Engineering news
Hitachi Rail Europe, the company building and maintaining the new InterCity Express Trains to run on the Great Western route, has created 150 roles at its Stoke Gifford depot.
The newly-built £80 million facility, which is located near to Bristol Parkway station, will ready the trains for passenger services. Day to day tasks will include engine tests, changing wheel sets and running thorough inspections of the trains.
The first wave of the new trains to be introduced on passenger services is being built at HRE’s UK train manufacturing facility at Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.
HRE, which has a contract to maintain trains at Stoke Gifford for the next 27-and-a-half-years, said it is looking to recruit from a variety of sectors such as aviation, automotive, and the military, as well as those groups often underrepresented in rail such as women and young people.
The ambition to make the site a long-term centre of excellence has placed an importance on educating the next generation about the merits of working in rail, the company said.
Links are being forged with local schools and colleges where HRE will demonstrate the wide-range of opportunities available in rail industry, as well as promoting participation in Stem subjects.
Stoke Gifford will recruit four new apprentices ever year once the site is fully operational.
Depot manager Gary Martin said: “Our newly built facility is a clean and modern environment which will break all traditional stereotypes of a train depot. To house 21st century trains Hitachi Rail Europe has designed a truly forward looking facility offering exciting opportunities for local people.
“As well as building new trains and depots, we are also investing in a new generation of rail workers. We want the widest range of talents and skills as we gear up towards the new trains coming into service later this year,” he added.