Any idea what the reasoning was for that? Seemed to be a perfect place for it, right next to the ECML and A1.
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Hitatchi IEP - Newton Aycliffe Site favoured
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Any idea what the reasoning was for that? Seemed to be a perfect place for it, right next to the ECML and A1.
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sprinterguy
Veteran Member
Agreed, The south end of Tyne Yard is a large area of disused railway owned land that doesn't have much hope of finding any other purpose in life, but is close to both the ECML and the A1 so access for an IEP factory wouldn't be a problem, and the trains could be rolled straight out onto the national network for movement for testing. It makes so much sense!
And responding to a previous post, Washwood Heath works hasn't been levelled at all as far as I know, just decommissioned: The buildings I've seen pics of half finished Pendolinos poking out of in about 2001 are still there.
And responding to a previous post, Washwood Heath works hasn't been levelled at all as far as I know, just decommissioned: The buildings I've seen pics of half finished Pendolinos poking out of in about 2001 are still there.
57315
Member
Washwood Heath is indeed still intact.
Nothing has been levelled in that area as far as i can tell.
Remember Hanson Traction, Boden Rail and Colas use the site.
Geezertronic
Established Member
I'm quite embarrassed now, I live 15 mins away and I thought it had disappeared. I'll have to take a drive up there when I am next in that area 
Bish Boy
Member
No idea on the reasoning they just seem really focused on Aycliffe for some reason maybe tax incentives or maybe they already have a deal with tees port?
Not allowed. Tenders must be open to companies across the EU. And before anyone rants at me, plenty of British companies have made use of this law in other countries so yes it does work both ways.
I know how the tendering process works, and in many cases it's silly even if it's well intentioned. (Off topic) My parents have a company that has to put out contracts to tender throughout the EU, even for tiny contracts. They get tenders from foreign businesses that make no obvious attempt to win, and probably don't even know what they're actually tendering for. They're equivalents of Serco and the like, so if they did win by some fluke, they'd find out what to do and how many staff they'd need then (in reality, they'd probably sub-let it to one of the other contractors that bid on their own!). It's hard to believe that a company from the other end of the EU would come over to run a maintenance contract on a handful of properties dotted around the UK, but apply they do.
What I meant was a requirement that a company must build them here, even if a foreign company was to win the actual contract. It's a bit different for something big like a fleet of trains.
What I meant was a requirement that a company must build them here, even if a foreign company was to win the actual contract. It's a bit different for something big like a fleet of trains.
But surely if - say - a Belgian company won the contract and wanted to build them in Belgium, could anyone here stop them without falling foul of freedom laws? Please correct me if I'm wrong but afaik they can't.
Must be something to want to build them there. Both Tyne Yard and Netwon Aycliffe are good sites very close to the ECML so must be something to do with supplies easier to get to Newton Aycliffe. That area has quite a lot of manufacturing for vehicles so wonder if it is something to do with that?
sprinterguy
Veteran Member
Tbh it would be nice to see train building to return to the area around Shildon, it's sort of a fitting tribute, even if I am still bemused by the Tyne Yard decision.
Bish Boy
Member
Don't know how much manufacturing of trains they intend to do. As i understood it they were gonna be flat pack carriages and the locos were gonna come ready made off the boat. Yet they talk about 800 jobs and 7000 in the supply chain.
Hitachi said they'd have a test track loop at Aycliffe would Tyne yard have the space for a loop?
Hitachi said they'd have a test track loop at Aycliffe would Tyne yard have the space for a loop?
MCR247
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So these would be the IKEA equivalent of trains! 
So these would be the IKEA equivalent of trains!
As were the Pendolinos...
MCR247
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True forgot about them, they were built in Washwood Heath weren't they?
sprinterguy
Veteran Member
They were put together at Washwood Heath, the complete bodyshells were shipped over from Italy, pre-painted, and assembled with the bogies, which were also imported in. Very similar to what was done with the Voyagers in Wakefield.
It seems that train building these days consists primarily of just fitting together the pre-assembed parts, that have been shipped in from somewhere else.
It's what manufacturing in general is these days, and that's no bad thing. Using everyone's specialism to get efficiencies gets the job done quicker, smoother and at better value than the old 'one hut does all' idea. A modern car plant is the best example - it's really just an assembly plant, welding together stuff from across the world to make the finished product.
Amusingly enough the Pendolinos were Fiats...
I can just picture in my head people here opening up the boxes, putting all the bits of the train out on the floor and reading the instructions while opening the bag of screws and counting them out into separate piles to check they're all there.
No doubt Bombardier have a room full of all the bits left over that they couldn't find where to go on the 377/5s!
No doubt Bombardier have a room full of all the bits left over that they couldn't find where to go on the 377/5s!
TrainBrain185
Member
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne...Train_contract_savings_boost_hope_for_region/
Read on....Surely she means the InterCity225?
Read on....Surely she means the InterCity225?
I don't see why she would mean the 225s, the 225s don't really need any major work for them to continue in service for some time yet (well perhaps an interior refresh would be nice, some of the seats are beginning to look a little worn). Whilst the HSTs will need an upgrade as their last upgrade was done with a view to keeping them in service into the middle of this decade at which point it was expected IEP would arrive and replace them. IEP was always intended to replace HSTs first and then possibly the 225s out in the 2020s.
swt_passenger
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Not originally. The ITT published back in early 2007 had a Phase 1 which included both 8 full length bi-mode and 24 full length electric sets to be in use on the ECML by 2015/16. The GWML followed on straight after this in 2016/17.
However, the changes following the sudden decision to electrify the GWML made the ITT plans obsolete before anything had even been decided...
I stand corrected.
swt_passenger
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It definitely isn't easy to keep track of the changes, so I wasn't intending to be critical of your understanding of the later position. I'm sure this weeks plan, if there is one, will be different again...
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