Siemens UK Rail Upgrades: £340M Investment, Tech & Jobs

Introduction

Siemens Mobility has opened a £6m multi-functional centre in Northampton to facilitate modifications and upgrades to passenger trains in the UK.

Multi-Functional Centre in Northampton

The new centre, officially opened with the attendance of Lucy Rigby KC MP, Member of Parliament for Northampton North, is designed to increase Siemens Mobility’s capacity for train refurbishment projects. The facility is expected to generate new employment opportunities in the region. The Northampton centre will focus on various train upgrades, including interior modifications such as seating, toilets, luggage storage, and charging ports. The first project at the site will involve refurbishing East Midland Railway’s (EMR) Class 360 trains. According to Siemens Mobility, the construction of the multi-functional centre has resulted in a reported 17% net gain for biodiversity.

Mobile Technical Team

Siemens Mobility has established a mobile team of technicians to perform modification work on passenger trains throughout the country. This team recently completed the installation of Variable Rate Sanding technology on a third-party fleet to improve braking performance in slippery conditions. The next mobile project will focus on upgrading train data recorders (OTDR), which will introduce mobile connectivity to third-party fleets and enhance operational reliability.

Investment and Expansion

Siemens Mobility joint CEO and rolling stock and customer services managing director Sambit Banerjee stated that the new Multi-Functional Centre at Kings Heath represents a further investment by Siemens Mobility in the UK. The £6m investment is designed to expand capacity for vital upgrades for passenger trains and create 30 additional jobs. Recent investments by Siemens Mobility in the UK total up to £340m. This includes up to £240m in the Rail Village in Goole, Yorkshire, where the company is assembling new Piccadilly line trains for Transport for London and plans to produce battery bi-mode trains. An additional £100m is being invested in Chippenham, Wiltshire, where the Rail Technology Centre is under development. Siemens Mobility has also opened new distribution and logistics centres in Kettering and Goole to improve material delivery efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint associated with logistics.

International Presence

Siemens Mobility recently unveiled its Velaro high-speed train to the Egyptian public for the first time at TransMEA 2025 in Cairo, a major event dedicated to transportation and logistics in the Middle East and Africa.

Conclusion

Siemens Mobility has invested in a new multi-functional centre in Northampton and a mobile technical team to enhance passenger train services. These initiatives are part of a larger investment strategy in the UK, totaling £340m, and include projects in Goole, Chippenham, and international events such as TransMEA 2025 in Cairo.

Company Summary

Siemens Mobility: Siemens Mobility has launched a £6m multi-functional centre in Northampton to facilitate modifications and upgrades to passenger trains in the UK. The company also established a mobile team of technicians, to carry out modification work on passenger trains across the country.

East Midland Railway (EMR): The first project at the Northampton site will involve refurbishing East Midland Railway’s (EMR) Class 360 trains.

Transport for London: Siemens Mobility is assembling new Piccadilly line trains for Transport for London in Goole, Yorkshire.

Technology

Variable Rate Sanding technology: The mobile team recently completed the installation of Variable Rate Sanding technology on a third-party fleet to address braking performance in slippery conditions.

OTDR (train data recorders): The next mobile project will involve upgrading train data recorders (OTDR), which will introduce mobile connectivity to third-party fleets and support operational reliability.