Fire crews get train to practise terror response

The train will be used to simulate emergencies at Humberside Fire and Rescue's training facility

Firefighters will be able to simulate rail derailments, terror attacks and other emergencies after being donated a train.

The former Heathrow Express carriage, which comprises a driver's cab and passenger section, was gifted by Siemens Mobility.

It will serve Humberside Fire and Rescue Service at a training site in Immingham, Lincolnshire.

Chief fire officer Phil Shillito said: "It will significantly enhance the realism of our training scenarios and better prepare our firefighters for emergencies involving rail transport."

The carriage formed part of a train that operated between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington

He added: "This is not something that's often available to fire and rescue services, and it will make a real difference in our ability to protect the communities we serve.

"We are incredibly grateful to Siemens Mobility for this generous donation. The addition of a real train carriage at our training site is a rare and valuable asset."

The carriage's new home will be at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service's Central Training Section, providing firefighters with realistic scenarios for derailments, road traffic collisions, and terrorist attacks, including casualty management in confined spaces.

Beyond professional training, it will also benefit cadets and young people through educational programmes.

Chief fire officer Phil Shillito, pictured front, says the donation will help crews prepare for a variety of incidents

Finbarr Dowling, Siemens Mobility's director of localisation, said: "We're committed to the efficient use and continuous reuse and repurposing of rolling stock and materials in our trains.

"The carriage has been used in various ways since being on site at Goole, but we were actively looking to put it to a new and useful purpose. This donation means it will have a much longer lifespan, providing further benefits to society for years to come."

The Class 332 carriage was part of the first mainline train Siemens Mobility sold and delivered into the UK, operating between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington from 1998 to 2019.

After decommissioning, the carriage was relocated to Siemens Mobility's Goole site during its development.

The £250m Goole Rail Village is expected to bring up to 1,000 new jobs to East Yorkshire.

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