The railway industry remains a defiant bastion of domestic manufacturing, proving that the UK still possesses the craft and the capacity to build. Far from being a relic of a bygone era, our rail manufacturing base is a modern, sophisticated ecosystem that underpins the wider economy. It is a beacon of what is still possible when engineering excellence meets strategic investment. With laser guided lathe in hand.

From Shirebrook to the world stage

For some years, I’ve been hanging around the factory floor in Shirebrook, much to the consternation of those more qualified to do so. Nevertheless, it’s always a privilege to visit WH Davis—the UK’s last independent freight rolling stock manufacturer—who demonstrate on a daily basis that British “heavy metal” is still a global contender. The company recently secured a landmark €44 million (£38 million) export deal to supply 150 intermodal freight wagons to Irish Rail, their first such export in two decades.

The contract has not only revitalised the local economy but has facilitated a 25% expansion of their workforce. It might not be on the historical scale of Swindon or Shildon, but its a wagon works that works, and has work for years to come.This success in Nottinghamshire is a diamond drill-bit of a sharp reminder that the skills required for traditional manufacturing are alive and well.

Turning the wheels of industry

WH Davis is also currently producing infrastructure maintenance wagons for Ireland under a 10-year framework agreement that could eventually see up to 400 units delivered. It is a tangible example of a UK firm using modern engineering to solve logistical challenges, proving that we can still export high-value, steel-based products while supporting the long-term resilience of international rail networks. A Guinness all round to celebrate that.

Celebrations of relief too at Burton-upon-Trent, just 25 miles (40km) southwest of the Shirebrook factories. Here, the domestic shunting locomotive market has seen a vital “save” with the acquisition of Clayton Equipment assets by Clarke Chapman in January. Now operating as Clayton Locomotives Ltd, the Staffordshire firm was rescued from administration, ensuring that nearly a century of expertise, latterly in zero-emission and battery-hybrid locomotives, stays in British hands. This is a critical development for rail freight, as Clayton remains a leader in “last mile” low-emission shunting solutions that the industry desperately needs for decarbonisation. I feel compelled to return cynical type, and note that the rescue went completely below the governmental radar.

Titans of assembly and niche innovation

While the “Big Five” manufacturers—Alstom, Hitachi, Siemens, CAF, and Stadler—often operate as multinational entities, their UK plants are significant industrial hubs. Alstom’s Litchurch Lane in Derby remains the largest site of its kind in the country, currently balancing the delivery of HS2 stock with a follow-on order for the Elizabeth Line trains. Only this week, the site celebrated the unveiling of the first fully refurbished CrossCountry Voyager, part of a £60 million (€69m) programme that helps safeguard jobs and stabilise a landmark engineering site (there’s an onsite report at RailTech.com).

Notably, the much-maligned and politically divisive HS2 high-speed rail project is driving real benefits at ground level. It is driving a manufacturing renaissance across three key UK rail engineering sites. While Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe plant leads on body shell welding, Alstom’s Derby site will handle final assembly, and their historic Crewe Works has been tasked with manufacturing the bogies. It’s the first time these high-speed components have been built in Britain in a generation – just in time to pass on those skills to younger professionals, who, even if the railway does not provide a career, is certainly providing a pipeline to one.

Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe plant in County Durham continues to be a cornerstone of northern industrial identity, assembling the Intercity Express Programme and regional fleets. These sites are more than just assembly halls; they are crucibles for transferable skills. The precision engineering required for a passenger train body shell is not worlds apart from the requirements of a high-specification freight wagon or a heavy industrial component. These plants maintain a high-tech manufacturing culture that benefits the entire UK supply chain.

A foundation built on British steel and concrete

The manufacturing base extends beyond the rolling stock to the very fabric of the network. British Steel in Scunthorpe remains a world leader, producing the high-quality rail that keeps the UK moving – and exporting too. Similarly, the civil engineering side of the industry relies on specialist manufacturers like Pacadar UK, based on the Isle of Grain, where Kent is more the industrial backyard than the more familiar Garden of England.

Pacadar has been instrumental in the delivery of HS2, casting tens of thousands of concrete tunnel ring segments. The synergy between rail and heavy manufacturing is obvious. Many of these segments are transported to construction sites by rail, removing thousands of lorries from the road. This virtuous cycle sees rail freight support the manufacturing of the very infrastructure that will eventually expand the rail network itself, a point often missed in the broader economic debate.

The Rail Forum UK Rail Manufacturing Capability Brochure has just been published this month. serves as a “bible”, not just for the rail industry, but as a showcase for over 400 companies, all with the transferable skills and capacity to support British manufacturing. It is a compendium of industry, developing the expertise required to sustain the wider UK economy through high-value engineering and digital innovation. It underlines a fact that is largely ignored in the economic narrative. The UK rail industry is a modern industrial powerhouse hidden in plain sight. The ecosystem surrounding British railway ingenuity is still there. It is unfashionable, but it is a vital bedrock of our industrial future.

In other words, the company desperately needs new locomotives. It has found those in France, where a deal on the delivery of 55 new electric vehicles was signed in the presence of both French President Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky.

UZ points out that the price of Alstom’s high-power dual-system electric locomotives per axle and per kW of power is “competitive and advantageous”. The total value of the deal is 473 million euros, but the financial support from the World Bank and EBRD reduces the cost for the rail operator by 37%.

Operational improvements

The Alstom locomotives should help reduce operating costs by more than 30% and replace 80 old locomotives. UZ is expecting the first delivery in Q1 2027. The entire process should be completed by 2029.

“The new dual-system electric locomotives will be able to cover the distance from the main regions of cargo origin to the ports, while most routes currently have to change traction, which significantly delays traffic”, explains UZ.

Alstom’s locomotives deliver significant performance and maintenance improvements over the current UZ fleet. With a power output of 9,000 kW and a starting traction force of 800 kN, they can reach speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour. Moreover, 26% greater power enables them to pull trains that are 30% heavier than those pulled by existing electric locomotives.

Another important advantage is the drastically reduced maintenance schedule: the new locomotives require servicing only once every 37 days, compared to the current models’ need for maintenance every three days. That will likely double the operational readiness rate of the older fleet, reaching a projected 95%.

Opportunities for Ukrainian companies

Whereas the locomotives will be manufactured in France, the deal also creates opportunities for Ukrainian manufacturers, says UZ. “A preliminary agreement has been reached with Alstom on the possibilities of including Ukrainian manufacturers of various components in the supply during the service cycle, including safety systems, communication equipment, brake pads, wheelsets, cable and wire products, cooling systems, etc. An expanded meeting of the teams of Alstom, UZ and a wide range of domestic manufacturers of railway products is planned for the start of cooperation in the first quarter of 2026.”

Every year, millions of passengers see Polmadie Depot from the adjacent West Coast Main Line. It’s just a few miles from the terminus at Glasgow Central. However, only a tiny (and very lucky) fraction of that number were able to join the more than one thousand visitors last weekend. They experienced a unique lineup of historic and modern rolling stock, representing the fifteen decades of active service at the depot.

All traction maintained in the Empire’s Second City

The weekend (11-12 October 2025) was ticked off in the diary of every self-respecting railway enthusiast and professional. “Polmadie 150” was more than just a lifetime opportunity to celebrate the historic depot’s 150th anniversary. Alstom, the multi-disciplinary smart and sustainable mobility corporation, opened its Glasgow Traincare Centre to the public for the first time in 25 years.

Located about two miles (3.2km) south-east of Glasgow Central railway station, the Alstom facility is currently the main base of the iconic Caledonian Sleeper, serviced by over 100 staff, around the clock. Known as Polmadie Depot, it typically handles 17 trains per day, including Avanti West Coast’s fleet of Alstom-built tilting Class 390 Pendolinos. It’s also a vital front-line depot for all traction on the adjacent West Coast Main Line. It serves Europe’s busiest mixed traffic route, connecting the 400 miles (640km) between London and Glasgow, once known as the “Second City of the Empire”.

Proud railway heritage and industrial ingenuity

“Polmadie stands as more than a depot,” said Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom. “It represents a beacon of engineering excellence. A vital pillar in Scotland’s rich railway heritage. For 150 years, this site has played a crucial role in keeping the country moving. We’re incredibly proud of the dedicated teams who continue that tradition. It’s a privilege to honour this milestone with the community and showcase the people and technology that make Polmadie so special.”

The shed was originally opened on 16 September 1875 by the Caledonian Railway company. Polmadie was subsequently rebuilt and extended for the maintenance of steam engines and rolling stock. Some examples returned to Polmadie for the anniversary last Sunday (12 October). During the period of nationalisation from 1948, British Railways assigned the code 66A to the depot.

“Polmadie Depot is a living monument to Glasgow’s proud railway heritage,” said local politician Paul Sweeney. “Alstom’s open day is a fitting tribute to the generations of skilled workers who have dedicated their careers to benefiting passenger journeys and freight flows,” added the MSP for Glasgow. “It’s inspiring to see this iconic site continue to evolve, while honouring its remarkable past.”

Carrying on the tradition and generosity

Over one thousand visitors were welcomed by a unique lineup of more than 20 rail vehicles that have been based at the depot over the last 150 years. Veteran of the lineup was Caledonian Railway Number 419 (in its later identity as 15189), The steam locomotive was displayed courtesy of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS). Number 419 was built in 1907 for £1627 (about €1920) at the Caledonian Railway’s St Rollox Works (today known as Glasgow Works or ‘the Caley’) in the Springburn neighbourhood. Astonishingly, Glasgow was, in the early twentieth century, the manufacturing base of around a third of all locomotives worldwide.

In keeping with that manufacturing heritage, the next generation of motive power was on display, albeit none of the modern-day examples are built in Glasgow. The very latest and the most powerful ever bi-mode locomotive class was represented by GB Railfreight’s recently commissioned class 99 (99001). Another GB Railfreight locomotive – an example of the Class 92 (92023) was named “Polmadie 150 1875 – 2025” in recognition of the site’s milestone birthday. The locomotive was specifically chosen, as the previous locomotive to carry the name Polmadie was Virgin Trains’ Class 87 No. 87023.

Both classes have hauled mixed traffic in their operational lifetimes, including the cross-border “Caledonian Sleeper”. The ’92 has the unusual capability of operating from electric power supplied by overhead wires or third rail. All funds raised by the event will be split between Glasgow Traincare Centre’s two chosen charities, Beatson Cancer Charity and the Railway Children’s Glasgow Project. Fundraising efforts were further helped by the infrastructure agency Network Rail, which waived track access charges for the Branch Line Society charter into Polmadie Depot.

On-board ETCS L2

The ETCS version which will be tested over the next month in Italy allows for continuous information communication. This means that locomotives and trains can be constantly monitored in real-time, while with ETCS L1 the information is transmitted only when a train passes above a trackside balise.

‘Stable situation, but costs worry’

ETCS is always a hot topic, especially regarding the financing and the fragmentation among Member States, which are carrying out the project at different speeds. Lacchini pointed out that, thanks to the efforts made by the country’s infrastructure manager RFI, the situation is stable at the moment. “The fact that RFI agreed to proceed with the implementation of ETCS BL3.4 on board locomotives represented a major step forward for locomotive owners”, he explained.

However, “the organisation of test runs remains quite complex given the large number of fleets affected in relation to network availability”, Lacchini added. Another issue concerns the costs, which are higher than those imagined a few years ago, increasing the complexity of its financial sustainability. Various industry associations, including ERFA, AERRL and ALLRAIL, went as far as saying that the current costs for ETCS deployment outweigh the advantages it will bring.

Polmadie, Glasgow’s Traincare Centre, is marking its 150th anniversary this year, and the operators, Alstom, have just announced the first public open day in 25 years. The announcement comes just a few weeks after Alstom hosted “The Greatest Gathering” event at its Derby Litchurch Lane works in England. For that reason, a commemorative railtour will link Derby with Polmadie, making it a weekend for the enthusiasts – albeit with £150 to spare for the fare.

Serving freight and passenger

Alstom is opening the doors of its Glasgow Traincare Centre, historically known as Polmadie Depot, to celebrate the site’s 150th anniversary. Located around two miles south-east of Glasgow Central railway station, adjacent to the West Coast Main Line, the depot is a familiar sight to passengers and operators on Europe’s busiest mixed traffic route. The facility serves the full fleet of rolling stock and motive power on the route. It’s currently the main base of the Italian-built Pendolino fleet, and the iconic Caledonian Sleeper service, along with a varied selection of freight and passenger motive power.

Originally opened as Polmadie Shed on 16 September 1875 by the Caledonian Railway company, it was subsequently rebuilt and extended for the maintenance of steam engines and rolling stock. “For 150 years, Polmadie has continuously been a home to dedicated maintenance staff and train drivers that in turn have served passengers and freight across Scotland and along the West Coast Main Line,” said Rob Whyte, Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom. “Polmadie is more than just a depot. It’s a symbol of engineering excellence and commitment to keeping Britain moving, while inspiring the next generation to help us shape the future of rail.”

No sleep ’til Polmadie

Arriving by shuttle bus from Glasgow Central Station, visitors will be welcomed by a unique lineup of rolling stock that has been based at the depot over the last 150 years. This will include a Class 37 diesel from the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) – a locomotive design that’s still in use today, yet venerable enough to qualify for an old age pension. Even older (approaching a century since conception), examples of the class 08 shunter will be on display. Younger exhibits will include an electric class 90 (repurposed from passenger express work to haul fast freight), and many younger examples – including GBRf’s brand new and highly impressive class 99 bi-mode electro-diesel.

A novelty of the event will be an opportunity to examine at first hand the rolling stock of the Caledonian Sleeper. Several of its Mark 5 coaches will showcase the ‘hotel on wheels’ that links Scotland with London via the West Coast Main Line. Alstom says it also intends to offer family-friendly, hands-on activities to help inspire Scotland’s rail leaders of the future. Concurrently, the touring “Inspiration” train – a separate event marking 200 years of passenger railways – will be berthed at Glasgow Central and open by ticketed attendance.

Freight provides first-ever passenger train

Not only does 2025 mark the first time in 25 years that Polmadie Depot has opened to the public, celebrations are also being held around the world to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. Alstom marked Railway 200 in August when it hosted the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern trains. The Greatest Gathering took place at the company’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works between Friday 1 and Sunday 3 August, welcoming 40,000 visitors from around the world and raising thousands for charity.

The day before Polmadie’s open day, the Scottish maintenance facility will welcome its first-ever passenger train, giving railfans a unique opportunity to ride along rare track across the depot site. Hauled by two RailAdventure Class 43 locomotives – with Derby-built Mark 3 coaches from 125 Group. “Passengers will fittingly be able to board this special charter at Alstom’s Derby train factory, linking the two Railway 200 sites,” says Alstom. “At Polmadie, the unit will be shunted along multiple depot tracks by the facility’s resident Class 08 locomotives, 08451, 08764 and 08954.” Details from the Branch Line Society.

Proceeds from the events at Polmadie will support The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and the Railway Children’s Glasgow Project.

The new version of Alstom’s onboard system enables corridor interoperability under ETCS Baseline 3. “Notably, it reopens operations in Austria, where ETCS-only operations are authorised on dual-equipped Class B lines”, writes Alstom.

“Cross-border traffic is very important for freight transport in Europe. With the fully approved version VR01.5, our customers can continue to operate locomotives on corridors in Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia. This is an important step not only for us at Alstom, but for European rail interoperability as a whole,” Dan Kurucz added.

RegioJet and ČD Cargo

According to Alstom, the approval is particularly important for two Czech freight operators: RegioJet and ČD Cargo. RegioJet has 13 locomotives with software version VR01.5, of which six have been in operation in Czechia since late 2024 with a test permit. ČD Cargo has locomotives equipped with version VR01.2, which can now be upgraded to the new version.

Tucked into a corner of this magnificent line-up is the “Freight Focus”. It’s a compact and somewhat maguinalised exhibit that serves more as a footnote than a feature. A DB Cargo Class 60, a Freightliner 66, and a representation of heritage pieces. Interesting, yes. Celebrated? Not really. That’s a problem—not with the organisers, but with the industry mindset. Here, at the heart of British railway history, the goods that built the nation are practically a side-show.

25,000 vs 600: the numbers that matter

Standing here on Litchurch Lane under Derbyshire’s evening sunshine, you can’t help but be impressed. From Locomotion Number One to GBRf’s brand new ‘99, Alstom and their friends have assembled a once-in-a-generation collection of British rolling stock. Over 50 trains. Two centuries of engineering. A living timeline of rail innovation.

But for all the grandeur, what’s painfully clear is what’s missing. The extent to which freight made the railways necessary. True, there are few headlines (or ticket sales) to be earned from heavy hauls over Shap and intermodal innovation at the ports. Yet, it was rail freight that carried the nation from agrarian artisans to the industrialists who conquered the economic world.

Passing on the passion

The real story isn’t in the headboards or the polished paintwork. It’s in the timetable. Britain now runs about 25,000 passenger services a day, and a mere 600 freight trains. We have evolved from a country that built the railways to serve industry, to one that uses railways to ferry commuters between overpriced housing and underinsulated offices. Factories are few and far between – present surroundings excepted.

Alstom’s managing director in the UK, Rob Whyte, nevertheless, is quick to point out that there is much of which to be proud. That heritage of building trains transcends rail sectors. “Litchurch Lane is where generations of skilled workers have passed down their knowledge and passion,” he said. “We continue to invest in the future. I hope you feel inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead, not just for Alstom, but for the entire UK rail industry.” Certainly, seeing a nearly 70-year-old class 37 diesel standing next to a hardly 70-day-old class 99 is a rebuttal in shining metal that freight is sidelined in the modern railway.

Freight left behind

Derby through illustrates the radically different industrial landscape that awaits GBRf’s groundbreaking new locomotives. The stream of trains that once served heavy industry, and demanded the work horses of the 1960s, has vanished in the post-industrial 2020s. That situation reflects the wider state of the British economy.

There really is no consistent freight policy in the UK. We get strategy documents every few years, but no real commitment. Freight is expected to slot into a network built, planned and funded for passengers. The market is commercially strong but strategically unsupported. What was once the raison d’être of the railway now relies on goodwill, night paths, and a prayer that everything goes according to plan.

A mirror to a nation

The Greatest Gathering isn’t just a celebration of the past—it’s a reflection of the present. And what it reflects is a country that’s forgotten what the railway was for. We’ve become an island of importers and commuters, no longer a nation of manufacturers and movers. Even in Derby, the heart of railway production, we assemble trains with parts that have travelled further than most of the passengers who’ll ride them.

Not so, says Rob Whyte. He argues that Alstom at Litchurch Lane remains the only place in Britain where it’s possible to design, manufacture, test and deliver new trains. That much is true, but precious few of those trains are destined for the freight sector, and Britain’s remaining freight manufacturers are niche, rather than mass operators. The great works around the country no longer echo to the sounds of engineering production.

Not just nostalgia

It would be easy to dismiss this as romanticism, but it’s not. This is about strategy. About carbon. About resilience. Rail freight is cleaner, safer, and more scalable than road freight. Yet we treat it like a heritage act while pouring billions into passenger capacity. Freight policy is stuck in a loop. Ministers praise freight when asked, then forget it entirely when they sit down with the balance sheet.

Celebrating the past is easy. Planning for the future is harder. The Greatest Gathering is a triumph of preservation and pride. But if we want to be proud of British railways in another 20 years, we need to do more than polish locomotives. We need to back freight with policy, with investment, and with the recognition it deserves. Without goods, there were no passengers. Without freight, there was no railway. And without a plan, we may not have one much longer.

The move will more than double Yellow Rail’s workshop capacity and support the development of 25 new roles. It has been saluted as cementing Derby’s status as a powerhouse of rail industry activity and home to the UK’s only full-cycle train manufacturing site. The works has been in operation for almost a century and a half.

Making a future at a historic site

Yellow Rail, a subsidiary of the Buckland Rail group, will now call Derby’s iconic Litchurch Lane Works its home. The move gives the company room to grow its operations. It also places it at the heart of Europe’s largest rail cluster. The factory, first opened by the Midland Railway in 1876, continues to design, build and test rolling stock for both domestic and export markets.

“This is a transformative moment for Yellow Rail, said Paul Cunningham, Managing Director at Yellow Rail. “Relocating to Litchurch Lane not only gives us the vital space we need to expand our growing business. It also allows us to work more closely with Alstom and other industry partners to deliver cutting-edge solutions for our customers.”

Freight overhauls and fresh overalls

The company’s new base will allow overhaul operations for freight wagons and bogies to be scaled up significantly. Yellow Rail says it will also enable the integration of previously remote field service work into a centralised hub.

In practical terms, that means space to grow. The company is confident it will mean more jobs in the sector. “We are excited about the opportunities this move unlocks for our people, our partners and the wider rail community,” added Cunningham.

Backing from industry

Derby, which employs over 11,000 people across the rail sector, was selected in 2022 as the home of Great British Railways. The city is also developing a new industry cluster under the Rail Campus Derby banner. That initiative is designed to encourage investment, innovation and co-location among key players in the sector.

The announcement has been met with enthusiasm by both industry leaders and local politicians. Andy Butters, Managing Director of Derby Litchurch Lane Works at Alstom, welcomed the move as a reinforcement of Derby’s strengths and ambitions.“We are delighted to welcome Yellow Rail to our Derby site,” said Butters. “This collaboration is a first step to bringing Great British Railway’s plans for Rail Campus Derby to fruition.” GBR is the UK government’s plan to nationalise most of the railway industry, with its headquarters in Derby.

Move ahead of major celebration

“Yellow Rail’s move to Alstom’s Litchurch Lane site is a fantastic boost for Derby. Another clear vote of confidence in our city’s rail industry,” said Baggy Shanker, Labour MP for Derby South. “This relocation brings new skilled jobs to the area. [It] also strengthens Derby’s position at the forefront of UK rail innovation.”

Yellow Rail’s announcement coincides with preparations for “The Greatest Gathering“, a landmark event celebrating 200 years of rail heritage, hosted at Litchurch Lane from 1–3 August 2025. The transition from Yellow Rail’s current site elsewhere in Derby is expected to be completed by September this year.

Alstom would produce the 205 locomotives at its own plant in capital city Astana, the only manufacturer of electric locomotives in Kazakhstan, according to the company. Delivery is supposed to take place between 2029 and 2036.

Cheaper in use

The KZ6A locomotives are six-axle locomotives for mainline services and should replace old rolling stock from 1980. The new locomotives should be 40 per cent cheaper in use and reduce energy spending by 20 per cent compared to its predecessors. That is in part thanks to asynchronous traction motors that use copper in the rotor design for better conductivity.

“Alstom, one of the world’s leading producers of rail equipment, presented an offer for the delivery of six-axle electric freight locomotives of the new generation. The company has significant experience in developing and producing high-quality locomotives, having established itself as a trustworthy partner for CIS countries and Europe”, commented the Kazakh transport ministry.

The agreement made between Alstom and CLIP Intermodal for five new Traxx locomotives follows a similar one signed a year ago for 13 units. Thus, the Polish company will receive a total of 18 locomotives from Alstom. The vehicles will be homologated to operate “in Poland, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary”, the manufacturer said. The locomotives will be equipped with ETCS thanks to Alstom’s Onvia Cab™.