Work starts on £35m Derby rail depot project

The depot is being extended to accommodate East Midlands Railway's new Aurora train fleet

A £35m project to extend a rail depot has got under way, a train company has said.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said it had begun work on its Etches Park depot in Derby in preparation for its new Aurora train fleet.

The project will involve reconfiguring the track, as well as extending its sheds and installing a new electric overhead line.

EMR said the changes would help cement the city's "proud railway heritage".

'Massive improvements'

EMR's new fleet of 33 five-carriage trains, which will be able to run on electricity and diesel, is being built by Hitachi Rail in County Durham.

EMR said the trains would enter service in 2023 and have more seats and modern interiors.

It will also be installing a new vehicle monitoring system in Derby so it can follow its trains in real time to help plan maintenance.

Lisa Angus, EMR's transitions and projects director, said: "These massive improvements to Etches Park are great news for the city of Derby.

"Using the latest technology and techniques, we will be able to operate our new Aurora fleet as efficiently as possible, while also maintaining specialist engineering jobs in the city for decades to come - helping to cement Derby's proud railway heritage."

The company said the work would help retain specialist engineering jobs in the city

Elaine Clark, chief executive officer of industry body Rail Forum Midlands, said: "It is great to see the preparations for the arrival of the Aurora fleet taking shape.

"This is great news, not just for passengers and EMR, but also for ensuring skilled jobs are retained and helping to encourage further investment for the city."