Derby wins race to become Great British Railways HQ

Derby has won the race to become the new HQ of Great British Railways (GBR).

The city has beaten off competition from five other cities to land the title, including Birmingham, Crewe, Doncaster, Newcastle and York.

Derby will now become home to some of the most senior rail executives in the country, who will be in charge of Britain’s rail network.

GBR will be a semi-independent body in charge of a restructured railway, replacing Network Rail and parts of the Department for Transport (DfT). It will act as a “guiding mind” for rolling stock and infrastructure.

In October 2021, the Government opened a competition to find a location for the GBR headquarters, with historical ties to the railways and good train connectivity being among the selection criteria.

Derby already has strong links to the rail industry as home to trainmaker Alstom, which is the UK’s only facility with the expertise and capacity to both design and manufacture rolling stock.

The city is also home to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and major players in the automotive and aviation industry such as Rolls-Royce and Toyota.

GBR’s presence in Derby could bring millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs to the region.

Maria Machancoses, chief executive of Midlands Connect, said: “I am thrilled to hear Derby has been selected as the home for the new Great British Railways HQ.

“It is an excellent choice; Derby is right in the heart of the country and is home to the greatest cluster of rail sector businesses in the UK and indeed Europe making it a perfect location for the home of GBR.

“Investing in Derby is a therefore a clear vote of confidence for the rail industry bringing a host of job opportunities to the region and we look forward to working together with GBR on our plans, including the Midlands Rail Hub.”

The city was shortlisted from 42 expressions of interest from towns and cities across the country.

Derby scored highest in the Expression of Interest stage of the competition, which analysed its suitability against six published criteria: levelling up, connectivity, opportunities for GBR, value for money, heritage and public support. It also scored highest in the six-week public vote, attracting 45,600 votes, more than 5,000 ahead of the second placed location in a total vote of 205,000.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “This is fantastic news for Derby, cementing the city’s position as a national centre of the rail industry while delivering a huge boost to the local economy.

“Derby and the rail industry go hand-in-hand, with a 200-year legacy as the centre of UK rail remaining highly relevant today as the home of the country’s largest train factory, alongside the many small businesses in the supply chain that have established one of Europe’s largest rail clusters.

“Bringing the Great British Railways headquarters to Derby builds on this expertise, further developing the skillsets from its industrial heritage and shines a spotlight on the city’s economic strengths.

“When combined with other exciting regional projects such as the East Midlands Freeport, this will help to attract new investment from companies that may wish to be located near a national centre of excellence and create jobs for these skills to thrive – benefits that will be felt across the wider region and all relevant to the Government’s levelling up agenda.”

Nick Crossfield, managing director of Alstom UK & Ireland, said: “Derby is the heart of Britain’s rail industry, and a key cluster for advanced engineering manufacturing with the likes of Alstom, Rolls-Royce and Toyota; it is the natural choice to host Great British Railways.

“Alstom directly employs 2000 of our people in the city and our factory is a leading global centre for train design and advanced manufacturing. Importantly, it is the only site in the UK where trains can be designed, developed, built and tested – as we will be doing for the next generation train for HS2. Having GBR in the city will help foster greater rail sector collaboration and help attract and retain the young people so vital to all our futures.”

East Midlands Railway (EMR) MD Will Rogers added: “It is absolutely fantastic news that the home of EMR will also be the home of Great British Railways, too. 

“Although Derby has a proud rail history, we also know it has a bright and exciting future too and we look forward to working closely with GBR, as well as the current rail and engineering cluster to deliver a better and simpler railway for the country in the years to come.”