A Chippenham groundbreaking

Just over a year ago in March 2024, Siemens Mobility announced to the press it would develop a brand-new premises in Chippenham and release the old site just to the north of the railway station. Siemens and its forbears (principally Westinghouse) had been on that site since 1897. With modern day signalling technology moving into the digital age, the old site was no longer fit for purpose, hence the decision to move to a green field location on the south side of the town.

One year on, another ceremony took place on 4 April to mark the beginning of the construction with the obligatory ‘silver spades’ being part of the action. The great and the good were duly assembled on a beautiful spring day.

A government presence

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy opened the formal proceedings explaining that £340 million was being invested in the UK as part of the rail reform agenda and acknowledging the £100 million that Siemens is investing in the Chippenham project.

The new premises will provide for 800 jobs with 47 apprentices, that being an expanding workforce for the area. It is calculated that around £80 million of benefit for the local economy will result.

In the bigger picture of things, the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) is now underway, after considerable debate and delay, and the rail industry in its entirety has been invited to take part in the consultation that will conclude on 15 April. GBR will provide a single guiding mind for rail, much needed to replace the disjointed thinking which exists today that does not yield the best service for passengers or freight.

Although much of the industry will come under government control, always remembering that Network Rail and several train operating companies are already in that state, private investment will remain vital for the outcome envisaged. Knowing that Siemens has a huge involvement in rail engineering, the message is that there will be no further investment in diesel-only trains so the development of electric and battery trains, including hybrid versions, will be all important.

The Trans Pennine Route Upgrade will create a 70-mile electrified railway where new trains and digital signalling will be at the forefront of technology. Siemens Mobility will be a significant part of this provision. Elsewhere, the East Coast digital programme will fully introduce ETCS on the Finsbury Park to Moorgate section in May with lineside signals removed, a pre-runner to ETCS introduction on the Welwyn to Hitchin section that is under test at the moment and then onwards along the line as far as Grantham.

The Siemens perspective

Rob Morris, Siemens Mobility’s joint managing director, emphasised that this was a major milestone for the company. It is considered a back drop for the change that is coming for the signalling industry in terms of its technology and implementation. It is to be hoped that rail investment will continue to permit programmes such as the East Coast ETCS to proceed northwards, the Midlands Hub project to begin, and the replacement of some very old trains on London Underground to go ahead despite the difficult times ahead for the national economy.

The company would wish for a constructive partnership with government to continue the transformative projects that have happened in recent times. Examples of these are the Elizabeth Line signalling, the newly opened line to Ashington in Northumberland, the use of modular signalling on the North Wales Coast, plus four contracts for HS2. The new Chippenham site will have a positive impact for job opportunities and especially the recruitment of apprentices within the local area. The investment represents a promise for the future.

Keeping it in the family

Siemens is proud of the number of employees who have predecessors going back many years who also worked for the Chippenham company in its various guises. One of these, Alex Orledge is a fifth-generation member of staff and he especially remembered his grandmother Margaret (Miggie) Orledge. Alex is now a licensed tester, a very important role in the commissioning of signalling projects.

The new site

Although the ceremonial ‘spades in the ground’ was duly performed, this was symbolic rather than the real start of construction. Groundwork is already well underway, and the site is a hive of activity with lorries and earth moving equipment arriving and departing almost non-stop. Some of the steel framework is already erected and one gets a sense of urgency as to the progress being made.

Artist’s impressions of the finished building are there to be seen. The new premises will include research and development labs, project design and planning offices, and the all-important manufacturing capability of which around 50% of the floor space will be allocated for that. Keeping the industry supplied with spares for existing signalling systems remains an important element of the business plan, so the supply of relays, point machines, and such like will continue for as long as customers require them.

It is intended that the new site will become operational in 2026 which is not long given the building work and fitting out that has to happen.

Final thoughts on future signalling direction

It was good of Siemens to grant time for those of us from the railway media to have a few words with Lord Peter Hendy and Rob Morris. The UK roll out of ETCS seems to be proceeding at a very slow pace when considering that the Cambrian scheme was commissioned in 2010. In terms of logistics, that was relatively easy as it was a self-contained railway with primarily only a single type of train. Similarly, the Thameslink core is akin to a metro line with all trains being the same type with a standard stopping pattern.

The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is entirely different and, although the completion date of 2029 seems an awful long way off, this is the first real test for ETCS on a mixed traffic railway. The technology bit is relatively easy but the way the line will be operated is a major challenge. The training of drivers, other train borne crew, and control room staff takes on a new dimension, let alone all the people involved with train planning and deployment.

The fitting of rolling stock with ETCS kit and the reluctance of operators to create captive fleets means that around 80% of all trains must be equipped before the removal of conventional signals on the ECML can happen. Hence the time needed for all this to happen is considerable, but it will bode well for the future of ETCS on the next set of routes earmarked for transformation.

Both gentlemen were aware of the radio upgrade from GSM-R to FRCMS which will need to go alongside the ETCS programme which is re-assuring and Siemens, both at its Chippenham and Poole sites, is well aware of the challenges this project will represent.
Siemens Mobility has to be thanked for opening up to the wider world what the new site will mean for the rail industry and the county of Wiltshire. Rail Engineer will monitor progress as the new site takes shape.

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