UK government backs £1 billion order for 29 battery-electric trains to be built at Alstom Derby
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What happened
The UK government said on 11 September 2026 that Great British Railways will procure 29 battery-electric trains in a deal worth about £1 billion, and that Alstom’s Derby facility will build them.
Why it matters
The announcement converts industrial policy into a funded rolling-stock order with identified domestic production. It also gives rail operators, suppliers and investors a new signal on the government’s willingness to use procurement to support UK manufacturing capacity.
The UK government announced a £1 billion investment for 29 British-built battery-electric trains for Great British Railways, with manufacturing assigned to Alstom’s Derby site. The announcement creates a concrete near-term procurement and industrial delivery commitment, tied to support for more than 350 direct jobs at Derby and thousands more in the wider supply chain. For ministers, it is a visible transport-capital decision with immediate relevance for rail modernisation, domestic manufacturing capacity and delivery credibility.
Watch for
Department for Transport publication of contract award details or procurement notice for the 29-train order by 2026-09-15 Alstom UK statement from Derby on production timetable, hiring numbers or supplier mobilisation by 2026-09-15 Great British Railways confirmation of route allocation, delivery schedule or fleet deployment plan by 2026-09-15 London Stock Exchange announcement by Alstom or a named UK supplier on order intake linked to the Derby build by 2026-09-15
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