KeolisAmey selected CAF as the preferred bidder to supply modern diesel multiple units for the newly-awarded Wales and Borders rail franchise which will run the 15-year Wales and Borders rail franchise from October 2018. In total, CAF will supply 77 DMUs.
Under the contract, which also includes maintenance services, by September 2022 CAF will deliver 44 two-car and 26 three-car units and 7 two-car units will be delivered by 2024. The high performance DMU’s are based on the UK Civity platform, designed for commuter and regional services, featuring the latest safety technology combined with exacting interior design specifications for customer comfort, including air conditioning and wi-fi.
The units will be built at CAF’s new facility at the Celtic Business Park site in Newport, South Wales, which is scheduled for completion in Autumn 2018.
“These new trains, which will set a new standard of travel comfort and accessibility for the next decade, will be made for Wales and by Wales as they will be assembled in a new CAF factory in Newport, creating hundreds of new jobs,” Colin Lea, Mobilisation Director, KeolisAmey Wales Cymru said.
CAF is investing EUR 34 million (GBP 30 million) for its Newport facility which will create 300 new jobs and boost the wider UK rail industry supply chain as the company plans to develop a ‘cluster’ of local and national companies to supply components for the manufacture of its trains.
Share on:
