Siemens Mobility has officially opened its new £100 million Rail Technology Centre in Chippenham, strengthening the UK’s capability to design, manufacture and develop advanced signalling systems for domestic and international railway networks.
The facility, located at SouthPoint Business Park, will serve as a global centre of excellence for railway signalling and control technology, supporting the industry’s transition towards digital train control systems.
The opening was attended by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, marking a significant investment in British rail manufacturing and engineering.
The new centre replaces Siemens Mobility’s historic neighbouring facility, with all 800 local employees successfully transferred without disrupting production.
Supporting Britain’s digital railway transformation
The facility will focus on developing and manufacturing advanced railway technologies, including computer-based interlockings and the European Train Control System (ETCS).
These systems are central to modernising Britain’s railway, enabling more sophisticated train control and supporting improvements in network capacity, reliability and operational efficiency.
The investment also reinforces Chippenham’s longstanding position within the railway signalling industry, with engineering and manufacturing activity at the site dating back to 1897.
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “Siemens Mobility’s new rail technology centre is a real boost for Chippenham and a vote of confidence in Britain’s rail industry. The digital signalling produced on site will help our railways become more reliable and safer, whilst strengthening our skills base by supporting hundreds of local jobs and apprenticeships.”
Rob Morris, Managing Director of Siemens Mobility UK and Ireland, said: “There is huge ambition to transform Britain’s railways by bringing track and train together to create a simpler, more reliable service for passengers and freight. Our new centre strengthens our ability to design, test and manufacture the next generation of rail technology, just like Chippenham has done for over a century. The systems developed here will support millions of passenger journeys, helping to deliver a more reliable railway across Britain while serving rail networks around the world.”
Part of wider £360m UK investment
The Chippenham development forms part of Siemens Mobility’s wider £360 million investment in the UK, which includes up to £240 million in its Goole Rail Village.
Built to the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard, the new centre incorporates energy-efficient offices and production facilities, alongside landscaping designed to deliver a 10% net increase in biodiversity.
Jeremy Westlake, Chief Executive of Network Rail, said: “Siemens Mobility’s new site is a big step forward for Britain’s railway, as the industry embraces innovative technologies in order to deliver a more reliable service for the public. Our railway is undergoing a generational change as we move to Great British Railways, and through programmes such as the East Coast Digital Programme, we’re already seeing what close collaboration between partners throughout the sector can achieve for passengers and freight.”
Investment in skills and future engineers
The opening also featured a national science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) lesson, presented by BAFTA-winning science communicator Maddie Moate and broadcast to more than 1,000 primary school children.
The event highlighted the importance of attracting young people into engineering and demonstrating the career opportunities available within the railway industry.
Siemens welcomed 326 apprentices, graduates and interns across its UK and Ireland business last year. Its education and skills programmes also reached more than 600,000 students, teachers and community members, supporting over 2,800 schools.
The new Chippenham centre combines more than a century of local railway engineering heritage with modern manufacturing and research capabilities, positioning the facility to support future digital signalling projects across Britain and international markets.
