RMT calls for London Overground trains to be built in Derby

TfL has shortlisted the bidders for the trains which are due to arrive in 2017 and which will run on new London Overground routes out of Liverpool Street station and also replace the current two-car diesel trains on the Gospel Oak Barking route. RMT says that the development should come with an explicit commitment from London Overground to both protect existing jobs and expand employment opportunities into the future.

The shortlisted companies are:

• Siemens Mobility Rolling Stock
• Hitachi Rail Europe
• Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A. (CAF)
• Bombardier Transportation

The successful bidder will be announced in Spring 2015 and will be contracted to supply 39 new four-car, electric, metro-style trains to operate high-frequency, high-capacity suburban services in and around London . Thirty-one new trains will operate on routes recently devolved from the West Anglia franchise to TfL which run between Liverpool Street and Enfield Town, Cheshunt (via Seven Sisters) and Chingford as well as the Romford to Upminster route. Eight of the electric units will be allocated to the Gospel Oak to Barking service to replace the current two-carriage diesel trains.

Mick Cash, RMT acting general secretary said.

“After the Thameslink fleet fiasco it is extraordinary that Siemens are being given another kick of the ball on a major London rolling stock project.

“The socio-economic benefits of keeping a viable UK train building operation in Derby have to be a major consideration with 10,000 jobs in both the supply chain and at the Bombardier plant itself dependent on its survival.”