“A very exciting future” - Northern celebrates 1st anniversary as sole operator of Neville Hill TrainCare Centre in West Yorkshire

Northern became the sole operator of the facility on 17 October 2021 and set about transforming the massive depot into a catalyst for change and delivery for rail in the North of England.

Jack Commandeur, engineering director at Northern, said: “TrainCare Centres like Neville Hill are fundamental to the daily operation of the UK rail system. Although geographically well defined, their impact on the railway system and its supply chain are far reaching.”

Every day, a team of engineers and support staff at Neville Hill service 34 trains from nine different fleets and carry out more than 500 safety and service critical tasks. Their work supports 260 direct and 825 indirect passenger services a day.

Commandeur added: “We inherited a tremendous team and we’re now working together in a focussed and consistent way on a single vision and strategy for the site that can be implemented for the benefit of all and subsequently the customer.”

Since it become sole operator, Northern has completed a site-wide clean-up, integrated teams for more efficient working, improved security, refurbished facilities for staff and improved safety with the installation of illuminated walkways. The Neville Hill team also share their learnings with other TrainCare Centres across the country with an ongoing programme of depot visits.

And the work continues. Northern believes a transformed Neville Hill can benefit not only their customers, but the local community too.

While customers will benefit from better maintained and more reliable trains; the local community will have access to employment opportunities supported by training and apprenticeships.

Commandeur concluded: “Doing nothing was not an option. Neville Hill has a very exciting future.”

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.