The historic Crewe Works site is to receive major investment after site owners Alstom won an HS2 contract to build a new generation of 54 high speed trains in North and Midlands.
Formally owned by Bombardier, the site has not been used for the manufacture of new trains since the early 1990.
Now it is set to be used for the production of the bogies that will form the base of the new trains.
The contract could create thousands of green jobs and add £157 million to the UK economy for every year of the train building phase.
Alstom’s Managing Director UK & Ireland Nick Crossfield said: “HS2 is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Britain by building a sustainable transport system fit for the 21st Century.
“I am delighted that Alstom’s joint venture with Hitachi Rail has been selected to develop, build and maintain in Britain the next generation of high speed trains.”
Councillor Craig Browne, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council and chair of its highways and transport committee, said: “This announcement further highlights the strength of Crewe’s rail supply and its highly-skilled workforce.
“We hope many of the jobs anticipated to be supported by this contract will be opportunities for people in the town and the wider borough.
“Crewe already has an undeniable rich rail heritage, but news such as this will ensure that its status as the railway town is cemented for generations to come.
“And, as we await further information about the competition to find a national headquarters for new public body Great British Railways, so that we can progress our bid, this announcement also reinforces our belief that Crewe is absolutely the best and ideal location for this.”
Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan also welcomed the news.
He said: “The railways have been at the heart of Crewe for generations.
“I have talked a lot about the investment and jobs HS2 will bring to the area.
“That can seem a bit general for people to hear. But this is exactly what I mean.
“This will be a transformative contract for the site in Crewe and I am incredibly happy that once again, Crewe is back in the business of building trains.
“The opportunities this will create for the next generation of engineers and other skilled workers are enormous.
“It is a huge vote of confidence and I know many people and their families who spent decades building trains in Crewe will be delighted at this news. I couldn’t be happier about this.”
The new 200m-long, 8-car trains are set to run in Phase 1 of the project between London and Birmingham.
They will also run on the existing network increasing capacity between towns and cities including Stoke, Crewe, Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Motherwell and Glasgow.
It’s bogies not bogeys, the latter being what you find up your nose!!
The new trains are not being manufactured in Crewe sadly, it is only the bogie production which are the frames that hold the wheelsets that sit underneath each coach.
But still a very positive step for Crewe Works, well done.