Hundreds of Jobs Secured at County Durham Train Factory after Hitachi Closes £500m Deal

By Evans Momodu
2 minute read

The Hitachi rail manufacturing plant in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has secured a significant lifeline with a £500 million investment that ensures the continuation of operations and safeguards 700 jobs.

The plant will build 14 new five-carriage trains for use on the Carmarthen-London route and East Coast Mainline service, beginning in 2027.

These trains will also enhance capacity on Lumo and Hull Trains services. A potential follow-up investment of £460 million could allow the construction of an additional 13 five-car trains. The project is a partnership between First Group, leasing company Angel Trains, and Hitachi.

The workforce had been facing a gap in its production schedule before beginning work on HS2 trains, raising fears of potential job losses.

Sir Keir Starmer, who visited the plant during his campaign, called the deal a fulfillment of his promise to protect the workforce, who had previously faced uncertainty.

This contract represents a positive development for UK rail infrastructure, highlighting private sector collaboration and local government support. It also marks Angel Trains’ first major announcement in six years, signaling renewed investment confidence in the sector.

The announcement comes in the same week as the Department for Transport's move to nationalise three rail operators — South West Rail, c2c, and Greater Anglia — under the government’s Great British Rail plans.

This contract ensures stability for Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe site and reinforces its position as a key player in the UK’s rail manufacturing industry.
Source: Sky news 
Image: LBC