CAF Newport
{{Short description|Rolling stock factory in Newport, Wales}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox factory
| name = CAF Newport
| image = Class195Stockport.jpg
| alt =
| caption = A Class 195 DMU that was completed at CAF Newport in 2019
| location_map = Wales Newport
| location_map_size =
| location_map_caption =
| location_map_alt =
| coordinates = {{Coord|51.5798|-2.9098|display=inline, title}}
| built = 2017/2018
| operated = 2018 -
| location = Llanwern, Newport, Wales
| industry = Manufacturing
| products = Rolling stock
| employees = 200 (2020)
| architect =
| style =
| buildings = 4
| area =
| volume = {{convert|15,000|m2|order=flip}} (buildings)
{{convert|46,000|m2|order=flip}} (whole site)
| address = 1 Monks Ditch Drive
Celtic Business Park
| owner = CAF
| defunct = }}
CAF Newport is a rolling stock factory located at Celtic Business Park, Llanwern, Newport, Wales. The site was announced as a train-building factory in 2016 and was producing rolling stock by 2018. It is owned and operated by CAF.
History
File:TfW DMU 197125 at Llandudno Junction station.jpg Class 197]]
Since the 1990s, CAF have supplied trains for the UK rail network from its factories in Spain. Products have included Class 3000 and Class 4000 DMUs for NI Railways, {{brc|332}}s for Heathrow Express, {{brc|333}}s for Arriva Trains Northern, {{brc|195}}s and {{brc|331}}s for Arriva Rail North,{{Cite web|url=https://www.railway-technology.com/news/uk-northern-introduces-first-nine-caf-trains-into-service/|title=UK Northern introduces first nine CAF trains into service|date=2019-07-01|website=Railway Technology|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-04-15}} Class 196s for West Midlands Trains, Class 197s for Transport for Wales, Class 397 and Mark 5s for TransPennine Express and Mark 5s for the Caledonian Sleeper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.railjournal.com/fleet/transpennine-express-introduces-new-nova-fleet/|title=TransPennine Express introduces new Nova fleet|date=2019-11-25|website=International Railway Journal|language=en|access-date=2020-04-15}} CAF also supplied Urbos 3 trams for Edinburgh and the West Midlands Metro.{{cite magazine|editor1-last=Pritchard |editor1-first=Robert |title=Blue livery spreads to more of the West Midlands Metro fleet |magazine=Today's Railways UK|date=October 2019 |issue=214 |page=20 |publisher=Platform 5|location=Sheffield |issn=1475-9713}}
When searching for a possible site to construct trains in the UK, CAF looked at over 100 different locations before settling on one on a part of the defunct Llanwern steelworks in South Wales.{{cite news |title=300 train building jobs announced |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-40585636 |access-date=14 March 2020 |work=BBC News |date=13 July 2017}} The site is located alongside sidings which follow the South Wales Main Line between {{rws|Newport}} and {{rws|Bristol Parkway}}, and the site has three main buildings: a three-road assembly plant, a five-road test shed, and a stores building.{{cite magazine|last1=Bickerdyke |first1=Paul |title=Royal opening for CAF Newport |magazine=Rail Express |date=April 2020 |issue=287 |page=12 |publisher=Mortons Media |location=Horncastle |issn=1362-234X}} The west end of the site has a traverser, which enables easy access to lines without the need for excessive shunting, and a water test facility.{{sfn|Sherratt|2020|p=57}}
The project cost £30 million and the footprint of the buildings cover an area of {{convert|15,000|m2|abbr=on}},{{cite magazine |editor1-last=Harris |editor1-first=Nigel |title=Inside CAF's new factory |magazine=Rail|date=11 March 2020 |issue=900 |page=42|publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563|ref=none}} with capacity to extend onsite as CAF own {{convert|46,000|m2|abbr=on}}.{{cite news |last1=Kelsey |first1=Chris |title=The new train making factory that will provide jobs for hundreds |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/inside-new-train-making-factory-14443102 |access-date=14 April 2020 |work=Wales Online |date=22 March 2018}} Expansion would have been be necessary to build the near {{convert|200|m|adj=on}} trains for HS2, if CAF had been successful in its bid.{{sfn|Sherratt|2020|p=57}} Initially, the site had just 12 employees, but that stood at 200 by the start of 2020. The company expects that the order book will necessitate expanding to 300 staff to fulfil those orders.{{sfn|Sherratt|2020|pp=54–56}}
Construction of the factory by Bowmer + Kirkland commenced in 2017, with work completed in July 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newport.gov.uk/en/Business/Business-news/Good-news-from-Newport-businesses.aspx|title=Good news from Newport businesses|website=Newport City Council|access-date=2020-04-15}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20201126183644/https://www.bandk.co.uk/what_we_do/new-manufacturing-facility-newport/ New Manufacturing Facility, Newport] Bowmer + Kirkland{{Cite web|url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/prince-of-wales-inaugurates-cafs-newport-rolling-stock-factory/55862.article|title=Prince of Wales inaugurates CAF's Newport rolling stock factory|website=Railway Gazette International|language=en|access-date=2020-04-15}} It was officially opened by Prince Charles on 21 February 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/18252565.prince-charles-visits-newport-caf-train-factory-opening/|title=Prince Charles visits Newport for official opening of new train factory|website=South Wales Argus|date=21 February 2020 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-15}}
CAF had stated that should they be awarded the contract to build trains for HS2, then they would be assembled in South Wales on its Oaris platform.{{cite news |last1=Barry |first1=Sion |title=The Newport train factory bidding to build £2.7bn worth of new high-speed trains |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/manufacturing/newport-train-factory-bidding-build-16412121 |access-date=15 March 2020 |work=Birmingham Post|date=11 June 2019 |language=en}} However in December 2021, the contract was awarded to a competing manufacturer.
The bodyshells, bogies and engines are manufactured off site, and bodyshells specifically are produced at CAF's plants in Beasain, Zaragosa and Irun, but assembly and other manufacturing is undertaken at Newport.{{cite magazine |last1=Clinnick |first1=Richard |title=CAF's £30 million Welsh factory officially opens |magazine=Rail|date=11 March 2020 |issue=900 |page=10 |publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563}}
Production at the site was ceased in March 2020 after COVID-19 social distancing restrictions came into effect. Bodyshell deliveries from Spain had ceased two weeks before the factory's closure, and although it was possible to continue building without the bodyshell deliveries, it was felt that it was unable to keep the workers at a safe distance from each other.{{cite magazine |editor1-last=Harris |editor1-first=Nigel |title=UK train production stops but depots remain open for servicing|magazine=Rail|date=8 April 2020 |issue=902 |page=12|publisher=Bauer Media |location=Peterborough |issn=0953-4563|ref=none}}
Classes built
- Class 195{{cite news |title=Prince of Wales inaugurates CAF's Newport rolling stock factory |url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/prince-of-wales-inaugurates-cafs-newport-rolling-stock-factory/55862.article |access-date=14 March 2020 |work=Railway Gazette International |date=24 February 2020 |language=en}}
- Class 196
- Class 197
- Class 331{{cn|date=August 2024}}
- Class 897LNER CAF fleet to be Class 897 Rail Express issue 340 September 2024 page 14
Other ventures
CAF also have other business strands operating out of the Newport site; all UK rolling stock works are concentrated on the site including design, system engineering and support to projects such as the Mark 5 passenger coaches for the Caledonian Sleeper and TransPennine Express which were built outside of the UK.{{sfn|Sherratt|2020|p=54}}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite magazine|last=Sherratt|first=Philip|title=CAF builds for the UK|magazine=Modern Railways|date=March 2020|publisher=Key Publishing|location=Stamford|issue=858|volume=77|issn=0026-8356}}
- {{cite magazine|editor-last=Harris|editor-first=Nigel|title=The inside story of CAF in the UK|magazine=Rail|date=11 March 2020|issue=900|publisher=Bauer Meda|location=Peterborough|issn=0953-4563}}
External links
- [https://www.caf.net/en/compania/instalaciones.php?opt=plantas-de-fabricacion Official web page]
- [https://thenewwiperstimes.com/2020/07/08/cafnewport/ Recognising CAF’s Newport Plant #MadeInWales] THE NEW WIPERS TIMES, 8 July 2020
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2018
Category:Manufacturing plants in Wales
Category:Rail transport in Wales
Category:Railway workshops in Great Britain