these new trains will not only revolutionise rail travel in London, they will deliver jobs and economic growth in their birthplace in Derby and across the UK. With a firm on board to deliver a fleet of 21st century trains and the tunnelling more than halfway complete, we’re on track to deliver a truly world-class railway for the capital.”

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “This announcement will mean state of the art trains providing quick, comfortable journeys for the millions of people Crossrail will serve. It is also great news for British manufacturing and for Derbyshire, where Bombardier will support 760 new jobs and 80 apprenticeships.”

Sir Peter Hendy CBE, London’s Transport Commissioner said: “Crossrail is already generating jobs in London and the UK. When it opens it will continue to provide jobs and the growth it will bring will boost the whole economy. Crossrail is a fantastic example of the widespread benefits that sustained investment in transport infrastructure brings.”

Andrew Wolstenholme Chief Executive of Crossrail said: “Crossrail will transform rail services in London and the South East. Procurement of the rolling stock and depot is just one more step in delivering this new railway and making it a reality for millions of passengers.

“Crossrail Limited has conducted this procurement in a fair, objective and transparent manner and in full compliance with the regulatory framework.”

London’s population is set to grow from 8.4 million today to around 10 million by 2030. Government, the Mayor of London and Transport for London are investing in Crossrail and other transport infrastructure to support access to jobs, education, housing and to boost economic growth.

Crossrail will boost London’s rail-based capacity by 10 per cent connecting Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It is connecting people and places, providing faster journey times and up to 24 trains per hour between Paddington and Whitechapel during the peak.

In addition to the jobs created through the rolling stock and depot contract it is estimated that Crossrail will generate at least 75,000 business opportunities and support the equivalent of 55,000 full time jobs right around the UK. Three out of five businesses currently winning work on the project are based outside London and over half are small and medium sized companies (SMEs).

Each Crossrail train is 200 metres long and able to carry up to 1,500 passengers. Key features of the new high-capacity Crossrail trains include air conditioning and inter-connecting walk-through carriages. On-train passenger information systems will deliver real-time travel information to allow passengers to plan their onward journeys.

The new lightweight Crossrail trains will be built with an emphasis on energy efficiency and use of intelligent on-train energy management systems.

All bidders were asked to set out how they would engage with their wider supply chains and maximise opportunities for SMEs. Bombardier will target at least 25 per cent of the value of this contract going to SMEs. Bidders were required to manage the project through a London-based office and to commit to have plans to deliver job and training opportunities, including apprenticeships.

TfL will introduce the new trains from May 2017, with the fleet progressively introduced to the existing rail network well in advance of services commencing through Crossrail’s central section in December 2018.

Ends

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

DeltaRail puts the boot in!

This from the Daily Mail...

Anna Matthews has sparked a ‘British jobs for British workers’ row between her firm DeltaRail and the rail infrastructure company on which it relies for 70 per cent of its business.

Matthews says three foreign consortia have been short-listed by Network Rail for a major multi-billion pound Traffic Management signalling contract in the UK.

Anna Matthews is infuriated Network Rail has allocated £70m to help the foreign contenders develop their bids

Yet she claims her own cutting-edge business, which has developed an advanced real-time computer-controlled train signalling system, has been shunted into the sidings and dropped from the bidding.


Ouch!

The ability to speak truth unto power is yet another reason why we need more Women in Rail!

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Derby steals a march on industry - again!

An interesting line up for the DDRF annual conference on the 8th February:

Key note speaker is the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin. 


He is being joined by Tim O'Toole, the Chair of the Rail Delivery Group; Richard Brown who has led the Brown Review into franchising; Martin Elwood Director of NDS at Network Rail; Maggie Simpson, Executive Director of the Rail Freight Group; and Douglas Oakervee, Non-Executive Chairman of HS2 Ltd.

One for the diary, Eye thinks!


Thursday, 13 December 2012

Possibly the best railway pub... in the world!

The Fact Compiler is in awe!



Go to the Alex', now!

UPDATE: This from Billy Arrows...

Mark Williamson's looking well but has Lord Adonis had a Chimay Blue too many? 

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

Richard George to Interfleet

This from Interfleet...

International rail consultancy Interfleet Technology has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director, following the retirement of incumbent MD David Rollin after almost 20 years at the helm.

New MD Richard George will take up the position at the end of February 2013, fresh from his recent role as Director of Transport at the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOGOC), where he was responsible for the delivery of the hugely successful transport logistics.


In best Spandau Ballet voice... Gold!

Wednesday, 13 April 2011

UKTI launches pre-emptive strike?

This from Ithuriel...

I spotted this in the Derby Evening Telegraph:

DERBYSHIRE rail companies are to be given a helping hand to break into overseas markets thanks to a new rail export partnership.

Derby and Derbyshire Rail Forum, which represents about 100 rail firms across the county, has linked up with UK Trade and Investment, a government-backed organisation which helps British firms export.

The two organisations have agreed to establish a dedicated rail-export partnership.

UKTI international trade director Peter Hogarth said: "By working closely with the forum, we can help local rail supply chain companies develop their export business.

Presumably the aim is to keep Derby factories busy with exports when Hitachi's hostage plant in Geordieland sweeps up all the UK train orders.

An excellent example of joined up government, allowing UKTI to give with one hand whilst DafT takes away with the other.

Monday, 24 August 2009

All bets off at Derby

Good news for York!

Provincial backwater Derby has abandoned its grandiose plans to become the UK's 'Rail Capital'.

According to This is Derbyshire...

PLANS to build a £15m centre for the UK rail industry in Derby have been scrapped.

The UK Rail Centre was intended to provide a showcase venue for the industry but the East Midlands Development Agency admits it has failed to attract investment for the project.


Derby was chosen ahead of York by the Railway Industry Association and the Rail Sector Advisory Group for the right to house the centre in 2005.

Alas.

Despite the East Midlands Development Agency spending £1.95m in 2006 on a 2.6-acre site close to Derby station no additional external funding has been forthcoming.

The design for the proposed centre also proved slightly contentious, with its eye catching 32m ventilation tower being nicknamed the traffic cone.


Perhaps apt now that this particular avenue for regional grandstanding has been closed off.