A new £6 million rail innovation and training centre has officially opened at Barrow Hill in Derbyshire, providing a dedicated hub for rail businesses, researchers and learners.
The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle (DRIIVe) has been developed to support skills development, research and innovation across the rail sector, offering specialist training facilities, research laboratories and commercial workshop space.
The facility was officially opened by Ivan Fomin, Independent Business Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, whose programme provided the majority of the project’s funding. Additional investment came from the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and Chesterfield Borough Council.
Supporting the future rail workforce
Located alongside the historic Barrow Hill Roundhouse, DRIIVe has been designed to support rail-related education from Level 2 qualifications through to postgraduate research, while also providing facilities for businesses developing new technologies and products.
The centre includes modern classrooms, specialist training areas, a digital laboratory for research and development, and flexible commercial workshop space for rail supply chain companies.
Ivan Fomin said: “It is fantastic to be able to open this new innovation centre – it represents everything we are trying to achieve through the Town Deal. We want Staveley to be a town where people can start, stay and grow. Providing training facilities but also space for business will help ensure that local people can develop the skills they need to build fantastic careers in the rail sector.”
Driving innovation and regional growth
The project has been delivered by Chesterfield Borough Council in partnership with the Barrow Hill Engine Shed Society, with Barrow Hill Ltd responsible for the day-to-day management of the facility.
As well as supporting skills development, the centre is intended to attract rail businesses to the area and strengthen the region’s position as a centre for rail innovation.
Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice-Chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board, said: “DRIIVe represents our ambition to be a leading destination for the rail industry – it will not only provide training and a base for businesses but also has the facilities needed to carry out cutting-edge research and development. We expect that having a facility like this will help attract businesses to the nearby East Midlands Industrial Zone site.
“DRIIVe will ensure that local people have access to training which will enable them to gain the right skills to access good quality jobs created by new businesses being attracted to the area.
“Partnership sits at the heart of DRIIVe and we want to continue working with businesses to ensure DRIIVe supports the sector, but we also want to use this facility to inspire the next generation of rail engineers. We are already developing a detailed outreach programme for local schools to achieve this. DRIIVe is an ambitious project, and I am confident it will be truly transformational for our borough.”
Strengthening the East Midlands rail cluster
The centre is expected to become a base for rail supply chain businesses, giving companies access to specialist facilities and supporting collaboration between industry and academia.
Mervyn Allcock, General Manager of Barrow Hill Ltd, said: “This is a fantastic new facility, and we’ve been receiving lots of interest from businesses who want to make use of this space. Barrow Hill has been at the centre of Chesterfield’s rail sector for over 150 years, and this development will help ensure we can continue that proud history and support the modern railway industry.”
Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward said the project would play an important role in supporting the region’s wider economic ambitions.
She said: “The Derbyshire Rail Industry Innovation Vehicle is a fantastic example of how targeted investment into our region’s strengths can create lasting benefits. By putting funding into this project, we’ve helped bring this important project to life, accelerating the delivery of specialist skills and supporting the future of the rail industry.
“The opening of DRIIVe is a significant milestone in the wider regeneration of the area, which will also unlock future opportunities at nearby sites such as Hartington Staveley as part of our East Midlands Investment Zone ambitions. As we work to attract investment from clean energy industries and advanced manufacturing, facilities like this give us a strong platform to grow our high-value sectors, including rail, where the East Midlands has heritage, a strong track record, and a real competitive advantage.”
Backed by Town Deal funding
Construction of the facility was completed earlier this year by contractor Stepnell, with the majority of the funding provided through the Government-backed Staveley Town Deal, which awarded £25.2 million to support regeneration projects across the area.
Tom Sewell, Director at Stepnell, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate the completion of DRIIVe as it opens its doors to businesses, researchers and learners. Building on an established relationship with Chesterfield Borough Council from previous schemes, we had a clear understanding of the council’s ambitions for this project as part of the Staveley Town Deal.
“Through close engagement with the public we helped to create meaningful opportunities throughout the build, including employability support and targeted local spend with our trusted supply chain. DRIIVe is a first-class centre that will be a catalyst for innovation and growth in the rail industry, and we’re delighted to have played our part in bringing this specialist facility to life.”
The opening of DRIIVe reflects the growing focus on developing specialist rail skills and accelerating innovation to support the future needs of the UK railway, while reinforcing the East Midlands’ position as one of Britain’s leading rail industry clusters.
