Rail engineering services firm to relocate to Alstom site

A specialist rail engineering services provider is to relocate to Alstom’s historic Litchurch Lane Works in Derby.

Yellow Rail, which is part of the Buckland Rail group, is to move to firm’s train manufacturing site, which will allow it to more than double its current workshop space dedicated to the overhaul of freight wagons and bogies.

The long-term lease will also provide ample space for growth, allowing remote field service activities to be brought on to the site and enable Yellow Rail to create around 25 new roles.

Paul Cunningham, managing director at Yellow Rail, said: “This is a transformative moment for Yellow Rail.

“Relocating to Litchurch Lane not only gives us the vital space we need to expand our growing business, but it also allows us to work more closely with Alstom and other industry partners to deliver cutting-edge solutions for our customers.

“We are excited about the opportunities this move unlocks for our people, our partners and the wider rail community.”

With its impressive rail heritage and position at the heart of Europe’s largest rail cluster, the city of Derby employs more than 11,000 people in sector companies.

In 2022, Derby was chosen by the Government as the home of Great British Railways following a vote by the public between contender cities.

Meanwhile, an industry-wide hub – known as Rail Campus Derby – has also been established to co-locate businesses in the orbit of the new headquarters to encourage innovation and investment.

Andy Butters, managing director of Derby Litchurch Lane Works at Alstom, said: “We are delighted to welcome Yellow Rail to our Derby site, an organisation that reflects our shared commitment to the future of rail in the UK.

“This collaboration is a testament to the strength of our city’s rail ecosystem and our ambition to keep it thriving for generations to come, while also representing a first step to bringing Great British Railway’s plans for Rail Campus Derby to fruition.”

Derby Litchurch Lane is one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, and the only UK facility that designs, engineers, builds and tests trains for domestic and export markets.

The factory was opened by the Midland Railway in 1876, and the city of Derby has been building trains continually since 1839.

Baggy Shanker, Labour MP for Derby South, said: “Yellow Rail’s move to Alstom’s Litchurch Lane site is a fantastic boost for Derby and another clear vote of confidence in our city’s rail industry.

“This relocation not only brings new skilled jobs to the area but also strengthens Derby’s position at the forefront of UK rail innovation. I’m proud to see our city continue to lead the way in shaping the future of rail.”