Yorkshire factory chosen to make more trains for London Underground

Siemens Mobility’s factory in East Yorkshire has been selected to manufacture most of the new trains for a London Underground line.

The facility in Goole, which is due to launch in spring, is to produce 80% of trains for the Piccadilly line – which is up from 50% previously announced. The trains are expected to enter service in 2025.

Plans for the factory, which is part of the town’s £200m rail village, were first revealed 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 of the new Piccadilly line trains was built in Vienna and is currently being tested by engineers in Germany.

The trains have been designed to enhance accessibility and energy efficiency.

Stuart Harvey, 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 confirmed the Goole factory would make a new fleet for the Bakerloo line once Government funding for this is confirmed.

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

Siemens Mobility said it intends to establish this location as a “centre of excellence for UK rail technology”, creating up to 700 jobs, with a further 1,700 job roles to be created in the supply chain.