London, UK, 2015-Sep-14
Adults and children will be fascinated at the behind the scenes look at the operational rail depot in Old Oak Common Lane, Acton, where the Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect electric train fleets that whisk people to and from the airport are maintained by Siemens.
Visitors will be able to view a train up on jacks ready for maintenance, take a walk under a stationery train to see how it works, sit in a driver’s cab, and get hands-on with real train parts. Paddington Bear will also be making regular appearances.
The traincare facility is opening its doors for the first time since it was opened in 1998, joining forces with London Transport Museum Acton Depot a few miles away for a ‘Design Uncovered’ transport theme.
Younger visitors to the Siemens Heathrow Express site are invited to design their own train carriage for a chance to win a return ride for two in the cab of a Heathrow Express train, with all ages invited to hear about the recent re-design of the Heathrow Express Class 332 interior for a superior passenger experience and how modern Siemens trains are designed.
Fraser Brown, Director of Heathrow Express said:
“For one day only Heathrow Express and our engineers Siemens who maintain our trains are drawing back the curtain so that visitors can visit our depot and see how our service, which has scored 94% satisfaction in the most recent National Rail Passenger Survey, actually works! Together we operate 150 services every day between London Paddington and London Heathrow Airport, with a 24/7 effort behind the scenes to keep the trains safe, reliable and give our passengers a great experience. “
For a double bill of transport fun, visitors can take a free shuttle bus to London Transport Museum Open Weekend a few miles away, to uncover the stories behind design classics including the development of the first tube map to the secrets behind moquette design, and much more.
The free Siemens Heathrow Express Depot will be open between 11:00 and 17:00 (last entry 16:00) on Saturday 26 September and no booking is required. Staff will be raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support through cake sales, a transport-themed raffle and commemorative Heathrow Express pin badges. For more information including entry conditions and public transport information (no parking available) visit www.siemens.co.uk/whistlestoptour
To buy tickets for the Museum Depot Open Weekend which is open on both 26th and 27th September (free shuttle bus and free Siemens Heathrow Express Open Day is 26 September only) go to: www.ltmuseum.co.uk or call 020 7565 7298 or 020 7565 7299. Tickets £10, conc. £8. Children and young people aged 17 and under go free (under 12s must be accompanied by an adult)
Ends
Media are invited to attend the open by prior arrangement. To arrange this or for further information about interviews, filming or photography for the event, please contact:
Laurie Waugh - 07921 242074 laurie.waugh@siemens.com
Full media contacts
Siemens
Laurie Waugh
07921 242074
laurie.waugh@siemens.com
Silke Thomson-Pottebohm
07808 822 780
silke.thomson-pottebohm@siemens.com
Heathrow Express
Frances Tuke, Lotus UK
0207 953 7470
frances@lotus-uk.co.uk
London Transport Museum
Candice Jones – PR and Marketing Manager
0207 565 7448
candice.jones@ltmuseum.co.uk
Josie Murdoch – Marketing Assistant
0207 565 7423
josie.murdoch@ltmuseum.co.uk
Editors’ notes
About the Siemens Heathrow Express Depot free open day on 26 September
- No booking is required for the Heathrow Express/Siemens depot open day on 26 September, however booking is required for London Transport Museum Depot open weekend, should visitors wish to make the most out of their visit to Acton.
- The Heathrow Express/Siemens event is not suitable for children under 3 years of age and no buggies / pushchairs can be accommodated on site due to space restrictions
- Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
- As a working train maintenance facility, there are some uneven surfaces and unavoidable stairs to climb to visit some of the attractions. Anyone in a wheelchair or requiring assistance should please let us know in advance at info.railsystems.gb@siemens.com
- How to get there – The address of the site is Siemens Heathrow Express Traincare Facility, Depot South Entrance, Old Oak Common Lane, Acton, London, NW10 6DZ. Please note that no general parking is available on site, and public transport should be used. A small number of disabled parking spaces for those with a valid blue badge will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Bus numbers 266 and 288 stop nearby. The site is around 15 minutes walk from Willesden Junction and East Acton tube station. There is a free shuttle bus between Acton Town tube station (at London Transport Museum Acton Depot) to the Heathrow Express facility on a regular basis. A timetable and more details will be published nearer the time at www.siemens.co.uk/whistlestoptour
About Heathrow Express
- Heathrow Express is a non-stop train service between Paddington station and Heathrow. With its electric trains taking 15 minutes, every 15 minutes, it is the fastest, most reliable and most sustainable way to travel to and from Britain’s hub airport.
- In June 2015, Heathrow Express again achieved an excellent overall satisfaction rate of 94% from the National Rail Passenger Survey, compared to the national average of 80% and a London & South East average of 78%. Heathrow Express was found to be the best train operating company for comfort of seating area; cleanliness; space inside the train for passengers and maintenance.
About Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich)
- Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal year 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014, Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion and net income of €5.5 billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 357,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
