Priory Sidings: New jobs & rail logistics hub coming to Hull to supply HS2
ON TRACK: Austrian firm voestalpine is creating a new rail logistics hub in Freightliner Road. Picture by voestalpine
By Angus Young
Twenty jobs are set to be created at a new rail logistics hub coming to Hull.
The project, by the UK division of Austrian-based voestalpine Railway, will breathe new life into an 11.6-acre site at Priory Sidings last used as a rail freight container terminal in 1987.
The complex in Freightliner Road will be used to store and assemble specialist track parts up to 70 metres in length destined for the high-speed HS2 line. The components will be manufactured in Germany before being brought to Hull by rail via the Channel Tunnel.
Plans submitted earlier this year for the development near Hessle have now been approved by Hull City Council.
They include installing two new sidings, constructing two modular buildings and laying a new length of track to connect to the main rail network.
In a statement for The Hull Story, parent group voestalpine AG said: “voestalpine Railway Systems, a subsidiary of the international steel and technology group voestalpine based in Austria, has been contracted by HS2 Ltd to supply points and crossings for phases 1 and 2a of the UK’s new high-speed railway.
“The contract includes the design, manufacture and delivery of around 180 switches and crossings which will be installed between London and the connection with the West Coast mainline at Crewe.
CONNECTED: The hub will receive components via rail from the EU
“Due to the size of the components a new rail connection is required to stage deliveries to HS2.
“A logistics hub in Hessle will receive the components to assemble high-speed switches and crossings via rail from the EU, reducing carbon footprint and road congestion.
“The logistics site will employ 20 employees responsible for receiving and supplying the assemblies to HS2 building sites by rail.
“The HS2-related engineering, servicing and assembly employment of voestalpine Turnout Technology UK on all sites in the UK will add 50 employees when the supply of components for HS2 commences.”
In the UK, voestalpine currently supplies components to Network Rail, Translink, Transport for London, Glasgow’s public transport company SPT and all light railways operators in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Documents submitted as part of the planning application said Priory Sidings had been chosen after a three-year search by the company for a suitable rail-based site.
The planning go-ahead for the development comes after Network Rail unveiled separate proposals to re-open platform one at Hull's Paragon Station for passenger trains. The platform was last used for passenger services over 30 years ago.
Under the new proposals, the platform will be extended by seven metres and strengthened to make it suitable for use. Network Rail say the move is aimed at “improving operational constraints” at the station as well as providing additional capacity for passenger services.