London, UK, 2018-Mar-29
The equipment will be used by students at the Birmingham and Doncaster campuses of the College, established as part of the Government’s HS2 Growth Strategy which aims to develop regional supply chains and training opportunities to ensure the construction of HS2 provides the maximum economic benefit to communities near the line’s route.
The College’s Yorkshire base is just 20 miles from a site in Goole, East Yorkshire, where Siemens recently announced plans to invest up to £200m in a new state-of-the-art factory to manufacture and commission trains and employ up to 700 people in skilled engineering and manufacturing roles. The plans are subject to investment conditions being met and to the company’s success in major future orders.
Siemens’ contribution to the National College for High Speed Rail matches industry’s promise to equip the College with industry standard kit and equipment to make the learning environment match the needs of the rail sector.
The first donation is a bogie – which contains the wheels of a train carriage and supports the vehicle above – from the SF 5000 family of standard bogies fitted to the successful Siemens Desiro fleet, with over 350 trains in operational service across the UK.
The second is a gas insulated switch gear, used to power a short stretch of overhead line based in the college campus. This will allow students to understand how the overhead line interacts with the high-speed train and wider rail infrastructure.
The last piece of equipment is a rig, which supports the testing of systems under the ETCS (European Train Control System) form of train control and will allow learners to visually experience train movements in a simulated environment.
The new equipment will enable learners to interact and engage with an authentic working environment, which will be combined with virtual and augmented reality learning so they can assemble, dismantle and work directly on a range of equipment currently used across the UK’s railways.
The donations come as three new learners embark on a new Systems Engineering Course at the college after completing their entry level apprenticeships with Siemens.
Gordon Wakeford, Managing Director of the Mobility Division at Siemens, said: “The equipment we have donated will enable students to learn first-hand about the engineering and technology driving the trains of tomorrow, and help to bring their studies to life.
“The National College of High Speed Rail is going to play a crucial role in developing the workforce of the future, and we are proud to be supporting it with these contributions.”
Clair Mowbray, Chief Executive of the National College for High Speed Rail, said: “As Britain begins to invest billions of pounds in modernising its rail network and wider transport infrastructure, ensuring our learners have access to real, industry standard, working equipment and the latest technologies will make a real difference in preparing them for their careers in the rail industry.
“We welcome this kind donation from Siemens, which will contribute towards a fulfilling learning experience for both our existing and future students.”
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Media contacts
Silke Thomson-Pottebohm, Siemens
Tel: 07808 822 7800
Email: silke.thomson-pottebohm@siemens.com
Emma Whitaker, Siemens
Tel: 07921 246942
Email: emma.whitaker@siemens.com
For further information, please see: www.siemens.co.uk/press
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Notes to editors
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. With its publicly listed subsidiary Siemens Healthineers AG, 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 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
