Siemens' Goole factory to build more Tube trains

A factory in East Yorkshire will build most of the new trains for a London Underground line, it has been announced.

Siemens Mobility said its Goole facility, which is due to open in the spring, would produce 80% of trains for the Piccadilly line - up from 50% previously announced.

They are expected to enter service in 2025, the company said.

The factory, which forms part of the town's £200m rail village, was first announced in 2018.

Sambit Banerjee, joint chief executive of Siemens Mobility, said: "This is a truly exciting milestone not just for us but the industry and local economies.

"The fact we will be increasing the amount of Piccadilly line tube trains being built in Goole is a testament of our manufacturing capabilities."

The first Piccadilly line train was built in Vienna and is undergoing testing by engineers in Germany.

The trains have been designed to improve accessibility and are more energy efficient, the company said.

Stuart Harvey, the chief capital officer at Transport for London (TfL), said: "Producing more Piccadilly line trains in Goole will support local supply chains, clearly demonstrating how investment in London benefits the whole of the UK."

Officials at TfL also said the Goole factory would produce a new fleet for the Bakerloo line once government funding is confirmed.

The rail village includes a service facility, logistics warehouse and development hub.

Siemens Mobility said it would establish the area as a centre of excellence for UK rail technology, creating up to 700 jobs. A further 1,700 jobs will be created in the supply chain, it added.

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