Member Article

Vivarail to create 30 specialist engineering jobs in Durham

Train company Vivarail is investing £100k to open a large production site in Seaham, County Durham, a move which will create 30 specialist engineering jobs over the next three years.

The new plant on Spectrum Business Park will act as a base for the business to assemble components to power refurbished trains, previously run on the London Underground network.

Vivarail was formed by Adrian Shooter in 2013 to buy old D78 metro stock from the London Underground and transform the disused carriages into state of the art passenger trains for use as local commuter-type trains.

The company’s upcycled D-Trains retain the bodyshell and bogies of the original vehicles, while fitting them with modern engines and cutting-edge technology to create eco-friendly trains that have lower fuel consumption and low emissions.

Supported by Business Durham, the new Seaham site will be used to assemble the powerpacks and wiring looms needed to run the trains.

Mr Shooter, who revealed that the production facility is expected to be operational in January, commented: “As Vivarail looked to expand and open a new site, the North East was a very attractive location for us, most notably because of its highly skilled pool of engineering and manufacturing workers.

“The region already has a strong rail industry and we want to tap into this and look to buy locally where we can. Plus, we also have the opportunity to expand further here, depending on the speed and scale of future orders.”

Peter Rippingale, inward investment manager at Business Durham, added: “Vivarail is a very forward-thinking, modern company, bringing with it a good number of specialised jobs and making the most of the talent we have in the region.

“By investing in County Durham and pledging to use regional suppliers where possible, Vivarail is expected to have a real impact on the rail industry and the economy.”