Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited
Alstom's historic Litchurch Lane Works in Derby last week, using the site as the backdrop for the launch of new technical education routes while highlighting the role of apprenticeships and advanced manufacturing in supporting UK industry.
The visit, which came during the Prime Minister’s second week in office, saw him meet around 100 current and former apprentices and graduates from Alstom and its supply chain partners at the company’s National Training Academy. The facility currently supports 120 trainee apprentices and graduates and provides specialist training for engineers and technicians working across Alstom’s 36 UK sites.
Among those meeting the Prime Minister were Process Engineer Chloe Turnbull and Product Cost Engineer Yasha Sidiqui, both of whom have benefited from Alstom’s training and graduate development programmes.
Turnbull, who switched careers at the age of 23 from working in a pharmacy, joined Alstom as an apprentice and now oversees the manufacture of 10 Class 345 Aventra trains for London’s Elizabeth line.
“It was such a privilege speaking with the Prime Minister,” she said. “He was interested in everything he saw and wished everyone the very best in their careers.”
Sidiqui, who was named Graduate of the Year at the 2025 RailStaff Awards, completed placements across Alstom’s engineering teams before moving into a role focused on improving the long-term value of new train designs.
“I am only a few years into my career, but it has already been so rewarding,” she said. “Rail can be overlooked as a career choice; my hope is that the Prime Minister’s support for rail helps change that.”
Pic: Alstom's new Adessia train concept designed and engineered in DerbyThe visit also provided Alstom with an opportunity to underline the importance of Derby’s Litchurch Lane Works, which has been building trains for 150 years and remains the UK’s only facility capable of designing, engineering, building and testing trains in one location. The company argues that without the site, Britain would become the only G7 economy unable to design, build and test trains for its national rail network domestically.
Beyond Derby, Alstom highlighted the breadth of its UK manufacturing footprint. Operations range from the overhaul of bogies and traction motors in Crewe, to the design and manufacture of passenger systems in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and the export of signalling technology from Plymouth to customers around the world. The company supports more than 60% of the UK’s operational train fleet.
“We were delighted to welcome the Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet to Derby Litchurch Lane Works to meet apprentices and graduates and showcase the future of UK train building, based in the city that will be home to Great British Railways,” said Rob Whyte, managing director UK at Alstom.
Mr Whyte used the visit to emphasise the wider economic impact of rail manufacturing and procurement on British industry.
“Rail can be a core driver of reindustrialising Britain. Last year alone we spent over £720 million with almost 1,300 British businesses, supporting close to 11,000 British jobs in our supply chain. Plus, we are bolstering Britain's railway with £35 million of our own investment in Adessia, our new generation train, designed and engineered at Alstom in Derby to support GBR in achieving its objectives.”
He added: “The Prime Minister plans to use public procurement to back British industry, and rail shows how that can deliver skills, jobs and economic growth at every level of the supply chain, in every part of the country.”
The Prime Minister’s visit came almost exactly a year after Litchurch Lane hosted The Greatest Gathering, the centrepiece of the Railway 200 celebrations marking two centuries of the modern passenger railway. The three-day event attracted more than 40,000 visitors and featured over 140 historic and modern rail vehicles, creating what Alstom described as the world’s largest-ever gathering of rolling stock and rail-related exhibits.