Siemens Mobility has donated a former Heathrow Express train carriage to Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, enhancing training capabilities for major incidents and civil emergencies.
The Class 332 carriage, a driver’s cab and passenger section, was part of the first mainline train Siemens Mobility sold and delivered into the UK – operating between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington from 1998 to 2019.
After decommissioning, the carriage was relocated to Siemens Mobility’s Goole site during its development. The Goole Rail Village represents an investment of up to £240 million that will bring up to 1,000 new jobs to the East Riding of Yorkshire.
The carriage’s new home is at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service’s Central Training Section in Immingham – providing firefighters with realistic scenarios for derailments, road traffic collisions, and terrorist attacks, including casualty management in confined spaces.
It will also facilitate multi-agency training with Humberside Police and ambulance services, while also supporting the Fire Service’s Cadet programme and educational visits to encourage the next generation of emergency service workers.
The initiative underscores Siemens Mobility’s commitment to social value and circularity, minimising waste and emphasising sustainability through the reuse and repurpose of materials.
Finbarr Dowling, Siemens Mobility director of localisation, said: “Resource efficiency and circularity is one of Siemens Mobility’s key areas for positive sustainability impact and we’re committed to the efficient use and continuous reuse and repurposing of rolling stock and materials in our trains.
“The carriage has been used in various ways since being on site at Goole, but we were actively looking to put it to a new and useful purpose. This donation means it will have a much longer lifespan, providing further benefits to society for years to come.
Phil Shillito, chief fire officer, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Siemens Mobility for this generous donation. The addition of a real train carriage at our training site is a rare and valuable asset.
“It will significantly enhance the realism of our training scenarios and better prepare our firefighters for emergencies involving rail transport.
“This is not something that’s often available to fire and rescue services, and it will make a real difference in our ability to protect the communities we serve.”
Image credit: Siemens Mobility UK
