Siemens Mobility's Bogie Service Centre (BSC) in Lincoln has reached a historic milestone with the overhaul of its 1000th bogie, just 15 months after its 500th bogie overhaul and after only three years of operations.
The centre has completed the overhaul of bogies from Class 350/2 and 350/4 bogies for Kings Heath depot and is now overhauling the bogies for the Class 374 high-speed Eurostars and Class 185 Desiro trains. The milestone 1000th bogie was part of an overhaul programme of 2335 bogies for Thameslink's Class 700 fleet over the next four years.
When the £8m centre opened in 2018, it employed 44 technicians. It now employs 72 technicians, several technical administrators, and seven apprentices with a total of 118 current employees and further recruitment in progress.
Bogies for all of the Siemens trains operating in the UK are serviced at the centre, including Velaro Eurostar e320. Thameslink Class 700. Transpennine Express Class 185, and West Midlands trains Class 350/2 & 350/4.
As well as providing jobs, the BSC works with the local community, and last Christmas staff from the centre donated a large amount of food and toiletries to the local food bank and raised £110 to help those in need over the festive period.
Community engagement is a vital part of Siemens Mobility's operations in the UK. A new £200m train manufacturing plant being built in Goole in East Yorkshire is due to open in 2023. It will manufacture and commission new generation trains and create up to 700 skilled jobs.
Sambit Banerjee, Managing Director, Siemens Mobility Limited, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for our Bogie Service Centre. Reaching this milestone so soon after the 500th overhaul shows how the capabilities of the Lincoln facility are growing at pace.
“The Lincoln service centre is state of the art and can service the full range of Siemens trains in the UK – maximising their efficiency throughout their life cycle. We are incredibly proud of the growing number of hard-working employees in Lincoln who have helped the centre go from strength to strength over the last three years.
