Alstom submit plans for Halebank, Widnes site!

[8A Rail]

The opening of the depot was on the BBC North West News. When asked about the possibility of train building at the site the manager stated that if the company won a contract for new tube trains for London they would be built at Widnes.

More or less covered on the first page of this thread what Alstom's plans were for this site - it is in three phases. First one completed and now fingers cross.

 

[childwallblues]

The 08 shunter has been replaced by 08721 which is in BR blue livery.

 

[childwallblues]

The 08 shunter has been replaced by 08721 which is in BR blue livery.

08721 arrived on Tuesday from Longsight. I assume that 08454 went the other way....unless someone knows otherwise.

 

[8A Rail]

08721 arrived on Tuesday from Longsight. I assume that 08454 went the other way....unless someone knows otherwise.

Both still there today. Engineers / Orangeman mulling around them outside the depot!

 

[childwallblues]

Spot on Doug. We passed on our way to London yesterday morning and they were both outside the depot on roads 1 and 3.

 

[Dixie]

A couple of pictures from passing by on Monday 18th September

 

[snowball]

Alstom Strand Road Preston to close:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-41753242

Manufacturer Alstom is to close its Preston site ending 120 years of rail production and maintenance in the city.

Preston MP Mark Hendrick raised concerns about 180 jobs leaving the city with news of the closure of the Strand Road factory.

Alstom said it will leave Preston by July 2018 and transfer jobs to a new transport centre in Widnes, Cheshire.

The announcement comes weeks after BAE Systems announced it would cut 750 jobs in Warton and Samlesbury.

The Labour and Co-operative MP said the proposed closure would mean the loss of 180 jobs and comes just after the "hammer blow" of losses at BAE Systems.

"We keep hearing the hype about the so-called Northern Powerhouse so why are aerospace and train manufacturers in the north shedding jobs by the hundreds?" he added.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she recognised it was a "worrying time" for workers involved.

 

[PR1Berske]

Alstom Strand Road Preston to close:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-41753242

As a Prestonian born and bred, it will be quite the shock to the entire city when the factory closes. Losing one side of Strand Road to houses and offices took much getting used to.

Umbertos chippy has seen quite the change from its fogged-up window over the past 40-odd years....

 

[WatcherZero]

Apparently Alstoms lease on the factory is up next year and they are moving out rather than renewing it. Alstom sold all their property in 2002 to St Modwen (19 properties around the country totalling £175m of which the Preston site raised £111m) and took up leases to reduce their debt.

 

[Mikey C]

The Labour and Co-operative MP said the proposed closure would mean the loss of 180 jobs and comes just after the "hammer blow" of losses at BAE Systems.

"We keep hearing the hype about the so-called Northern Powerhouse so why are aerospace and train manufacturers in the north shedding jobs by the hundreds?" he added.

A blow to Preston perhaps, but this is just a relocation of jobs within the north surely...

Does Preston do any manufacturing at all these days, or is it just repairing/maintaining existing kit these days?